Considering a diversion from the traditional career path of the research scientist? Surprisingly, there are not a huge number of Web resources on alternative careers for bioscientists. But the online resources that do exist are truly excellent.

Science's Next Wave is the premier site for alternative-career information. Next Wave focuses specifically on the career needs of young scientists, and applies to both traditional and nontraditional goals. The New Niches section of the site is devoted solely to such alternatives. Careers described in New Niches include technical services, patent law, science journalism, and science policy. Each New Niches feature provides an overview of the field, testimonials from several role models, a discussion forum, and additional Web resources. The Tooling Up section features columns written by professional career consultants. These articles give practical advice for career development, and several selections address career transitions. Next Wave also provides links, some reviewed, on career mobility in science. Access to Next Wave is free of charge, and the entire site is archived.

The Alternative Careers in Biosciences site at Yale University supports students and postdocs interested in nontraditional career paths. The site features lecture notes from a seminar series on the topic. The speakers are graduate students and postdocs who chose to work in fields other than academic research. Speakers have included a patent attorney, an editor, an environmental consultant, a policy analyst, and a biotech company founder. Unfortunately, summaries are provided for only six of the seminars, but they include the recommendations of the speakers, plus related Web resources. The site also lists some interesting career links.

Online career centers and guides can be good resources. The Virtual Career Center for Scientists, a growing site at the University of California at San Francisco, was developed to assist young scientists. Although most of its information is on academic and biotechnology careers, there is some nontraditional career information. The site features a great collection of career links with salient descriptions, along with career information specific to the Bay Area. The Research Funding Page includes links for transitional career fellowships, and there is an extensive list of postdoctoral fellowships.

Two good link collections contain alternative career resources. The comprehensive, actively maintained site Employment Links for the Biomedical Scientist, compiled by Graeme Eisenhofer, includes short descriptions. The site primarily has a traditional focus, but provides resources for alternative careers in the Re-education, Career Alternatives, and Transitions section. Other sections supply information on search firms and biotechnology resources. Jobs for Biomedical Scientists, a site built by Jonathan Gottlieb and Carl Garland, is an extensive link collection that is organized into different career categories. The site provides great coverage of alternative careers along with some commentary by the authors. Although this site does not appear to have been updated since 1996, most of the links are still relevant and functional. The Jobs for Biomedical Scientists site also presents some fun cartoons (the illustration above is from their site).

Transition to a public-policy career can be a natural progression for many scientists. The AAAS Guide to Graduate Education in Science, Engineering, and Public Policy includes extensive information about the public policy field, a database of policy graduate programs (soon to include international programs), and links to Web resources. Next Wave's Insider's Guide to Science Policy Fellowships for Scientists and Engineers by Peter Fiske describes hundreds of different public policy fellowships, and advises on how to apply.

Many professional societies and organizations provide fellowships for public-policy participation. The American Society for Microbiology offers congressional science fellowship for postdocs or young professors. AAAS sponsors a wide range of fellowships in different areas, including environmental policy, public policy, and defense policy, plus congressional fellowships. The AAAS fellowships, designed for applicants with Ph.D.s, are described at the AAAS Science Engineering and Public Policy Fellowships page. The National Research Council also offers a graduate student/postdoctorate internship program in science and technology policy.

For scientists considering science writing, the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) provides some information. Advice for Beginning Science Writers contains excerpts from a discussion from the NASW mailing list. The discussion touches on issues such as how to begin a career in science writing, and how to handle the transition from scientist to science writer. There are no internal links, so one does need to read through the whole dialogue to find the relevant information. Science's Next Wave has explored the field of science journalism; their presentation is archived in its Past Niches section. AAAS sponsors the Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows program, a summer program that places graduate science students in newsrooms.

For the fields of technology transfer or patent law, the Intellectual Property Law Web Server of Oppedahl & Larson is informative. The Career Opportunities in Intellectual Property Law section answers an extensive list of commonly asked questions. The site provides good descriptions of the jobs of patent attorneys and patent agents, including a typical "day in the life." However, this site is geared for a general, not biotech, audience. The home page of Foley & Lardner's Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Practice Group provides a glimpse into the responsibilities of patent attorneys, and also contains attorney biographies and publications. The National Cancer Institute sponsors a technology transfer fellowship program that has several fellowships available for training in technology transfer.

Scientists' problem-solving skills keep them in increasing demand as management consultants. Management Consulting Online is a comprehensive and well-organized site that provides all the information needed. The site gives a good overview of the consulting field, plus insightful essays and practical information. Specific information about consulting careers is provided in the section on skills and requirements, and in the article Is Consulting the Right Field for You? Management Consulting Online also includes a comprehensive list of consulting firms' Web sites.

For information on careers in venture capital or finance, try Capital Venture, an organization for young investment professionals. The section Finding a Position in Venture Capital gives a good overview of the field and provides tips on finding a job. The site also has a list of venture capital firms on the Web. For investment banking information, Investment Banking, provided by Ohio State University, describes careers in that field. The site includes information about skill requirements, job descriptions, and links to more information. The Investment Banking site also supplies statistics on top investment banks and links to banks' Web sites.

Several publications provide information on alternative careers for research scientists. The National Academy of Sciences has published the book Careers in Science and Engineering: A Student Planning Guide to Grad School and Beyond. The publication is available online and includes sections on how careers in science are changing and evaluating possible careers. The guide profiles several scientists who made career changes. The Scientist publishes many articles about both traditional and alternative science careers. Some relevant articles have included MBA Programs Expand Career Prospects for Cross-Trained Scientists by Robert Finn and Changing Disciplines Can Offer Personal and Professional Satisfaction by Kathryn S. Brown. HMS Beagle has featured articles about career transitions and alternative careers. Changing Course by Jim Kling is a personal account of his transition from science researcher to science writer and consultant. Dr. Reporter? by Dean A. Haycock discusses the increased interest of Ph.Ds in science journalism. The Web site of Arthur E. Sowers provides an updated version of his article Contemporary Problems in Science Jobs, which includes a section on alternatives to traditional Ph.D. jobs.

So if you are a research scientist or student dreaming of a future in something besides bench science, try exploring the Web to evaluate your options. You may be surprised by the number of different careers available to people with scientific backgrounds and expertise.

Changing Careers - this issue's Cutting Edge dialogue.

The Young Scientist's Network - has a collection of stories of different Ph.D. scientists who moved into science writing, publishing, development, consulting, and education.

Scientific Career Transitions Program - an experimental program on career counseling. Resources include FAQs and a quiz on career well-being. There is a fee for service, and registrants can participate by email, voice, or in person. Maintained by the nonprofit Science & Technology Advisory Board.

Pounding the Virtual Pavement - HMS Beagle's In Situ column profiles job-search resources for careers in academia and industry.