Upon completing college, many science undergraduates who don't want to go on to medical school think only one other option exists: pursuing a Ph.D. A Ph.D, however, is not one-size-fits-all. While personally and financially rewarding in the end, those who choose this path should do so upon serious introspection. Long hours with low pay and dry spells in data are often the norm. Add to this the varied completion time which, depending on the program, ranges from four to eight years.

Link (Science Careers, 08/2008)