1. Start with the basics.
A. Enjoy what you are doing.
Select a project you are genuinely interested in. Have fun-
Your doctoral research should be exciting, challenging as well as fun.
B. Select a mentor you can talk to and feel comfortable with.
Your selection of a faculty advisor will be important for your success
in graduate school. Do your homework. Find a laboratory and
advisor that works well for you.
C. Read the literature.
Be well versed in your selected research field. Know the basics:
what are the prevailing models in your field? What are the
important questions that need to be addressed?
2. Getting off to a good start.
A. Select a workable project.
Is the project straightforward? What are the pitfalls and risks?
B. Work with your mentor to learn basic skills in experimental
design.
Do not assume you know how to frame questions and design experiments
and controls.
C. Set reasonable goals and organizeyour time
.
Doctoral research is not like classes. There are no set lectures
at specific times. You are not judged by exams and given grades.
You need to set specific goals for each week. Prioritize your experiments.
Plan in advance for your experiments. Use your time wisely.
When not doing experiments complete other related tasks. Remember
ãthefastest way to accomplish something is not by working as fast as you can,
but rather as steadily as you can.
ä
Do not rely on shortcuts.
D. Learn how to deal with successes and failures.
The majority of experiments do not work out either because of technical
problems or because of negative results. Learn to deal with this
fact and plan for these problems by carrying outpilot experiments
. Enjoy the successes! This is the elixir
that enhances the enjoyment of your project.
E. Network with otherstudents, postdocs, technicians and faculty
.
Know what the projects that are being worked on by other researchers
in your lab and in adjacent laboratories in the department. Find
people you respect and use them as resources for your research. Be
selective in the people that you consult with.
3. Evaluating your doctoral studies.
A. Can you address scientific questions and design relevantexperiments?
Examine the progress of your experiments and critically assess improvements
during your doctoral research.
B. Do you have a record of accomplishment?
For your own satisfaction and to provide a record a productivity you
need to publish papers. Publish early in your graduate studies if
you can. This gives you confidence and shows that you are achieving
early success. However, be reasonable about your expectations.
In my judgment, two first authorship reports in solid journals represents
a very successful doctoral thesis. More is not necessarily better.
Be wary of working in groups where you have multiple papers with many authors.
What are your contributions to these reports and have you proven an ability
to carry out fundamental science logic skills? Set your sights on
reasonable publication records, to do otherwise simply leads to frustration
and a manic pace in your research.
C. How are your communication skills?
Effective communication is important to sell the importance of your
research. You need to develop solid speaking and writing skills.
Give regular formal lab presentations. Learn how to write manuscripts
and grants. Start with small steps in this process and seek to improve
each time. Do not be afraid of constructive criticism.
The importance of your work may not be recognized without solid presentations.
D. Have you attended national meetings and begun networking with
researchers from other institutions?
It is important to attend national meetings. Set your sights
on smaller meetings where students are encouraged to attend and participate.
Work on introducing yourself to researchers at other institutions.
Establish contacts.
4. Completion of your doctoral studies. What is next?
A. Deciding on your career goals.
Critically evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. What aspects
of science do you enjoy the most. Is a academic research or a teaching
environment right for you? What do you think of administration, or
the biotech or pharmaceutical industries?
B. Seek advice from many different researchers.
If you are considering a variety of options ask faculty or other contacts
for their advice on career tracts and strategies to achieve these careers.
C. Selection of a postdoctoralfellowship
.
The most common position after graduate studies is a postdoc fellowship.
Do your homework. Meet with perspective postdoc mentors
and ask questions of personnel in their laboratories. Can the
PI provide adequate time for your training?
The research topic is important. Do you move far afield from your
graduate work or do you stay close to graduate field? Generally,
I find that the closer to clinically relevant questions one can move
the easier it is to find a permanent position and funding. But be
wary there is no substitute for solid science.
D. Development of your future project
a) Take an aspect of your current project
b) Develop your own project 1 year before you leave
c) Ask about the record of people who left before
d) Ask PI about his philosophy
5. Apply for a job
A. Proof of solid productivity - publicationsB. Don't talk about yourself during interview. Try to listen
& praise
C. Tell them how you would fit in
& how you will help them
D. Things to check
a) Don't be shy to ask about salary (don't bargain)
b) Health insurance & retirement package
c) Housing facility and moving expenses
6. Important career skills that usually are nottaught in graduate school.
A wide range of skills are required to be a successful supervisorin a laboratory. Many of these skills are not well covered in graduate
school. You can learn these skills by establishing mentoring relationships
with respected senior faculty, by relying on your related experiences during
graduate and postdoctoral studies, and by trial and error.
A. Supervising personnel. How do I select personnel and
maximize the potential of each researcher?
B. Administering laboratory budgets. A laboratory is expensive
to operate. How do I maintain budgets and set expenditure goals?
C. University service and teaching. Lots of your time at
a University can be fragmented into different committees. How do
I maximize my time and achieve something meaningful? How can I be
an effective teacher?
D. Being satisfied in your career. Much of your early career
is centered around future goals. What happens after you achieve these
career goals?
