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[collegebum1989]

I'm finishing up a masters in BME this year, will be pursuing a research fellowship with a very prestigious medical school next year. My adviser says I may be able to turn this fellowship work into a PhD thesis. So I have an opportunity to penetrate a program, I'd otherwise get flatly rejected from.

Problem is, my goals after the fellowship were to go to law school. But after consulting various people, it seems like a PhD for BME/BioE is needed for patent jobs for attorneys. So is it a ridiculously crazy idea to pursue the phD with the intent of going to law school after?

I'm only a year out of college, and really enjoy the intellectual stimulation of a PhD, but I also don't want to conduct research for a career, and would prefer patent law.

So is this is crazy idea? Would I be too old after law school? I completely understand that this will not be easy, but it seems like a opportunity in disguise.

[bleedingpen]

age won't be a concern.

[Oh, Crud]

I'm finishing up a masters in BME this year, will be pursuing a research fellowship with a very prestigious medical school next year. My adviser says I may be able to turn this fellowship work into a PhD thesis. So I have an opportunity to penetrate a program, I'd otherwise get flatly rejected from.

Problem is, my goals after the fellowship were to go to law school. But after consulting various people, it seems like a PhD for BME/BioE is needed for patent jobs for attorneys. So is it a ridiculously crazy idea to pursue the phD with the intent of going to law school after?

I'm only a year out of college, and really enjoy the intellectual stimulation of a PhD, but I also don't want to conduct research for a career, and would prefer patent law.

So is this is crazy idea? Would I be too old after law school? I completely understand that this will not be easy, but it seems like a opportunity in disguise.

First, let me second bleedingpen - the potential age issue you mention won't be a concern.  I know more patent attorneys who did not go straight to LS from college, than vice versa (maybe it's just the circles I run in).   But anyway you're talking about a few years between UG and LS, so you'll be, what, 30 (+/-) on LS graduation?  I didn't even start LS until my mid-30's. 

As for the rest of your post, how wigglish is the "may be able to turn [it]... PhD"?  Are you going into debt during the fellowship?  If so, that's where my weighing would be - the potential overall value of the fellowship (maybe a PhD, maybe also could make you a more attractive LS candidate in terms of scholarships(??)), against its costs (any direct or living costs of the fellowship, delay in entering the full-paying marketplace (assumes economy recovers), other). 

[UVAgal4]

how long is the fellowship program, a year? two? more? If afterwards you are not accepted into the phd program, you can always look elsewhere or consider going straight to law school.