Composed by Shayma, PhD Genomic Medicine
Embarking on a PhD can be a daunting and protracted endeavor. Nevertheless, with suitable support, it can evolve into a smooth and even exhilarating journey, facilitating a clearer definition of your aspirations and interests. Here’s a broad overview to help you find a PhD that fits you, drawn from my personal experience of discovering, selecting, and applying for a PhD at Imperial.
Reasons to pursue a PhD?
Prior to initiating your search for a PhD, it is essential to comprehend your motivations for wanting one. Pursuing a PhD represents a considerable dedication, and confirming its alignment with your objectives and passions is crucial. A PhD provides training to become an autonomous researcher, which is a vital asset for the career I intend to follow.
In addition to technical training, I was drawn to the liberty and inventiveness in research that academia provides. My enthusiasm for science has its limits if I engage in subjects that do not interest me or carry out experiments lacking my investment, which is why I opted for a PhD project that genuinely intrigued me. The ability to steer my project in the direction I choose is also a considerable benefit and one of my cherished 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 is something you genuinely wish to pursue – what do you anticipate a PhD to deliver for you?
The PhD application journey
The application journey typically consists of several phases:
- Searching for a PhD
- Submitting the initial application
- Shortlisting candidates
- Interview(s)
- Receiving conditional or formal offers
- Funding decisions
Interviews often concentrate on your reasons for applying, your comprehension of the project, your prior research experiences, and your approach to challenges. In preparation for interviews, I revisited my application, explored related literature, and contemplated my experiences to present them clearly and confidently during interviews.
Locating a PhD
Identifying a project initially necessitates recognizing what type of research excites you, the working atmosphere in which you flourish, and the skills you wish to acquire through the PhD. Some resources available for finding your PhD include:
- University sites, including Imperial’s – examine specific departmental web pages for available PhD opportunities
- Centralized PhD platforms and job boards like FindAPhD
- Research group and supervisor web pages
- Academic networks and referrals from lecturers or supervisors
- Funding organization and doctoral training center websites
My application experience might slightly differ from yours. For my PhD, I obtained funding from my home country, so I merely needed to locate a research group involved in a project that piqued my interest. To accomplish this, I browsed the Imperial website, discovered lists of researchers and research groups at Imperial, read their research descriptions, and examined their research outputs.
As I was already a Master’s student at Imperial whilst searching for PhDs, I also consulted with my lecturers about which research groups they believed would suit me well. I found my current project supervisor from a list of research groups my MSc course leader had shared with me.
The essential point is to engage with EVERYONE and gather as much feedback as possible. I personally know a fellow PhD student who discovered their project through a discussion with an unfamiliar person in a pub who connected them with their current supervisor.