Applying for a PhD studentship the professional way

1
Applying for a PhD studentship the
professional way!

• Jonathan Bard
• Biomedical sciences

2
The PhD application business

• Do I really want to do a PhD?
• Options 3 year, 4 year, MRes
• Advertising
• Types of studentships Finance
• Choosing a project
• Writing a CV
• Interviews
• Vetting a lab
• Questions
• Public now
• Private afterwards

3
Do I really want to do a PhD?

• Arguments against
• Bad pay -you will never catch up with an MBA
• Hard work with long hours
• Need to move regularly
• Unclear, insecure future
• Lonely - sometimes socially, but you should
  want something intellectually yours!
• Arguments in favour
• A chance to find out if you like doing science
• If it goes well, you can have a wonderful time
• Opportunities for travel
• Surprising degree of freedom
• Exciting opportunities for later outside of
  academe
• Nature is worth the effort
• If the bads are stronger than the goods - dont
  do a PhD!

4
What can be done with a PhD?

• Academic career - 2 postdocs, fellowship,
  lectureship . In UK, USA, Europe
• Industry - research and then administration
• Academic administration (Wellcome Trust, MRC etc)
• Civil service (scientific and administrative)
• Journalism (Science popular journalism, BBC
  etc)
• Profession - patent agent, teaching
• Abandon science and do something else
• You need to know what you actually enjoy doing
  so that you can work out what route you want to
  take and, if you go one way, you can prepare for
  others

5
PhD options 3 year, 4 year, MRes

• 3 year
• The standard funding - choose a project, do it
  and get out!
• 3 years of money - hard to complete in time!
• 4 year
• Usually have a training year and an opportunity
  to choose your project after you have seen
  something of local labs
• Gives you a chance to work out what area you
  want to work in
• MRes (MSc by research) Check out
  http//www.gradlife.ed.ac.uk - MSc Life sciences)
• A formal year of training in research
• seminars, miniprojects, skills etc
• A good taster for people who
• arent sure if they want to do research
• arent sure what area they want to do a PhD
• An MRes will help you get a 3 year Phd
  studentship

6
Types of studentships Finance

• Research Council (BBSRC 9K MRC 10K)
• Covers fees (UK EU), maintenance (UK only),
  minimal lab costs
• Charity (10K Anatomical Society - 14K
  Wellcome)
• Covers fees (UK/EU level), maintenance
• maintenance levels depend on charity
• Lab costs as agreed on grant application -
  Wellcome is high
• University (at least for Edinburgh)
• Cover fees (UK/EU level), maintenance (UK EU
  students)
• Minimal lab costs
• UK government - for non EU students
• ORS award covers difference between EU (2K)
  and world fees (9K)

7
Finding a reasonable studentship

• Studentships are being advertised ever earlier
• Check websites, Nature New Scientist etc etc
  regularly
• Not every project carries funding
• Funding bodies have still not made some
  decisions
• As soon as you find something interesting, check
  all details
• The funding status of the project
• Are you eligible (coming next!)
• Are you likely to be a plausible candidate
• LMB will expect a 1st , other places will be
  less picky
• What is the closing date etc.
• Apply to several places - allow for things to go
  wrong!

8
Choosing a project - the initial vetting

• Is the project interesting?
• Does the lab seem good (check PubMed for recent
  work)?
• Does the lab have a good reputation?
  Check gossip
• What is the RAE rating of the department?
  Should be at least 4
• Is it the sort of place that you would want on
  your CV?
• Does the department/lab have an interesting
  webface?
• Does the university provide good PG training?
  (compare with www.scieng.ed.ac.uk/transkills/)
  
• Can you face spending 3 years in that
  university/city?
• If the answers to any of these questions is No,
  look elsewhere

9
Applying writing a CV

• Write to or email the supervisor soon saying that
  you saw his/her (get it right!) project and
  PubMed papers and would like further information
• some personal contact does help
• The CV its real purpose is to get you onto a
  shortlist
• make it clear and easy to read
• get someone else to read it and comment
• Only use academic referees who are likely to
  write nice things
• and ask them first!
• No one cares about your primary school
• Highers and A levels are what matter
• Give all university course grades - particularly
  year 3
• Emphasise any vacation jobs in labs - it shows
  commitment
• Make yourself sound interesting
• would you want to have you in a lab?!
• Be very business like and make the CV easy to
  read (show it to others)
• you must give a good impression
• Make sure that you meet any deadline

10
Interviews

• Have a good talk that you have practiced alone
  and in front of others
• It should be on an honours project or a summer
  project
• Start with aims/questions and take time to set
  out problem, assays etc
• end with conclusions/answers
• If the project is not finished, give a progress
  report expectations
• Use clear ppt slides - do not be fussy - the
  message for each must be clear
• Be on top of the literature and the techniques
  you will use
• Practice gives confidence - Confidence is good,
  overconfidence is not
• Have something up your sleeve to talk about apart
  from your project
• Be prepared to say why you have chosen this
  project/programme
• A common question is what is the best paper you
  have read recently - have one ready!
• Have sensible questions prepared
• Expect to see the lab and to spend time with the
  supervisor and PGs

11
What makes for a good postgraduate education?

• A good project
• Interesting area of work, opportunities to
  learn many techniques, soluble problems,
  research that yields publications, can finish on
  time!
• Lots of postgraduate training
• Speaking, bioinformatics, time management,
  statistics
• Technical skills, group work etc etc etc
• Good colleagues and opportunities for networking
• Journal clubs regular lab meetings
• Contacts abroad for future postdocs
• Make sure the lab/university offers them

12
Vetting a lab - a check list

• Is the lab the right size?
• a postdoc, technician and 2 PGs is fine - but
  with links to other labs
• too large and you may get lost
• too small/isolated and you wont get proper
  training
• Are you encouraged to talk to the lower levels,
  particularly PGs?
• Is the lab well-funded (and how long does the
  funding last)?
• Would be a second supervisor and what would s/he
  have to offer?
• Who would supervise you on a day-to-day basis?
• Are there regular talks, lab meetings, seminars
  etc?
• Does the lab produce a lot of papers?
• Does the lab seem like a pleasant place to be?
• What does the grapevine (e.g. PG students) say?
  You must find out
• Are their transferable skills on offer?
• Does the supervisor have colleagues and
  collaborations?
• If any of these questions yield a no/poor
  answer, be worried!

13
Be smart and ambitious!

• Check that the project and lab suit you - does it
  all smell good?
• Do you like the people that you meet there
• Do they like you?
• You will only enjoy doing a PhD if the lab is
  good and pleasant
• After, you will need a good CV so that you can
  get the right job/postdoc
• will the place add/subtract?
• are you likely to produce papers
• have other people from the lab done well?
• Would you have a good future after being there?
• If the place feels wrong, dont accept in a hurry
  - try other places
• You only get one shot at doing a PhD - you must
  work to get it right!