Since the 11th grade, I wanted to be a research scientist. In college, I was always looking for opportunities to get involved in research, and by the time I finished my bachelor's degree I was headed to what I thought was intellectual heaven: graduate school! There, my colleagues and I learned that higher education is a grind; many either quit or failed to cut the mustard. Nevertheless, throughout graduate school, my professors encouraged me to prepare for a postdoctoral fellowship and the ultim

A few weeks ago a postdoctoral fellow in my laboratory asked me if I had found a USB-compatible cable for the lab's real-time PCR instrument (which was completely unrelated to her work). I replied, "No, I have not found it. I think I will order another one." Annoyed at me, she remarked in a sarcastic tone, "That's just lazy," to which I replied, "That is your unwarranted opinion." At this point I was so thoroughly disgusted that I could no longer continue my work. I could not believe anyone had