USPTO Patent Training Academy

Training is a vital and required part of employment as a Patent Examiner. The USPTO Patent Training Academy was established in 2006 to provide comprehensive basic training to prepare new hires for their examining career.

New examiners receive extensive training on:

• All aspects of laws, rules, practice and procedures in the examination of patent applications
• The patent process, including the impact of patents on the US economy
• Automation tools, including latest searching and communication tools
• The state of the art training in technology areas in which examiners will examine
• Soft skills, including stress management, financial planning basics and time management

Additional information on the Training Academy program:

• The training program has a duration of typically eight (8) months and provides examiners with a strong foundation in patent examination skills
• Each class has approximately 128 examiners who participate in large lectures given by subject matter experts
• The class is divided by areas of technology into small learning labs of 16-examiners coached and mentored by full-time trainers
• Examiners have Individual Development Plans (IDPs) to focus on their learning and career goals
• Examiners also have access to:
  • A class web page that will include all training materials in electronic form
  • Tutoring and assistance from experienced examiners
  • Automation assistance
  • Library/search assistance
  • Daily courses schedule
• While training at the Training Academy, annual (or vacation) leave usage may be limited due to the training curriculum
• The work schedule at the Training Academy is flexible as determined by the training curriculum (e.g. a compressed 5/4/9 work schedule)

The Training Academy provides new examiners with the basic knowledge and skill sets required to examine patent applications. Examiners will continue to receive training (legal, technical, automation, and etc.) throughout their examiner career at the USPTO.