text: user4559: I know this is a broad question and I'm sorry if this is not the right place to post (this is my first post ever), but is there some sort of roadmap for bioinformatics?
  I'm an undergraduate student and I have a strong background in statistics, computer science, and molecular biology so I feel like I should be able to get around, but every time I talk or read about bioinformatics I feel lost. It's such a vast area that I don't even know where to begin or what even exists.
  Is there some kind of all-encompassing textbook or roadmap for me to follow?
  Most textbooks I could find expend way to much time explaining really basic stuff like what is a cell and how to program and I feel they fail to convey the bigger picture of bioinformatics. Things like what exists in the area, what are the current technologies, conventions, and challenges that we face. What should I know in order to call myself a bioinformatician?
  
  user3848: The formal answer is O'Reilly "Bioinformatics programming, using Python". Check out the classic O'Reilly texts on "Mastering Perl for bioinformatics", and possibly"Beginning Perl for bioinformatics" (which is likely far too basic), which establish some core principles and have a solid reputation in teaching. However, the Perl/Python thing might get confusing (I dunno).
  If you are statistics orientated at a guess, O'Reilly's, Bioinformatics data skills... I don't know, but something that would focus on R.
  The real goal is core-technical competance because the biological understanding will be taught by your supervisor. Thereafter you might turn your attention to teaming up with a lab for project training.
  
original_text: 4559: <p>I know this is a broad question and I'm sorry if this is not the right place to post (this is my first post ever), but is there some sort of roadmap for bioinformatics?</p>
  
  <p>I'm an undergraduate student and I have a strong background in statistics, computer science, and molecular biology so I feel like I should be able to get around, but every time I talk or read about bioinformatics I feel lost. It's such a vast area that I don't even know where to begin or what even exists.
  Is there some kind of all-encompassing textbook or roadmap for me to follow?</p>
  
  <p>Most textbooks I could find expend way to much time explaining really basic stuff like what is a cell and how to program and I feel they fail to convey the bigger picture of bioinformatics. Things like what exists in the area, what are the current technologies, conventions, and challenges that we face. What should I know in order to call myself a bioinformatician?</p>
   3848: <p>The formal answer is O'Reilly "Bioinformatics programming, using Python". Check out the classic O'Reilly texts on "Mastering Perl for bioinformatics", and possibly"Beginning Perl for bioinformatics" (which is likely far too basic), which establish some core principles and have a solid reputation in teaching. However, the Perl/Python thing might get confusing (I dunno).</p>
  
  <p>If you are statistics orientated at a guess, O'Reilly's, Bioinformatics data skills... I don't know, but something that would focus on R.</p>
  
  <p>The real goal is core-technical competance because the biological understanding will be taught by your supervisor. Thereafter you might turn your attention to teaming up with a lab for project training.</p>
  