| An article at CNN lists academic research | | | | under $15/hour. This is less than the |
| scientists as one of the top three "Big jobs | | | | average salary earned by recent college |
| that pay badly". The article states that | | | | graduates with only a bachelor's degree. |
| this career track has "one of the most | | | | Once again, let me remind you of the average |
| disproportionate ratios of training to pay".I | | | | salary of a Patent Agent -- $74,900 a |
| believe it.As a one-time research scientist | | | | year.And it's not all about money. A career |
| myself, I experienced the low pay first-hand. | | | | as a Patent Agent has its rewards. It's a |
| In all honesty, it was barely enough to | | | | highly respectable and honorable career where |
| support my modest living needs, let alone a | | | | you may put your knowledge to the test and |
| family. I found myself in the uncomfortable | | | | solve fascinating technical and legal |
| position of actually making less than a | | | | problems. It is your opportunity to really |
| full-time waitress. This was with my | | | | use that science degree (or the degrees) you |
| Master's degree in Molecular Biology working | | | | worked so hard to get and earn the prestige |
| at a prestigious academic institute.And as | | | | you so deserve.You will be right on the |
| much as I'd like to say it gets better with | | | | cutting edge of research and development, |
| more education, I can't. Unfortunately, the | | | | quite possibly even closer to it than you are |
| salary and job expectations only seem to only | | | | today tucked away running experiments in the |
| worsen with the degree level. If you're a | | | | laboratory. You will be positioned to learn |
| postdoc, you know exactly what I mean.Decades | | | | about new and exciting discoveries before |
| ago, the postdoctoral position was merely a | | | | anyone else.In addition to the prestige |
| "stepping stone" on the road to something | | | | offered by a career in patent law, there is |
| bigger and better. But today, many postdocs | | | | virtually unlimited potential. Patent law is |
| are trapped in their temporary positions. | | | | one of the few legal specialties that is |
| Some spend as long as a decade, or more, just | | | | actually growing. And since many biotech |
| biding their time, searching for their | | | | innovations truly do advance society, you |
| "big-break" into the small pool of permanent | | | | will have the opportunity to do something |
| Ph.D. positions.Even those that make it are | | | | positive for mankind (which is probably why |
| forced to go where the money is, which might | | | | you became a scientist in the first |
| not be where their ideas and dreams would | | | | place).And you may always choose to get a law |
| take them.I can imagine if you're in this | | | | degree after you gain experience as a Patent |
| position, you're probably wondering why I'm | | | | Agent. As you might guess, you can expect a |
| bringing this up. To rub in how incredibly | | | | higher pay and even more challenges as a |
| underpaid you are? No. Instead, I want to | | | | Patent Attorney (in fact, the average pay for |
| let you in on a little secret.It's a shortcut | | | | a Patent Attorney is $100,000 with some |
| actually.You see, my story changed when I | | | | partners earning well over $200,000 a |
| found out that as a scientist, I qualified to | | | | year).So with all the benefits of a career in |
| begin a career in patent law. All I needed | | | | patent law, why don't more scientists opt for |
| to gain status as a registered Patent Agent | | | | this opportunity? Especially when all that |
| was pass an exam conducted by the United | | | | stands between them and this career is an |
| States Patent and Trademark Office. Upon | | | | exam? Well the truth is, many just don't |
| passing this exam, I would be legally | | | | know the opportunity exists. My goal is to |
| eligible to write and prosecute patents in | | | | change that.As you can see, passing the |
| the U.S.Chances are you qualify to take this | | | | Patent Bar exam can open an entirely new |
| exam and become a Patent Agent too.A licensed | | | | career door for you. It can pave the way to |
| Patent Agent (with no law degree) makes an | | | | a higher salary and a highly rewarding |
| average expected salary of $74,900 a year (as | | | | career. So if you're interested in a career |
| reported by in 2005). Contrast this with the | | | | change of this sort, please seek out more |
| $45,000 average salary of a Research | | | | information today. As you know, shortcuts |
| Associate in the field of Biotechnology. | | | | don't always last forever, especially when |
| That's almost $30,000 more in a single | | | | the word gets out.Copyright © 2005 Lisa |
| year.The salary for a Ph.D. in a postdoc | | | | ParmleyFor more information on the Patent Bar |
| position is a mere $38,000. And the average | | | | Exam and a career in patent law, please visit |
| number of hours a postdoc works in a typical | | | | Patent Bar Exam News. Download the free |
| week is 51. If you do the math, it becomes | | | | report and discover how you can land an |
| apparent that a postdoc's hourly wage is just | | | | exclusive career in patent law. |