Synopses & Reviews
Most people who do a PhD and postdoctoral work in the biomedical sciences do not end up as principal investigators in a research lab. Despite this, graduate courses and postdoctoral fellowships tend to focus almost exclusively on training for bench science rather than other career paths. This book plugs the gap by providing information about a wide variety of different careers that individuals with a PhD in the life sciences can pursue.
Covering everything from science writing and grant administration to patent law and management consultancy, the book includes firsthand accounts of what the jobs are like, the skills required, and advice on how to get a foot in the door. It will be a valuable resource for all life scientists considering their career options and laboratory heads who want to give career advice to their students and postdocs.
Synopsis
The majority of PhDs trained in biomedical sciences do not remain in academia. They are now presented with a broad variety of career options, including science journalism, publishing, science policy, patent law, and many more. This book examines the numerous different careers that scientists leaving the bench can pursue, from the perspectives of individuals who have successfully made the transition. In each case, the book sets out what the job involves and describes the qualifications and skills sets required.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Richard Sever and Kaaren Janssen
2. A Career at a Small Liberal Arts College
Jennifer Punt
3. Core Facility Management
Claire M. Brown
4. Academic Administration
Lydia Villa-Komaroff
5. Careers in Science and Grant Administration:
View from the National Institutes of Health
Marion Zatz and Sherry Dupere
6. At the Crossroads of Science and Society: Careers in Science Policy
Amy P. Patterson, Mary E. Groesch, Allan C. Shipp, and Christopher J. Viggiani
7. Working for a Scientific Society
Martin Frank
8. Leaving the Bench and Finding Your Foundation
John E. Spiro
9. Patent Law: At the Cutting Edge of Science but Not at the Bench
Salim Mamajiwalla
10. Biotech Start-Ups and Entrepreneurship
Susan Froshauer
11. A Career for Life Scientists in Management Consulting
Rodney W. Zemmel
12. Medical Communications: The "Write" Career Path for You?
Yfke Hager
13. Science Journalism and Writing
Helen Pearson
14. Science Publishing
John Inglis
Index