Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello, I am very interested in this field and would appreciate someone with experience to answer my questions:

How long were you in school (not just Phd or Masters Degree, I mean holistically counting associates, bachelors...etc)?
Do you spend lot of time in the lab?
What do you do, specifically? Create antiviral drugs?
Do you make a lot of plaque assays?
What do you have to wear when dealing with viruses?
What courses in college do you recommend I take?
Is chemistry involved in this career?
What colleges are great for people with my career aspiration?
Thanks for taking your time in reading this!