The Guide
I’m drawing on personal experience here, as well as discussions with other MBPhDs. We all had different experiences, but there are some common themes. So, this reads more as 5 top tips rather than a stepwise guide, but still provides you with all the information needed to tackle the MBPhD and decide whether it’s right for you.
1.Find something you are passionate about and embrace it.
By the time you’re in your third year and applying to the MB/PhD, you will probably have specialised into a preclinical field. Most people will choose a PhD within that specialisation, but even within one subject there are a myriad of projects you can choose from. For instance, with neuroscience you could do molecular, computational, animal or human work. Take some time to think about what you enjoy, and why you enjoy it. Come up with a research question, and how you want to answer it. Passion will come across in the interview for the programme and it is the most critical component to a successful PhD.
2.Get hands-on research experience.
Having some research experience is a prerequisite – an intercalated degree is essential – but try and get as much hands-on, lab-based experience under your belt. It shows that you’re committed and you have an appreciation of what research is really like. If you can, work in different labs so you can appreciate how the mechanics of labs differ (although this is by no means necessary, my only laboratory experience was during my final year project). I would recommend writing up some of your experiences in a report – even if it isn’t published – so you can demonstrate scientific writing skills. It’s also worth noting that doing a ‘pure’ literature-based dissertation rather than a hands-on project makes getting a place much more difficult.
Summer research placements are looked on favourably by the selection panel – they could be at your own university, closer to home or even international. You can get funding for a whole host of research charities or international organisations (like the Amgen Scholars’ Programme), and writing an application is excellent training for potential future academics. It’s best to try and contact the labs early on in the academic year – before Christmas, or at the latest early in the New Year.
I spoke to another MB/PhD student, Agata, about her tips for applying to the programme. She emphasised the differences between medical school and research, which highlights why getting real lab experience is so important:
“Research is very different from passing medical exams, so don’t go for the MB/PhD just because you were “good at school” – only apply if you’re sure that research is your cup of tea. Otherwise there might be more frustration along the way.”
3.Approach supervisors early, in several research areas.
Don’t be afraid to approach potential supervisors after lectures; in fact, that’s how I got my PhD project. It’s best to do this early on in your third year for two reasons: first, it gives you more time to understand if research in their lab is really for you; and second, it will demonstrate to interviewers that you are serious about the MB/PhD.
Ask yourself whether you’d like to be supervised by a new, up-and-coming supervisor or a well-established one. Newer supervisors may be working on the next big thing, but often have less experience supervising with PhD students. Established supervisors often have a substantial publication record and will have supervised several students so will understand some of the strains the doctorate will put you under. I’d also advocate speaking to supervisors whose fields are slightly outside of your direct area of interest – you might find a project that uses some exciting techniques you’d like to learn.
4.Ask PhDs and postdocs about their experiences in the lab.
Try and get an opportunity to speak with current students and postdocs about what life is like working in the lab you’re interested in. They might give you some honest insight into what the work is like, some of the stresses and strains, and time frames for turning around research papers. Most importantly, are they enjoying it? Many PhD students will become a bit jaded by the second year, so it’s normal to have positives balanced out by some negatives – in fact, it would be unusual to have a universally positive experience.
It was through speaking to PhD students that I was swayed towards my PhD lab. I spoke to three students who all seemed to love what they were doing. They also emphasised the importance and impact of the work the lab was doing. A postdoc told me how the supervisor was willing to listen to her PhD students’ perspectives and would take their experiences into account when deciding on experiments.
5.Brace yourself for a personal journey.
The PhD is as much a personal endeavour as it is a scientific one. Karim, another MB/PhD student, put it best:
“There is a personal, experiential aspect – you will spend three years of your early twenties with one group of people every day and think about the same thing every day. That’s quite a formative and powerful experience, of the type most applicants have never chosen before and so aren’t necessarily mindful of. My view is that the MB/PhD is a big commitment, and that sincere dedication really immunises against the inevitable ups and downs across the months and years, whether those are scientific or personal.”
During a PhD, it’s inevitable that there will be highs and lows, but you become resilient. Sometimes, the results of your hard work just don’t come to pass because in research, there isn’t always a linear relationship between effort and output. Sometimes, you hit a run of bad luck. If you invest all your worth in your work, it’d be easy to feel low. So you adapt, and develop other areas of interest which help you bounce back – for instance, I trained to be a gym instructor!
Most importantly, the PhD teaches you to value your support networks more than ever, whether that’s your friends, family or mentors. The adage is very true – it’s a marathon not a sprint, and it’s perfectly natural to need a helping hand every once in a while. Your own passion together with the support of colleagues and friends is a winning combination when it comes to completing the PhD.
