Getting a PhD

JK2015

I'm not sure if this is a stupid question or if this is the right place for it - but I was wondering how would someone go about getting a PhD position/approaching a potential supervisor? Specifically in the biology/biomedical/biomolecular field. Also if anyone could give me advice or say about their experience of doing a PhD, and if its something you would or wouldnt do with the benefit of hindsight, I'd be most grateful. Thanks:)

Elemonator

Please don't insist we call you "doctor" after

Squeeonline

I'm about halfway through a PhD in cancer biology.

I would honestly think again about doing it. If I could have gotten a real job in my field, in hindsight I would have taken that. In reality, I probably would have gone down the PhD path anyway because I don't know anything else but academia.

Squeeonline

I'm about halfway through a PhD in cancer biology.

I would honestly think again about doing it. If I could have gotten a real job in my field, in hindsight I would have taken that. In reality, I probably would have gone down the PhD path anyway because I don't know anything else but academia.

JK2015

Squeeonline wrote: »

I'm about halfway through a PhD in cancer biology.

I would honestly think again about doing it. If I could have gotten a real job in my field, in hindsight I would have taken that. In reality, I probably would have gone down the PhD path anyway because I don't know anything else but academia.

Can I ask why you'd reconsider?

Squeeonline

JK2015 wrote: »

Can I ask why you'd reconsider?

If you have an interest in a subject, 4 years of living it will likely kill it.

The hours are long and hard, the result of which maybe half a dozen people will read.

You can spend months on an experiment, either getting it to work or repeat, or just to do the experiment (mouse work for example).

However you're pretty much not a scientist without a PhD.

ButtersSuki

A more practical day to day question is can you afford to do it? It was a major factor in my decision not to pursue a PhD, despite a lot of encouragement/pressure to do so from the university (I was mid/late 30s at the time and mortgaged to the hilt).

If you're young enough to not have worked full time and/or won't be taking a significant cut, then it's likely not as difficult a transition. If you have, you may find the adjustment very difficult.

ButtersSuki

ButtersSuki wrote: »

A more practical day to day question is can you afford to do it? It was a major factor in my decision not to pursue a PhD, despite a lot of encouragement/pressure to do so from the university (I was mid/late 30s at the time and mortgaged to the hilt).

If you're young enough to not have worked full time and/or won't be taking a significant cut, then it's likely not as difficult a transition. If you have, you may find the adjustment very difficult.

My field wasn't science related however if that makes any difference; perhaps it's different in your sphere?

Gael23

I'm having notions about it too, I'm currently doing a masters so the financial side wouldn't be huge. However I am thinking I would be losing out on a lot of earnings over the years.
How do you go about starting the process, such as getting a supervisor and so on?

osarusan

In my case - look for an institution or a supervisor. Look for somebody who knows a lot about what it is you want to study.

I just emailed them and asked if i could meet to discuss the possibility of doing a PhD at that institution, and they were happy to meet and show me the application documents and sample applications and so on.

djpbarry

Might I suggest consulting the FAQ thread for these general PhD-related questions:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055301580

Voltex

I've just started my PhD in Business after completing an MSc. I think its important to ask yourself the question "why would you want to put yourself through the PhD process?" If you can honestly say to yourself that this subject area holds an inescapable fascination or you run the risk of feeling totally unfulfilled by not doing a PhD..you could very well be on the right track for a valid reason for getting a PhD.

For me it was important to find a Supervisor whose research interests fall into broadly similar areas as my own. I found almost all the Professors I initially emailed were more than willing to meet with me to go through ideas, concepts and potential research themes. At the end of the process I had two PhD offers (after securing agreement of supervision, drafting the research proposal and sitting the interview panel) but made a choice on how well a fit i had with my supervisor. Anyway..its still early days for me and I'm sure I could be accused of a certain element of naivety about what the PhD experience entails - but I thought I share my early experiences.

aine92

Squeeonline wrote: »

However you're pretty much not a scientist without a PhD.

That is an outrageous statement to make, very condescending. Plenty of working and successful scientists don't have PhDs, myself included!!

leavingirl

aine92 wrote: »

That is an outrageous statement to make, very condescending. Plenty of working and successful scientists don't have PhDs, myself included!!

After asking if you have a PhD he'll probably ask you what school you went to.

Squeeonline

aine92 wrote: »

That is an outrageous statement to make, very condescending. Plenty of working and successful scientists don't have PhDs, myself included!!

In academia? Good luck finding a professor in science who doesn't have a PhD.

Sure in industry they are far more...optional and experience may even be preferred, but in academia your introduction when giving a guest lecture starts with where you did your PhD and under whose supervision.

Tree

You absolutlely do not require a PhD to be a scientist. It's a requirement for most lecturing positions, but I have met many lecturers who do not hold one but have other experience that is more valuable.

OP- /why/ do you want a PhD is what you need to be asking. Does your dream job require it or are you better off gaining experience and a mortgage and working your way up the career ladder with a comfortable life?

avalon68

Squeeonline wrote: »

In academia? Good luck finding a professor in science who doesn't have a PhD.

Sure in industry they are far more...optional and experience may even be preferred, but in academia your introduction when giving a guest lecture starts with where you did your PhD and under whose supervision.

Yeah Id have to agree with this - I don't know any research scientists without a PhD. A PhD would not be required for most industry based science jobs, or technical staff roles - but for research based jobs, its the norm (+ a few postdocs too). There may be a few lecturers floating around in ITs that do not (yet) have a PhD, but this is also changing rapidly.

aine92

Being a scientist is not limited to academia - I never did a PhD purely because I never want to work in academia and I have never faced any obstacles. I think you'll find that a lot, if not the majority, of scientists in biopharma are not PhD qualified.

avalon68

aine92 wrote: »

Being a scientist is not limited to academia - I never did a PhD purely because I never want to work in academia and I have never faced any obstacles. I think you'll find that a lot, if not the majority, of scientists in biopharma are not PhD qualified.

Yes indeed, that is why I qualified it with 'research scientists'. Most industry positions (in Ireland especially) do not involve research, and therefore do not require a PhD.

aine92

avalon68 wrote: »

Yes indeed, that is why I qualified it with 'research scientists'. Most industry positions (in Ireland especially) do not involve research, and therefore do not require a PhD.

I personally am not in research at the moment, but most of my college friends who have BSc qualification and some MSc who work in science are working in research, mostly within industry.

It's very small minded and frankly fairly insulting to suggest that you aren't a scientist without a PhD.

avalon68

aine92 wrote: »

I personally am not in research at the moment, but most of my college friends who have BSc qualification and some MSc who work in science are working in research, mostly within industry.

Can I ask what type of research they do?

aine92

avalon68 wrote: »

Can I ask what type of research they do?

We are all neuroscientists. The ones in research are actively carrying out publishable neuroscience research, within industry. I'm not sure why you find this so hard to believe? If you are in a different field then fine, however it's certainly not the case in physiology/biopharma.