Authored by Shayma, PhD in Genomic Medicine
The path to applying for a PhD can feel daunting and protracted. Yet, with appropriate mentorship, it can transform into a streamlined and even exhilarating experience, aiding you in clarifying your aspirations and passions. Here’s a general outline for locating a PhD that fits you, drawn from my own journey of identifying, selecting, and applying for a PhD at Imperial.
Why embark on a PhD?
Prior to commencing your PhD search, it’s essential to comprehend why you aim to pursue one. A PhD requires dedication, and it’s vital that it resonates with your ambitions and interests. A PhD equips you with the training to become a self-sufficient researcher, a competence I deem crucial for my future career trajectory.
In addition to technical training, I was drawn to the autonomy and creative possibilities that academia presents. My enthusiasm for science has limits if I’m engaged in areas that don’t captivate me and conducting experiments that lack my interest, so I opted for a PhD project that truly intrigued me. The liberty to steer my project in any direction I choose is also an invaluable advantage for me and ranks among my favorite elements of pursuing a PhD.
Thus, as straightforward as it might seem, I recommend creating a pros and cons list about undertaking a PhD before you initiate your search to confirm it’s genuinely what you wish to follow – what do you believe a PhD will offer you?
The PhD application journey
The application journey generally encompasses several phases:
- Searching for a PhD
- Submitting the initial application
- Shortlisting candidates
- Attending interviews
- Receiving conditional or formal offers
- Making funding decisions
Interviews often center on your motivations for applying, your comprehension of the project, your previous research experiences, and your approach to overcoming challenges. As I prepared for my interviews, I revisited my application, reviewed pertinent literature, and contemplated my experiences so that I could articulate them clearly and confidently during interviews.
Locating a PhD
Finding a project initially necessitates that you comprehend what type of research energizes you, what work environment you flourish in, and what skills you aspire to acquire from the PhD. Some resources you can utilize to find your PhD include:
- University websites, like that of Imperial – look for specific departmental pages where they list all available PhD positions
- Centralized PhD databases and job boards such as FindAPhD
- Research group and supervisor web pages
- Academic networks and recommendations from professors or mentors
- Funding agency and doctoral training center sites
My application process may vary from yours. For my PhD, I secured funding from my home country, so I merely needed to locate a research group working on a project that piqued my interest. To accomplish this, I navigated through the Imperial website, discovered lists of researchers and research groups at Imperial, scrutinized their research descriptions, and examined their research outputs.
Since I was already enrolled as a Master’s student at Imperial while seeking PhDs, I also consulted my professors about which research groups they believed would suit me well. I found my current project supervisor from a list of research groups that my MSc course leader shared with me.
The secret is to communicate with EVERYONE and gather as much feedback as you can. I personally know a fellow PhD candidate who discovered their project by conversing with a stranger in a bar who linked them with the right opportunity.