I agree with the post below. I had fantastic advisors for my PhD and
postdocs. I had a lot of independence and always got
first/corresponding author status for my own work. And the process is
long, but doesn't have to take forever - even in the US you can do a
biology Ph.D. in 5 years.
HOWEVER...you do have to be careful. Some people clearly have had bad
experiences. Definitely scope out the lab and the department before you
sign up. If you meet a lot of disgruntled students, that is a bad sign
- especially since people usually try to give a positive spin on things
in front of potential recruits.
One thing I have observed is that not all mentoring styles work for all
students. For instance, a student who is really independent may prefer
a relatively hands-off mentoring style, whereas one who is a little more
unsure of his/her path might want more suggestions regarding research
topics and methods.
As to whether getting a PhD is advantageous...well, that depends on what
kind of jobs you are aiming for. If you want to head up a lab or teach
at a college level, as I did, a PhD is generally required (or at least
highly recommended). But a lot of other jobs in science may not.
Also, you have to be really into your topic, such that the work you do,
for your PhD and afterward, is fun for its own sake.
Emily Moran
On 10/17/2012 09:24 PM, Ryan McEwan wrote:
There are many overgeneralizations in the points made by Aaron (and in the
article linked above). Graduate school is HARD, no doubt about it, but I
would guess that, in the field of ecology, the vast majority of graduate
students are valued and respected members of communities within their
program. That was certainly the case in all of my experiences. Graduate
school can be an extremely fulfilling time and a very direct stepping stone
into a rewarding career.
The generalization that faculty members are oligarchs who steal the
student’s intellectual property is absurd. Certainly there are instances
where a faculty member mistreats graduate students, but they are
*extremely* rare in my experience, and can be avoided if the students are
careful in the application process.
In particular, for students considering graduate school- meet the potential
faculty member before you take the position, and talk to other people in
the lab. **Interview on site if at all possible.** Contact students who
have left the lab and ask about their experience. If you do these
things(especially an on site interview) then you will have a very good idea
about your prospects. Take a professional approach to the application
process, be careful and selective, and you are likely to end up with a
faculty mentor who truly cares about YOUR success and will do all they can
to help you advance in your career.
Happy Hunting.
Ryan
Ryan W. McEwan, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
The University of Dayton
300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469-2320
Office phone: 1.937.229.2558
Lab phone: 1.937.229.2567
Office Location: SC 223D
Email: ryan.mce...@udayton.edu
Lab:
http://academic.udayton.edu/ryanmcewan<http://academic.udayton.edu/ryanmcewan>
