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Top 5 Five Reasons to do a Ph.D.

From Theresa Phillips,
Your Guide to Biotech / Biomedical.
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Considering graduate studies in a biotech field? Have an M.Sc. and don't know whether to keep going? Here are five reasons you might want to do a Ph.D. specializing in biotechnology.

1. You Like to Write

In many instances, the higher your level of education, the less hands-on work you will do, and the more administrative work and writing. People considering a doctoral degree are warned that they won't be as likely to land a job as a laboratory/ bench scientist. But if you like preparing grant applications, reports, peer-reviewed papers, books and articles, the skills you acquire as a doctoral student and the credibility the degree adds to your name, are valuable tools to the trade.

2. You Want to Head a Research Group

Maybe you aren't satisfied with having your name somewhere in the middle of the list of contributors to a publication. You like to organize, plan, create and report your work. You are a leader and you like to be involved in every step of a project. In the biotech industry, a Ph.D. is often the means of opening doors to positions in higher management. It's usually a requirement to heading up your own research group in government organizations and the pharmaceutical industry, and it certainly is in academia.

3. You Want Start Your Own Biotech Company

You don't need a Ph.D. to start your own company, you can accomplish anything you set out to do, with a devotion to learning and some practical experience. However, a higher education can help provide some of those tools and knowledge that are essential for launching a successful biotech startup, in addition to giving you more credibility with venture capitalists and other sources of funding.

4. You Love School

If you enjoy learning and the atmosphere of academia, and don't mind being broke for a few more years, go ahead and continue to pursue your education, even if that means returning to school after a break, attending school while holding down a job or combining graduate school with raising a family. If you absolutely hate school and can't wait to get a job and make some real money, a doctoral program is not for you.

5. You Want to Teach University

The bottom line is: Few, if any, institutions will hire you as a professor without a Ph.D. For those who like research, writing and teaching, academia can be a rewarding and very stable career choice. In fact, nowadays some positions are geared specifically towards either research or teaching, so you might have a choice of focusing on one or the other. While a professorship implies tenure-track, full-time status, you might also find jobs for sessional instructors on contract, at some schools.
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