Written by Shayma, PhD in Genomic Medicine
Embarking on a PhD journey can appear daunting and protracted. However, with the right support, it can unfold into a seamless and even thrilling experience, allowing you to gain deeper insights into your ambitions and passions. Here’s a comprehensive guide to locating a PhD that fits your needs, rooted in my own experiences of discovering, selecting, and applying for a PhD at Imperial.
Reasons to pursue a PhD?
Before you initiate your PhD search, it’s essential to clarify your reasons for wanting to pursue one. A PhD entails a considerable commitment, thus ensuring it resonates with your objectives and interests is imperative. This degree equips you with the skills to become an independent researcher, which is vital for the career I aspire to.
In addition to technical training, I was drawn to the academic freedom and innovation found in research. My enthusiasm for science would be stifled if I delved into subjects that didn’t captivate me or engaged in experiments I found uninteresting, so I opted for a PhD project that truly fascinated me. The autonomy to steer my project is a substantial benefit and one of my favorite features of pursuing a PhD.
As straightforward as it may seem, I suggest creating a pros and cons list regarding pursuing a PhD before commencing your search to ensure it’s something you genuinely wish to pursue – what benefits do you foresee a PhD bringing to you?
The PhD application journey
The application process typically encompasses several steps:
- Searching for a PhD
- Submitting the initial application
- Shortlisting candidates
- Interview(s)
- Conditional or formal offer(s)
- Funding outcomes
Interviews often prioritize your motivations for applying, your grasp of the project, your prior research background, and your approach to tackling challenges. In preparing for interviews, I revisited my application, perused relevant literature, and reflected on my experiences to articulate them clearly and confidently.
Locating a PhD
Identifying a project necessitates recognizing the type of research that excites you, the working environment that suits you best, and the skills you aspire to acquire during your PhD. Some resources for discovering your PhD include:
- University websites, such as Imperial’s – investigate specific department pages that list available PhD opportunities
- Centralized PhD portals and job boards such as FindAPhD
- Webpages of research groups and supervisors
- Academic networks and referrals from professors or supervisors
- Websites of funding bodies and doctoral training centers
My application experience may vary slightly from yours. For my PhD, I received funding from my home nation, so I needed to identify a research group engaged in a project that piqued my interest. To achieve this, I navigated through the Imperial website, located lists of researchers and research groups at Imperial, read summaries of their research, and reviewed their research outputs.
Since I was already a Master’s student at Imperial while scouting for PhDs, I also consulted with my lecturers regarding which research groups they believed would be a good fit for me. I found my current project supervisor from a list of research groups provided by my MSc course leader.
The essential strategy is to communicate with EVERYONE and collect as much feedback as possible. I am aware of a fellow PhD student who discovered their project by conversing with a stranger in a pub who ultimately connected them with their current principal investigator (PI) and PhD supervisor.
Funding your PhD
If you’re