Should I do a PhD?
During my bachelor studies, I romanticized the perception of being a Ph.D. student: what can be better than do science and save the world?! What I did not have is a clear picture of what Masters of Science and Ph.D. look like. It is not always about science but the people around. Nobody told me anything about pitfalls before, I would like to share my knowledge that might be useful for you to make choice in the future. This blog reveals the TOP questions that I was asked being a grad student.
I love fools' experiments I am always making them C. Darwin
Is a Masters' degree necessary to get a Ph.D.?
Master of Science (Msi) is the next step in the education system, but more narrowed and specific.
The length of the program varies between 1-3 years. It might depend on the country, program requirements, your supervisor, and the project itself. The key part of Ms is still a bunch of courses. Yes, you still have to do assignments, submit your tasks, and pass exams to get credits. In the last half of the year, you finally start to work on your project! This part will be on your thesis!
Ph.D. programs in #Europe have a requirement - Master diploma, but #USA or some Eastern Asian countries allow you to apply straight to #Ph.D. However, expect that it might take you more time (5-7 years) to work on the project to earn the #degree due to the lack of experience in this field.
Why would you need a Ph.D.?
Ph.D. is a must-have for those who are dreaming to become a professor! If you are willing to go deeper into biological questions, the master's degree is not enough. In addition to that, not only Academia wants but Pharma too! In the 2021 job market, it is clear that companies take more qualified specialists in a particular topic.
#keep_in_mind In addition to that, chaos with covid19 only made it harder to get a job position in the industry just with a Master's.
What is Ph.D.?: work or study?
Let's start from the beginning: Ph.D. is the highest degree you can get so far. A scholar will study advanced questions and test innovative ideas that turn into incredible (or not, that happens too) projects. To earn this degree you have to not only take courses (more like seminars) but project. This would be your main focus. What does it mean? Well, regular lab and personal meetings, weekly and monthly reports of your project progress, and lots of experiments. Due to this, people call it WORK. Personally, I would agree with that :)
How long does a Ph.D. take?
It is the question that brings lots of pain and uncertainty to many grad students. There are many factors that affect the answer. It depends on what your master's project was about, the skills, the aims of a new project, a group leader, the program requirements, funding, and the university itself. In general, fundamental biology students get it in 4.5-5.5 years.
Can I get fully-funded for Ph.D.?
Yes, you can! There are 3 main types of funding: TA, RA contracts, and scholarship.
TA (Teaching Assistantship) is a contract type that requires you to fulfill teaching hours, whereas RA (research Assistantship) makes you focus on a project(-s) only. In both cases, you have pros and cons. Scholarship waives you from taxes, but if you got into a conflict with your boss, it gets more difficult to stay and look for an alternative, as you need to leave the country. #international_student
Would I benefit in today's job market after my Ph.D.?
Looking at my past, I thought that the industry is not interested in Ph.D. people, too qualified for them, or too expensive. Fortunately, I was wrong! After talking with colleagues, friends about the degree and doing constant research on the job market, it is clear that many companies do look for experts and skilled people. Nobody wants to teach someone and pay. If you are well-skilled, aware of the job duties, possess emotional intelligence, ability to work as a team, and quickly adapt to a different environment, you are certainly wanted.
Is it worth doing a Ph.D. abroad?
Again, it depends on the field of study. Anyway, all global hot research topics are conducted and discussed in English, all top leading journals publish wonderful works in English! By working in this language environment you will have the access to resources much faster, which might be really critical for your future project!#keep_in_mind
For patriots, you can enrich your home country with knowledge and experience after Ph.D. If you are just interested in getting a Ph.D. asap, would prefer to work in your country, I would suggest looking for something local. And if you are seeking for the bigger challenge or want to turn your life into 180° deg, just try it! Take it as an experiment! Once Charles Darwin said ' I love fools' experiments I am always making them'.
If you are still doubtful whether you should follow this path or not, I will leave some inspiring and useful links about academic life:
👉The Thesis Whisperer (https://thesiswhisperer.com/) - lifehacks for a grad student
👉Gradhacker (https://www.gradhacker.org/) - about Ph.D. life
👉Beyond the Doctorate (https://www.unine.ch/releve/en/home/au-dela-doctorat.html) - career in Academia