Hey David,
I used the US Bureau of Labour Statistics database to get an idea on what the prospects for two related fields are: Medical Scientists and Biochemists/Biophysicists.
Both sectors have much higher than expected growth rate, which looks promising and indicates you are on the right track!
Medical scientist
- 2010 Median Pay: $76,700 per year / $36.87 per hour
- Entry-Level Education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
- On-the-job Training: None
- Number of Jobs, 2010: 100,000
- Job Outlook, 2010-20: 36% (Much faster than average)
- Employment Change, 2010-20: 36,400
(full details: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/medical-scientists.htm)
Biochemists and Biophysicists
2010 Median Pay: $79,390 per year / $38.17 per hour
Entry-Level Education: Doctoral or professional degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
On-the-job Training: None
Number of Jobs, 2010: 25,100
Job Outlook, 2010-20: 31% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20: 7,700
(full details: www.bls.gov/ooh/Life-Physical-and-Social-Science/Biochemists)
It's also worth considering that the skills you'd acquire from a relevant degree could apply to a number of different professions - so in terms of job prospects, things look pretty positive.
Hope this helps!
