To PhD or Not to PhD? SciComm Lab Has Answers 🔑
This the final Q&A series on how to get better and (maybe) happier at writing and presenting scientific discoveries. This time, we look towards your future as a life scientist. Have you thought of pursuing a PhD? What might be the challenges? And what might be some rewards? In this blogpost, we invite a Brandeis SciComm Lab fellow to share her insights.
Our Collaborator: Brandeis SciComm lab fellow Kathleen Maigler
What does it mean to be a PhD student?
Q1: Are you all researchers? PhDs?
All the SciComm fellows are scientists! We are either graduate students pursuing the PhD or postdocs (with the PhD) continuing our research.
Q2: How do you balance your life with research? Most of the biolabs, neuroscience labs I know are pretty intense, people get no breaks.
Those that have had success in science have often done so because they are very committed to their research. The perception of work-life balance in science has changed in recent years, but the reality is many experiments are time-consuming or require weekend work. And the more papers that are published is generally better for the lab, therefore the more you work the more successful you become.
Does this mean this is the only way to do science? Absolutely not. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Some people can work non-stop, but then need long breaks. Some people work slower or less hours, but can work without vacation and get the same amount of work done. Even not being as productive does not preclude being a great scientist. Some people shine in their quick understanding, by finding improvements, or by having cleaner data. Again, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses!
Furthermore, if it’s between getting 2 majors (or being president of a club) and spending more time in lab, the better move for your next steps (whether it be grad school or a science job) is to spend more time in lab than add another major or leadership position. People that pursue science are often the same that want to take as many classes as possible and be in lots of clubs, so it seems like they have no breaks. It comes down to time management.
Finally, it’s important to remember that over time things do get easier. You learn to adjust to working longer hours, you become an expert at your technique, your writing takes half the time. So you become more productive as you gain experience. Of course undergrads and PhD students will be busier because they are still learning the most. Yes, a demanding boss can mean long days and no breaks. And while demanding bosses may be more likely in science, they are prevalent in any job. You can find a good boss in science, and there are more and more scientists understanding the benefits of work-life balance every year.
Now that I have been in my lab for over 5 years I am a very efficient worker. I enjoy coming to lab every day. My experimental paradigm is a 7 day timeline, so I have to work many weekends, but I often can work less hours in the week to offset that. Plus, I am working on my own most of the time, so I come in at hours that work for me. I think I have a great work-life balance, but I’ll admit it took some time to get here. It was overwhelming sometimes, but I think if I had known it would get easier I would have felt more at ease.
Q3: Do you think getting a PhD degree really worth it in this society? If one doesn’t know which specific area they are into and just want to get high salary?
I do not think anyone should pursue the PhD if they are only in it for the money. There’s no guarantee it will pay off with a high salary. While PhD programs are often at no cost, they are difficult (see work-life balance). Often, without the passion for science, it’s difficult to be accepted into a PhD program, let alone complete one.
Even if you are passionate about science or learning, there are plenty of free options where you can learn for the rest of your life. The PhD is specifically designed for those interested in a specific area of science and wanting to perform research to that end.
Q4: What are some strategies to talk “scientifically” to my professors but still be able to network with them?
Professors love to talk about their research. Ask them about what their lab is working on right now or how they got into their research niche. You can ask them about their graduate school experience or even if they did undergraduate research (and what?). While they are impressive and respected scientists, it’s important to remember that they are also just people. What’s more, as professors their job is to teach students, so don’t be afraid to ask questions you think might be basic. In fact, those easy questions (Why do you use rats?; How do you know that is a cell?) often have interesting and complex answers!
-The End-
We hope you have learned some useful tips from our Q&A series. Please subscribe below to receive future blogs and info from InT @ Brandeis.
