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