I have never applied for a patent but that link has everything you need to know. Your idea must be novel, non obvious, and basically not a prior art. Now if I was not working on a mock NIH grant, which is due in under 9 hours, I could probably tell you more from what I've learned in class.... but I have an exam in 9 hours... too... From the biomatierals side of patent stuff, it is a very expensive to get a patent. But of course, Iyou're probably not trying to patent the next artificial hip or joint replacement.
jeaucamom, are you trying to patent a bionic chicken? Or maybe an X-Chicken that mutates into a super layer?! JK, Good luck with that patent! God luck on the NIH grant too silkiechicken, worked on and out of those and OSAP grants before. Darlene