u/Malakaia

To summarize, I’m interested in becoming a patent agent. However, I have my bachelors degree in biomedical sciences, and a certification in biotechnology. My work experience is in business operations currently, but my biotech certificate really prepared me in the lab.

I am interested in this field for a few reasons, mainly lifestyle, reasons, such as salary, and remote availability. I enjoy explaining science to people and clarifying vague topics. I am a person who loves structure, but also doing something a little different each day.

However, I’m finding it difficult to find a real entry without having a PhD. Is it possible to get hired with only a bachelors degree?

Also, for those that are patent agents, can you explain to me if you’re satisfied with this choice or if you had wished you had done something else. What are pros and cons?

Never thought it would come to this point of asking for strangers advice, but I am at a breaking point. I am 25F with a Bachelors in Biomedical Science (2022), and a 1/2 completed Certificate in Biotechnology (2026).

Background: I got my bachelors in hopes to go to Medical school or Veterinary school. I thrived in science, had a 4.0 science gpa, and never thought I would do anything else. I loved animals, so vet school made sense. I strived for financial stability, deep excellence, and autonomy so Medical school also made sense. School came really easy to me, but real life did not.

I’m 2022, my mom was at one of her deepest points of alcoholism. I graduated college and went straight to work for her small business, a yoga studio. I was admin and marketing for her. My whole life became deeply emmeshed, work, home, and caretaking her addiction and relationship problems. I was not accepted to any vet schools that I applied to and I thought it was possibly “a blessing in disguise” and that maybe my path was destined to learn how to run a business, work for myself, and scale my income.

In tangent with helping run her yoga studio, I also branched off and did some of my own things such as: biotech certificate, wildlife internship, veterinary assistant, yoga teacher, marketing for other businesses, and barista. After college, I never fully committed to running her yoga studio, and I never fully committed to a path of my own.

Now, I dream of financial stability, separation from my mom, excellence in my craft, and work life balance. I romanticize all these different paths I could take to escape my poor choice to remain employed by my mom. Ideas are: Actuary, CAA, nurse, Physician Assistant, Patent Analyst, Data Analysis, Clinical Research Coordinator, Business Intelligence, Law, Doctor, Sonographer, and MANY more... But I don’t know where to step next that makes sense.

I make about 12-15k per YEAR working at the Yoga Studio. Of course, if I fully committed, I could teach workshops, train other teachers, and coach people to make closer to 40k. However, this makes my stomach hurt thinking about it. I’ve given so much to my mom with little to show. It’s like I’ve given up my most important years for her. I also dream of a salary that is closer to 100k+ and ideally WAY more than that with years of dedication.

I am in a financial position that I COULD go back to school for Masters or Doctorate if it meant I would get a good ROI and secured job. I don’t have corporate connections, or networking. My world is very small right now… just me, my mom, and her business.

I truly don’t know where to go in my career because my only experience is gaps of Admin/Marketing, Yoga Teaching, Vet Assistant, and Barista. BUT my degree is in science, I am good at that, I enjoy that, and I dream of a high paying science career. I feel like I got robbed of my 20s, doing my moms work, with no financial increase, and no valuable experience learned. And no sense of direction.

I also think about getting some boring job with no pressure, pays securely, has benefits, and I can just go along for the ride. But the other part of me wants intensity, interest, and status.

I appreciate you taking the time to read. If you have any valuable advice, I’d love to hear. I don’t have people in my life to look up to, or to ask for advice.

TL;DR: have a 4 year gap in my resume after Bachelors in Biomedical Science filled with admin work at my moms small business… ready to commit to a high paying career with an unsaturated market, willing to train, and is highly rewarding and intellectually stimulating.