Written by Shayma, PhD in Genomic Medicine
The process of applying for a PhD can feel daunting and protracted. Nevertheless, with the right direction, it can evolve into a smooth and even exhilarating journey, aiding you in gaining clarity on your aspirations and passions. Here’s a general framework for locating a PhD that aligns with your interests, drawn from my personal experiences in identifying, selecting, and applying for a PhD at Imperial.
Reasons to pursue a PhD
Before embarking on your PhD journey, it’s vital to comprehend your motivations for wanting one. A PhD represents a significant dedication, and ensuring it corresponds with your aspirations and interests is essential. It offers training aimed at becoming an independent researcher, a competency I consider vital for my desired career path.
In addition to technical skill development, I was drawn to the academic freedom and inventiveness that comes with research. My enthusiasm for science would only take me so far if I engaged in topics that do not captivate me and pursued experiments of no personal significance, leading me to select a PhD project that genuinely piqued my curiosity for further exploration. The ability to steer my project in my preferred direction is also a considerable benefit and one of my favorite elements of undertaking a PhD.
As straightforward as it may seem, I suggest creating a pros and cons list regarding undertaking a PhD before you initiate your search to confirm it’s a pursuit you genuinely desire – what do you expect a PhD to provide you?
The PhD application journey
Typically, the application process consists of several phases:
- Searching for a PhD
- Submitting the initial application
- Shortlisting candidates
- Conducting interviews
- Receiving conditional or formal offers
- Deciding on funding
Interviews often center around your rationale for applying, your grasp of the project, your previous research endeavors, and your approach to overcoming obstacles. To prepare for interviews, I revisited my application, delved into pertinent literature, and reflected on my experiences so I could articulate them effectively and with confidence during interviews.
Locating a PhD
Identifying a project initially necessitates understanding what type of research invigorates you, what type of environment fosters your productivity, and what skills you wish to acquire during your PhD. Some resources to consider for discovering your PhD include:
- University websites, such as that of Imperial – seek out specific departmental pages that enumerate all available PhD positions
- Consolidated PhD portals and job boards like FindAPhD
- Webpages of research groups and supervisors
- Academic networks and referrals from instructors or mentors
- Websites of funding organizations and doctoral training centers
My application experience may vary from yours. For my PhD, I secured funding from my country of origin, thus I only needed to identify a research group engaged in a project I found appealing. To achieve this, I explored the Imperial website, located lists of researchers and their respective groups, read through their research descriptions, and investigated their research outputs.
As I was already a Master’s student at Imperial during my PhD search, I also consulted my lecturers regarding which research groups they believed would suit me well. I discovered my current project supervisor through a list of groups provided by my MSc course leader.
The crucial aspect is to engage with EVERYONE and gather as much feedback as you can. I know a fellow PhD candidate who discovered their project simply by conversing with a stranger.