I have done alot of research into becoming a patent attorney, having a phd will only help my chances, not hinder them. I currently have an MSc which is good enough to get into some patent attorney firms. I wouldn't be doing the PhD just for the sake of it, I love science and I don't think I'm ready to leave it yet. It's my understanding that plenty of people who do PhD's have no desire to remain in academia afterwards?
I was dead set on doing a PhD but now I have one its all become a little scary. I am from England but the PhD is in ireland so I would have to move there (not a million miles away, but a different country none the less).
I am just wondering if other people had similar concerns or if they always knew this was what they wanted to do? I get the feeling that if I don't give it a go then I will regret it, but is that enough of a reason.

The most popular route to becoming a patent attorney is on-the-job training. You spend your first few years learning, taking exams but also getting experience. In the area of biotechnology/biochemistry (which my PhD would be in) a PhD is quite often favourable but not a strict requirement. (Its a very hard profession to get into, so any help is good).

Also the more posts I read on here the more unsure I get. Are most the posters just bitter PhD students, or is it really that bad? I'm under no illusions that it will be very very hard at times, but surely it can't all be bad?

I'm so confused about what to do. It has been suggested that I work for a year or two first to see if its really what I want to do, but I'm worried that if I start work I won't go back.

Any advice is greatly appreciated...

I have been offered a PhD studying Alzheimer's disease. Its a good PhD and my potential supervisor is one of the top in his field, but I'm having some second thoughts. Whilst the area of the PhD does very much interest me, I'm not crazy about it...I guessed that might come when I began to get a more in depth understanding. Should this be a concern? Should I be completely in love with the area before I begin?

I'm also not sure if I would want to use my PhD after I've done it, so not sure if it would be a wasted 4 years. I think eventually I would like to be a patent attorney, which I could get into with my MSc.

Is it common to experience 'pre-PhD jitters' or does the fact that I'm having these worries probably mean my heart isn't in it. The last thing I want to do is not finish, if I start the PhD I want to know I'm fully committed to it.

I know its a fantastic opportunity, I just want to be able to do it, and myself justice.