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The top 3 skills needed to do a PhD are skills employers want too

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More and more people are applying to do a PhD. What many don’t know is it takes serious skills to do one – and, more importantly, complete it.

We analysed the selection criteria for PhD candidates on a platform that advertises PhD programs. Our analysis of thousands of these ads revealed exactly what types of skills different countries and disciplines require.

Why do a PhD in the first place?

People pursue a PhD for many reasons. They might want to stand out from the crowd in the job market, learn how to do research, gain a deeper expertise in an area of interest, or pursue an academic career.

Sadly, too many PhD students never finish. The PhD turns out to be too hard, not well supported, mentally taxing, financially draining, etc. Dropping the PhD often means significant financial loss for institutions and individuals, not to mention the psychological costs of other consequences such as low self-esteem, anxiety and loneliness .

Read more: 1 in 5 PhD students could drop out. Here are some tips for how to keep going

Our society and economy can only benefit from a better-educated workforce, so it is in the national interest to manage PhD intakes and be clear about expectations. The expansion of doctoral education led to a more competitive selection process, but the criteria are opaque.

To clarify PhD expectations, we turned to a European research job platform supported by EURAXESS (a pan-European initiative by the European Commission) where PhD programs are advertised as jobs. Required skills are listed in the selection criteria. We analysed 13,562 PhD ads for the types of skills different countries and disciplines require.

We made three specific findings.

1. Top 3 skills needed for a PhD

It turns out that it takes many so-called transferable skills to do a PhD. These are skills that can be translated and applied to any professional context. The top three required skills are:

communication – academic writing, presentation skills, speaking to policy and non-expert audiences

research – disciplinary expertise, data analysis, project management

interpersonal – leadership, networking, teamwork, conflict resolution.

Trending skill categories are digital (information processing and visualisation) and cognitive (abstract, critical and creative thinking and problem-solving).

Previous research shows transferable skills are requested for post-PhD careers, including both academic and non-academic jobs. Our research shows such skills are already required to do a PhD. Those keen to do a PhD are well advised to provide strong evidence of such skills when applying.

2. Skill demands vary by country and discipline

Skill demands significantly differ by country and discipline. For example, 62% of medical science ads mention interpersonal skills. This is twice as often as in biological science ads. Digital and cognitive skills score much higher in the Netherlands than in other countries.

Our research article reports on 2016-2019 data and the top five represented countries (Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain and the UK) and the top five represented disciplines (biological sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering and medical sciences). However, you can use this tool for granular detail on 52 countries – including non-European countries like Australia, New Zealand, the US, etc. – and 37 disciplines included in the data sample. For continuously updated data, please visit https://www.resgap.com/ .

3. PhD expectations are rising

We see a rise in PhD expectations over time (2016-2019) as more skills are listed year on year. The publish or perish culture prevails and rising demands on academics have led to calls for more engaged research, collaborations with industry, and research commercialisation .

PhD students get accustomed early to competitiveness and high expectations.

Read more: Is it a good time to be getting a PhD? We asked those who've done it

Research-based learning needs to start early

These insights have implications for pre-PhD education and pathways. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees can further promote PhD readiness by embedding authentic hands-on research with academic or corporate partners, either as part of the curriculum or as extracurricular activities.

Many postgraduate degrees offer authentic research project work opportunities but are shorter. Those entering the PhD without a postgraduate degree miss out on developing essential research skills.

Authentic research experiences need to happen early on in higher education. Organisations like the Council on Undergraduate Research ( CUR ), the Australasian Council for Undergraduate Research ( ACUR ) and the British Conference of Undergraduate Research ( BCUR ) are designed to support institutions and individuals to do this effectively. They showcase great models of undergraduate research.

To get a good idea of what undergraduate research looks like, start with this comprehensive paper and catch up on undergraduate research news from Australasia .

We know research-based learning develops employability skills such as critical thinking, resilience and independence.

Embed career development in PhD programs

Doctoral training needs to take note, too, if it is to further build on the skill set that PhD applicants bring with them.

The good news is doctoral education has transformed in recent decades. It’s catching up to the call for better-skilled graduates for a range of careers. The training focus has shifted towards generating practice-based and problem-solving knowledge, and engaged research with other sectors.

Read more: It's time to reduce the number of PhD students, or rethink how doctoral programs work

Some institutions now offer skill and career training. Generally, though, this sort of training is left to the graduates themselves. Many current PhD candidates will attest that the highly regulated and tight PhD schedule leaves little room for voluntary activities to make them more employable.

Most PhD candidates also know more than half of them will not score a long-term academic job. Institutions would serve them better by formally embedding tailored career development opportunities in PhD programs that prepare for academic and non-academic jobs .

It’s not only PhD graduates’ professional and personal well-being that will benefit but also the national economy.

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How to prepare a strong phd application.

Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School outline a few tips to help you navigate the PhD application process.

It’s no secret the application process can be intimidating. Where do you start? What exactly are schools looking for on your application? What materials do you need to submit? Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School have outlined a few tips to help you navigate the process.

Don’t Delay the Process

A successful PhD applicant starts thinking about their application months or even years before the deadlines. For Alejandro Lopez Lira , a third year student in Finance, the application process began a year before he actually submitted the paperwork. He said, “I spoke to my advisors way before, like one year before, about my letters of recommendation, where to apply, everything involved in the process.”

Each program has different requirements, which can make for a tedious process. Karren Knowlton , a third year in Management, said, “I took a little while to draft a personal statement. I had my mom, who teaches creative writing, and a few other people that I trust just read over it. Then you have to tweak it for different schools because they want slightly different things.”

Taking time to prepare your application is critical. Starting the process sooner rather than later gives you several advantages:

• It allows your letter of recommendation writers enough time in advance to thoughtfully prepare a letter that speaks to who you are as a PhD candidate.
• It gives you more time to review your materials, fix any errors, and proofread, proofread, proofread.
• Finally, it means a lot less stress when the deadline starts rapidly approaching. By planning ahead, you’ll have a much smoother process applying.

Get Letters of Recommendation

Prof. Matthew Bidwell , who previously served as the doctoral coordinator for the Management program , said a common mistake he sees are letters of recommendations from employers. Although he said it is impressive to see work experience, having an employer write a letter is not the best choice.

“We don’t pay very much attention to those because rightly or wrongly, we worry that they’re not looking for the kinds of things that we’re looking for,” he said. “If you have one, it’s not a disaster, but when you see people with two or three — most of their recommendations coming from their work — that kind of heightens our concern. You’re committing to a fairly specialized career, do you really know what that career entails?”

Instead, he suggests getting to know an academic who will be able to write a recommendation attesting to your ability to manage doctoral-level research and work.

Include Research/Work Experience in Your Field

Each program has a unique set of criteria to evaluate applicants, but several doctoral coordinators agree that some research and work experience in your field of interest will strengthen your application overall.

Prof. Fernando Ferreira , doctoral coordinator for the Business Economics and Public Policy and Real Estate programs, thinks work experience can be useful in demonstrating an applicant’s abilities. He said, “Any work experience after undergraduate school is important. If that experience is more related to research it’s even better, but work experience in general is always good.”

Prof. Guy David , doctoral coordinator for the Health Care Management & Economics program , thinks that work experience benefits applicants in terms of giving them a broader view of business. “Work experience creates retrospection about how the world works, how organizations make decisions, and how people function in various situations,” he said.

However, he warns that spending too much time away from an academic setting can have its drawbacks too. “It may lead people to start their PhD later when they are not in the habit of immersing themselves in rigorous studies and have a shorter horizons to develop a name for themselves,” he said.

Although having both research and work experience can strengthen your application, you will not be denied entry because you are lacking either.

Prof. Bidwell said, “I think research experience does give us some confidence that people have some idea about what it is that we do. In terms of work experience, I think we don’t have a strong view. We quite like work experience, but we also take people straight out of undergrad.”

Prepare for the Standardized Tests

Most PhD programs require students to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Having high test scores is a key part of an application as it tests skills learned over the course of many years in school. Quantitative skills are especially important when applying to doctoral programs in business areas. Much like any other standardized test, the GRE requires preparation.

Karren, who took the GRE twice to ensure her scores were high enough, offered advice to those who may be struggling. “I would absolutely recommend practicing the writing beforehand. Look up examples and have your outline structured,” she said. “So much of it is just getting the right structure and how you formulate your arguments so knowing what they’re looking for is key.”

Test prep can be time-consuming, but like anything else, practice makes perfect. There are multiple text books and online sites to help you prepare for the exam. Karren aimed to improve her math scores the second time she took the GRE and recommended this site to help strengthen math skills.

Taking advantage of resources to help you study can limit the number of times you need to take the GRE while ensuring you score high enough to remain in the applicant pool.

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Doctoral Programs

Start your doctoral journey.

Whether you’re just starting your research on PhD programs or you’re ready to apply, we’ll walk you through the steps to take to become a successful PhD candidate.

Deciding to get a PhD

You might be surprised to find out what you can do with a PhD in business.

Is an Academic Career for You ? What Makes a Successful PhD Student

Preparing for the Doctoral Path

The skills, relationships, and knowledge you need to prepare yourself for a career in academics.

How the PhD Program Works How to Become a Successful PhD Applicant

Choosing the right program

What’s the difference between PhD programs? Find out how to choose one that fits your goals.

What to Consider When Choosing a Doctoral Program What Differentiates R1 Universities?

Starting an application

Tips for a successful application process.

Application Requirements Preparing Your PhD Application

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Thinking About What PhD Guides Do ?

Phd research is a difficult and time-consuming task. you may feel the need for direction and expert phd consultation. we recognize this, and with this in mind, we have created a community of phd consultants and industry professionals to guidance and counselling for phd candidates throughout your journey. phdguides offer resources, training, advice, phd guidance and helping hands during every phase of your phd journey in accordance with your needs., resource center.

We are the treasure trove of resources to help you with all aspects of research writing, from finding the right format for your assignment to writing a compelling literature review.

Here you can find:

• University assignment formats for all major disciplines
• Review formats for journals, books, and other publications
• Synopsis formats for research proposals and grant applications
• Thesis formats for different academic levels
• Research writing samples from top universities around the world
• Review article samples
• Guidelines PPTs on research documentation
• Guides, e-books, and tools to help you with your research
• Free downloadable resources, such as templates, checklists, and citation generators

So whether you’re just getting started with your PhD research or you’re a seasoned academic, our website has something to help you improve your research writing skills.

The PhD Research Consultation Bootcamp

Are you interested in finding out more about how our guidance might support your success in your phd now, schedule a time to talk with one of our phd guides in order to help you make a well-informed decision on your academic career, our team of experts is available to answer your questions and walk you through the process..

Our humungous community of PHD Study will help you ask questions related to your topic and get that question solved as quickly as possible.

Read out the detailed story behind completing your PHD. May be this will engage you & help you with the complete knowledge about PHD journey.

We provide the best training to complete your PhD with an ease. These training will help you a lot till completion of your doctorate.

Here you can find university formats, guidelines, samples, PPT’s, Guides, e-books, tools and free downloadable resources to get started with PhD research.

Read out the detailed story behind completing your PHD. May be this will engage you & help you with the complete knowledge about PHD.

Recent Articles for PhD Guidance

9 tips to write your phd thesis, how to fund your phd study in india, how to stand out in your phd interview – 6 important topics you must prepare, tools and software every phd holder must have, access important phd resources, we have a massive sample database, depending on the higher education programme or course, you can find and download appropriate pdf samples., research writing sample s.

University Formats & Guidelines

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Our exceptional service levels, constant support and extensive relations with the students, built painstakingly has earned us the admiration of people who are assisters of scholars 

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Timeline of phd events.

Eligibility

• A full-time bachelor's degree.
• A full-time master's degree with at least 55% marks.
• The cut-off for SC/ST and OBCs is 50%.
• University/College mandated or national-level entrance examination.
• For a part-time Ph.D., a NOC (No Objection Certificate) is obtained from the educational institute or organization of employment.
• Some colleges/universities require relevant job experience.

Prior to Enrolment:

• Document Verification
• Entrance Exam and Interview
• Issuance of a Selection Letter

Enrolment via the website and the issuance of an Enrolment Letter. For your initial research plan, you will receive a Guide.

Exams for course work and approval of the synopsis

Initial Progress Evaluation

Review of Progress (Second)

Third Progress Review

PhD Thesis Presentation and Provisional Certificate Issuance

The Certificate of Ph.D. Issuance

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Our activities & awards, we'd love to hear from you, stay connected, are you still confused want to discuss, book a free consultation session with a ph.d. mentor and subject expert for title selection or any other guidance..

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The PhD can take three to six years to complete. The time limit can differ as per the institute, hence the candidate should inquire about it with the desired university before applying.

A master’s degree or M.phill from any recognised Indian university in the relevant field is required for admission to the PhD programme. To be eligible for admission, you must have at least 55% of the marks or corresponding grades.

If you are pursuing a self-funded PhD or have professional experience in the industry, you can apply with lower grades.

Not all bachelor’s students are eligible for a PhD, but according to the new UGC guidelines, students who obtain a four-year degree in UG can apply for admission to PhD programmes in their desired fields.

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How to Write a PhD Research Proposal

• Applying to a PhD
• A research proposal summarises your intended research.
• Your research proposal is used to confirm you understand the topic, and that the university has the expertise to support your study.
• The length of a research proposal varies. It is usually specified by either the programme requirements or the supervisor upon request. 1500 to 3500 words is common.
• The typical research proposal structure consists of: Title, Abstract, Background and Rationale, Research Aims and Objectives, Research Design and Methodology, Timetable, and a Bibliography.

What is a Research Proposal?

A research proposal is a supporting document that may be required when applying to a research degree. It summarises your intended research by outlining what your research questions are, why they’re important to your field and what knowledge gaps surround your topic. It also outlines your research in terms of your aims, methods and proposed timetable .

What Is It Used for and Why Is It Important?

A research proposal will be used to:

• Confirm whether you understand the topic and can communicate complex ideas.
• Confirm whether the university has adequate expertise to support you in your research topic.
• Apply for funding or research grants to external bodies.

How Long Should a PhD Research Proposal Be?

Some universities will specify a word count all students will need to adhere to. You will typically find these in the description of the PhD listing. If they haven’t stated a word count limit, you should contact the potential supervisor to clarify whether there are any requirements. If not, aim for 1500 to 3500 words (3 to 7 pages).

Your title should indicate clearly what your research question is. It needs to be simple and to the point; if the reader needs to read further into your proposal to understand your question, your working title isn’t clear enough.

Directly below your title, state the topic your research question relates to. Whether you include this information at the top of your proposal or insert a dedicated title page is your choice and will come down to personal preference.

2. Abstract

If your research proposal is over 2000 words, consider providing an abstract. Your abstract should summarise your question, why it’s important to your field and how you intend to answer it; in other words, explain your research context.

Only include crucial information in this section – 250 words should be sufficient to get across your main points.

3. Background & Rationale

First, specify which subject area your research problem falls in. This will help set the context of your study and will help the reader anticipate the direction of your proposed research.

Following this, include a literature review . A literature review summarises the existing knowledge which surrounds your research topic. This should include a discussion of the theories, models and bodies of text which directly relate to your research problem. As well as discussing the information available, discuss those which aren’t. In other words, identify what the current gaps in knowledge are and discuss how this will influence your research. Your aim here is to convince the potential supervisor and funding providers of why your intended research is worth investing time and money into.

Last, discuss the key debates and developments currently at the centre of your research area.

4. Research Aims & Objectives

Identify the aims and objectives of your research. The aims are the problems your project intends to solve; the objectives are the measurable steps and outcomes required to achieve the aim.

In outlining your aims and objectives, you will need to explain why your proposed research is worth exploring. Consider these aspects:

• Will your research solve a problem?
• Will your research address a current gap in knowledge?
• Will your research have any social or practical benefits?

If you fail to address the above questions, it’s unlikely they will accept your proposal – all PhD research projects must show originality and value to be considered.

5. Research Design and Methodology

The following structure is recommended when discussing your research design:

• Sample/Population – Discuss your sample size, target populations, specimen types etc.
• Methods – What research methods have you considered, how did you evaluate them and how did you decide on your chosen one?
• Data Collection – How are you going to collect and validate your data? Are there any limitations?
• Data Analysis – How are you going to interpret your results and obtain a meaningful conclusion from them?
• Ethical Considerations – Are there any potential implications associated with your research approach? This could either be to research participants or to your field as a whole on the outcome of your findings (i.e. if you’re researching a particularly controversial area). How are you going to monitor for these implications and what types of preventive steps will you need to put into place?

6. Timetable

We’ve outlined the various stages of a PhD and the approximate duration of a PhD programme which you can refer to when designing your own research study.

7. Bibliography

Plagiarism is taken seriously across all academic levels, but even more so for doctorates. Therefore, ensure you reference the existing literature you have used in writing your PhD proposal. Besides this, try to adopt the same referencing style as the University you’re applying to uses. You can easily find this information in the PhD Thesis formatting guidelines published on the University’s website.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Questions & Answers

Here are answers to some of the most common questions we’re asked about the Research Proposal:

Can You Change a Research Proposal?

Yes, your PhD research proposal outlines the start of your project only. It’s well accepted that the direction of your research will develop with time, therefore, you can revise it at later dates.

Can the Potential Supervisor Review My Draft Proposal?

Whether the potential supervisor will review your draft will depend on the individual. However, it is highly advisable that you at least attempt to discuss your draft with them. Even if they can’t review it, they may provide you with useful information regarding their department’s expertise which could help shape your PhD proposal. For example, you may amend your methodology should you come to learn that their laboratory is better equipped for an alternative method.

How Should I Structure and Format My Proposal?

Ensure you follow the same order as the headings given above. This is the most logical structure and will be the order your proposed supervisor will expect.

Most universities don’t provide formatting requirements for research proposals on the basis that they are a supporting document only, however, we recommend that you follow the same format they require for their PhD thesis submissions. This will give your reader familiarity and their guidelines should be readily available on their website.

Last, try to have someone within the same academic field or discipline area to review your proposal. The key is to confirm that they understand the importance of your work and how you intend to execute it. If they don’t, it’s likely a sign you need to rewrite some of your sections to be more coherent.

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• 12 March 2024

Bring PhD assessment into the twenty-first century

You have full access to this article via your institution.

Innovation in PhD education has not reached how doctoral degrees are assessed. Credit: Dan Dunkley/Science Photo Library

Research and teaching in today’s universities are unrecognizable compared with what they were in the early nineteenth century, when Germany and later France gave the world the modern research doctorate. And yet significant aspects of the process of acquiring and assessing a doctorate have remained remarkably constant. A minimum of three years of independent study mentored by a single individual culminates in the production of the doctoral thesis — often a magisterial, book-length piece of work that is assessed in an oral examination by a few senior academic researchers. In an age in which there is much research-informed innovation in teaching and learning, the assessment of the doctoral thesis represents a curious throwback that is seemingly impervious to meaningful reform.

But reform is needed. Some doctoral candidates perceive the current assessment system to lack transparency, and examiners report concerns of falling standards ( G. Houston A Study of the PhD Examination: Process, Attributes and Outcomes . PhD thesis, Oxford Univ.; 2018 ). Making the qualification more structured would help — and, equally importantly, would bring the assessment of PhD education in line with education across the board. PhD candidates with experience of modern assessment methods will become better researchers, wherever they work. Indeed, most will not be working in universities: the majority of PhD holders find employment outside academia.

Collection: Career resources for PhD students

It’s not that PhD training is completely stuck in the nineteenth century. Today’s doctoral candidates can choose from a range of pathways. Professional doctorates, often used in engineering, are jointly supervised by an employer and an academic, and are aimed at solving industry-based problems. Another innovation is PhD by publication, in which, instead of a final thesis on one or more research questions, the criterion for an award is a minimum number of papers published or accepted for publication. In some countries, doctoral students are increasingly being trained in cohorts, with the aim of providing a less isolating experience than that offered by the conventional supervisor–student relationship. PhD candidates are also encouraged to acquire transferable skills — for example, in data analysis, public engagement, project management or business, economics and finance. The value of such training would be even greater if these skills were to be formally assessed alongside a dissertation rather than seen as optional.

And yet, most PhDs are still assessed after the production of a final dissertation, according to a format that, at its core, has not changed for at least half a century, as speakers and delegates noted at an event in London last month on PhD assessment, organized by the Society for Research in Higher Educatio n. Innovations in assessment that are common at other levels of education are struggling to find their way into the conventional doctoral programme.

Take the concept of learning objectives. Intended to aid consistency, fairness and transparency, learning objectives are a summary of what a student is expected to know and how they will be assessed, and are given at the start of a course of study. Part of the ambition is also to help tutors to keep track of their students’ learning and take remedial action before it is too late.

PhD training is no longer fit for purpose — it needs reform now

Formative assessment is another practice that has yet to find its way into PhD assessment consistently. Here, a tutor evaluates a student’s progress at the mid-point of a course and gives feedback or guidance on what students need to do to improve ahead of their final, or summative, assessment. It is not that these methods are absent from modern PhDs; a conscientious supervisor will not leave candidates to sink or swim until the last day. But at many institutions, such approaches are not required of PhD supervisors.

Part of the difficulty is that PhD training is carried out in research departments by people who do not need to have teaching qualifications or awareness of innovations based on education research. Supervisors shouldn’t just be experts in their field, they should also know how best to convey that subject knowledge — along with knowledge of research methods — to their students.

It is probably not possible for universities to require all doctoral supervisors to have teaching qualifications. But there are smaller changes that can be made. At a minimum, doctoral supervisors should take the time to engage with the research that exists in the field of PhD education, and how it can apply to their interactions with students.

There can be no one-size-fits-all solution to improving how a PhD is assessed, because different subjects often have bespoke needs and practices ( P. Denicolo Qual. Assur. Educ. 11 , 84–91; 2003 ). But supervisors and representatives of individual subject communities must continue to discuss what is most appropriate for their disciplines.

All things considered, there is benefit to adopting a more structured approach to PhD assessment. It is high time that PhD education caught up with changes that are now mainstream at most other levels of education. That must start with a closer partnership between education researchers, PhD supervisors and organizers of doctoral-training programmes in universities. This partnership will benefit everyone — PhD supervisors and doctoral students coming into the research workforce, whether in universities or elsewhere.

Education and training in research has entered many secondary schools, along with undergraduate teaching, which is a good thing. In the spirit of mutual learning, research doctoral supervisors, too, will benefit by going back to school.

Nature 627 , 244 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00718-0

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As part of LSA's DEI 2.0 strategic plan, the LSA Dean's Office is proud to sponsor a new LSA PhD Need-Based Technology Support Grant Program, funded by LSA and the Office of the Provost. We know that not everyone has the means to purchase a computer during graduate school. We also know how critical a working computer is to doctoral scholarship: supporting academic, teaching, and research needs. The LSA PhD Need-Based Technology Support Grant, administered by LSA Graduate Education, aims to support the technology needs of continuing PhD students in the College of LSA by providing funding to help offset costs associated with select computer equipment. This initiative is part of a three-year pilot program.

Who can apply?

All LSA PhD students (U.S. citizens, international students, and DACA students) are eligible to receive the grant once throughout the duration of their graduate program, based on financial need. Students should check with their home department about resources they may have before requesting funding from the LSA Dean’s Office.

Is there an award limit?

The maximum award amount is $1,500 but will be based on the stated need. Awards will be granted until funding is exhausted. Final award amount and number of awards will vary depending on the amount of funding requested.

Applications and funds will be awarded on a rolling basis following the fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). All funding has been dispersed for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

The application is currently open for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.. Should the maximum funding amount be reached before the end of fiscal year (June 30), applications will be closed and the website updated stating that all funding has been disbursed for the year.

Eligibility

We expect that not all students with financial need will need to take advantage of this grant during their time at U-M due to funding received from departments or external fellowships or grants. For those students who do take advantage of the grant, the following applies:

• Must be a currently enrolled LSA PhD student in good academic standing. PhD students in joint degree programs with LSA are eligible.
• Please upload a general statement of financial need (no more than 1500 words).
• Please upload a budget detailing the amount of funding requested. Please include a list of current expenses (e.g. rent, food, utilities, transportation, etc.), and your financial situation including sources of income, such as spouse or partner contributions toward monthly expenses. Applicants can utilize the MS Excel budget template or the Google Sheet Budget Template (additional instructions below).
• PhD students will be eligible to apply and receive the grant once throughout the duration of their graduate program.
• The grant does not cover costs related to the purchase of computer software, data sets, computer accessories, iPads or iPad accessories.

How do I apply?

Students can review the  Online Application Form Information & Process  before beginning an application.

Students will complete the online application through I nfoReady Review .

Additional instructions for Budget Templates (TWO OPTIONS)

• Download the MS Excel Blank Budget Template - complete and upload to the InfoReady application.
• Click File, "Make a Copy" of the FY 24-25 Budget, LSA Need Based Tech Grant.
• Input your personal budget information.
• When complete, save on your Google Drive.
• Finally, click "Print," click "Next," and save the Google Sheet as a PDF File.
• This PDF file can be uploaded directly to the InfoReady application.

Please be sure to enter your personal UMICH email address in your application.

Safe computing

Students who receive the award will be asked to follow safe computing practices including device security and responsible use. 

Graduate Students who are using personal computers to teach, research, work, or learn have a shared responsibility to help protect U-M data, systems, and IT infrastructure. Like U-M managed devices, personal computers, tablets, and smartphones are bound by similar U-M Standard Practice Guidelines and policies for responsible use of U-M Data and IT security. Students should review the:

• LSA Protect Your Personal Devices document and associated U-M links for guidance on how to secure their device, network, and internet activities. Most importantly, students working with U-M systems and data are required to maintain updated Operating Systems and software. Running monthly system, software, and security patches is essential to mitigating potential vulnerabilities and securing your device from bad actors. 
• U-M online  FERPA Training Course  (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act-RO100 FERPA at U-M My Linc course) to help U-M faculty and staff understand their responsibilities in protecting academic data.  Note:  Students may also be bound by additional moderate to highly sensitive research data policies and best practices.  

Financial Aid Considerations

Students receiving federal financial aid, please note: Financial assistance from all sources during the academic year factors into the ongoing review of your financial aid eligibility now and in the future. If your total financial aid, including any newly awarded funding, exceeds your eligibility for financial assistance this academic year, your aid may be limited or reduced from previously received assistance. You can learn more about  financial aid terms and conditions  on the Office of Financial Aid's website. You can also work with the Office of Financial Aid to identify additional expenses you may have incurred that can be factored into your overall aid eligibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can i expect a decision on my application.

It can take a few weeks for a full review of your application. You may receive communication from us before that point, particularly if we need to clarify any items in your application or with your financial aid package. All applicants will be notified of a decision, regardless of the outcome. Once the award is approved, funds will be posted to the student's account and should be made available within a week to ten days of notification.

Are there limitations to what I can purchase with the award?

This support grant should only be used to repair or purchase a laptop/desktop computer. The fund should not fund computer software, data sets, computer accessories, or iPads and accessories or anything other than a desktop or laptop computer.

How will the funding award be disbursed?

Once approved, LSA Graduate Education will award the funding through the student financial aid system. If a student is receiving federal financial aid, you may want to work with the Office of Financial Aid as this award may exceed your eligibility for financial assistance this academic year. You can learn more about financial aid terms and conditions on the Office of Financial Aid website.

Email: [email protected]

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• Florence Nightingale J Nurs
• v.30(2); 2022 Jun

Expected Roles of PhD Graduated Nurses: A Scoping Review

Reza negarandeh.

1 Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Sahar Khoshkesht

2 Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

The aim of this study was to investigate the expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses and their challenges. This study was conducted as a scoping review based on Arksey and O'Malley’s approach. After a search in valid databases such as Google Scholar, Information Sciences Institute, Science Direct, Ovid, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database between 2000 and 2019 and review the websites of some well-known universities and the contents of some of the global nursing websites such as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, National League for Nursing (NLN), International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing (IDEN), as well as reports such as Institute of Medicine. All data were collected, summarized, and then described narratively. There was much evidence that the Doctor of Philosophy programs had failed to prepare graduated nurses for the related roles and responsibilities. The expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses in this study summarized in five domains of education, clinical practice, research, leadership and management, and policy-making along with worldwide challenges, especially those highlighted in Iran. It seems that besides clarifications of the expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses, there should be more thought about the contents of the programs along with roles responsibilities, as well as the establishment of better communications between universities and workplaces.

Introduction

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) refers to the philosophy and scientific diligence in knowledge which is also regarded as the highest academic degree in all disciplines. The term “doctorate” is rooted in the Latin word “docere” which means teaching ( Winter et al., 2000 ) and it is also characterized by an advanced level of education and research that is employed to create new knowledge ( Ellis, 2005 ). The graduates of disciplines such as medicine labeled as “MD,” pharmacy called “Pharm.D,” veterinary named as “DVSc,” and dentistry termed as “DT” are also mentioned as doctorate which is a degree equivalent to a bachelor’s and master’s in other sciences.

History showed that PhD education was established in Europe and Germany. Then, it was brought to the United States in the 1860s. Yale University was the first academic center to award a PhD degree in 1861. Then, Oxford University in the United Kingdom began to accept students in PhD programs in 1920 ( Carpenter & Hudacek, 1996 ).

In general, the goal of a PhD program is to educate scholars and scientists to develop disciplines and to create new knowledge in which there is an emphasis on preparing students to assume expected roles after completion of the courses ( Fiedler et al., 2015 ). The global competition for doctoral study is growing. Moreover, PhD graduates play an important role in the development of communities because of having specific skills in research methods and abilities to create, implement, and publish knowledge and innovation ( Auriol, 2010 ).

The concept of PhD in nursing is not new. In the past, most nurses could also obtain their doctoral degrees in disciplines such as physiology, education, or social sciences. Doctorate of Education (EdD) was created between 1900 and 1940 and the first EdD in nursing was awarded in 1933 at Columbia University. In the 1950s, the University of Pittsburgh emphasized the importance of clinical research for the development of a body of knowledge and nursing profession in the PhD program. Then Boston University launched the Doctorate of Nursing Science (DNSc) ( Robb, 2005 ). Later, different types of nursing doctorates were developed including Doctorate of Science in Nursing, Nursing Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) ( Meleis, 1988 ; Rosseter, 2017 ). The history of PhD degrees development in nursing in some countries across the world such as the United States (1933), the United Kingdom (1970), Sweden (1986), Australia (1987), South Korea (1988), Brazil (1990), Canada (1991), Venezuela (1998), and China (2003) is reflecting the historical record and the importance of developing PhD studies in nursing worldwide.

Historically, the first PhD program in nursing in Iran was held by Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 1995. Then, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences started accepting PhD students in nursing. Currently, a total number of 17 universities of medical sciences in Iran have permission to train PhD students in this domain.

In general, two models of PhD programs in nursing are known worldwide. In the research-based/oriented European model, students only focus on the implementation of research projects. This model is being used in European countries, North Africa, Egypt, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. But in the North American model or the Pan-American model, students first take courses that are related to the subject of the dissertation and, after successfully passing the relevant exams; they concentrate on doing their dissertations. This model is being implemented in countries such as Brazil, Canada, the United States, Venezuela, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Iran ( Ketefian et al., 2001 ).

In recent years, scientific research studies have put more stress on the professional development of nursing and they have particularly focused on the unique characteristics of nursing. Unlike other disciplines that start with general studies and then make progress toward specializations in the postgraduate programs, nursing is a profession that requires a general perspective in the PhD program ( Rosseter, 2017 ). Nursing programs traditionally present courses in the fields of nursing history and philosophy and development of healthcare techniques as well as socio-economic, political, and ethical issues. Data management and research methods are also included as the most important areas in doctoral education in nursing ( American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2018 ).

Undoubtedly, the purpose of PhD programs in the development of nursing sciences is through research. In this respect, graduates are trained in research-based disciplines to contribute to a collection of unique knowledge in nursing and they are expected to accept leadership positions in their fields. As noted, the nursing process has been toward increasing PhD programs. Having doctoral degrees, as the most known and highest degree of science, has also clarified the value of PhD in nursing. Although the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announced in 2004, there are mainly two types of nursing doctorate including PhD and DNP in Nursing; but most of the nursing leaders who recognize and accept PhD as a degree at the postgraduate level are strongly advocating the removal of other specialized programs such as DNP named as PhD in Nursing. Moreover, the AACN has differentiated PhD graduates as knowledge developers and DNP and DNSc ones as experts in using the new knowledge ( AACN, 2002 ; Rosseter, 2017 ).

Growing knowledge and increasing complexity of health systems increase the need for advanced and qualified nursing. Therefore, nursing education and the training of Ph.D. students are very important ( Patelarou et al., 2009 ). According to the Institute of Medicine (2011) , “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” nurses could play a very important role in reforming and redesigning health systems that need improving the levels of knowledge and attitudes. Based on the recommendations in this report, there is an emphasis on increasing levels of nursing education, doubling the number of PhD graduates in nursing by 2020, and using the full extent of nurse education and training; therefore, nurses should be responsive to changing needs of health care systems. However; there is much more evidence that PhD programs in nursing have failed to prepare graduates for relevant roles and responsibilities ( Booth et al., 2016 ). Generally, the relationship between doctoral education and expectations and roles is vague and there are sometimes no defined roles and responsibilities for nursing graduates in health systems ( Agger et al., 2014 ; Bullin, 2018 ). Even if the roles and responsibilities have been defined, they have not been properly addressed in practice. Considering the increasing importance and the need for training nurses with PhD degrees as the source of changes in healthcare systems, as well as the controversies in preparation of graduates that exposed them to the confusion of their roles, there is the need to discuss the role of PhD graduate students. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the expected role of PhD graduate nurses.

Research Questions

1. What are the roles and responsibilities of PhD graduate nurses? 2. Is there compatibility between the expected roles, curriculum, clinical environment, and organizations that provide job opportunities? 3. What are the worldwide PhD graduate nurses challenges; especially those highlighted in Iran?

Study Design

This study was a scoping review based on Arksey and O’Malley approach (2005).

Study Process

The five-stage approach of Arksey and O’Malley (2005) includes identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, collating, summarizing, and reporting. A summary of the stages is shown in the below flowchart ( Figure 1 ).

Flowchart of the Process of Study Based on Arksey and O’Malley’s Five-Stage Approach.

Search Process and Study Identification

Regarding the importance of the subject in the field of nursing and the lack of sufficient evidence in this domain, the main research question was about the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses and their challenges. Accordingly, various keywords such as doctorate in nursing OR PhD in nursing AND roles of PhD nurses AND scope of practice of PhD nurses were searched in valid databases such as Google Scholar, Information Sciences Institute, Ovid, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database in the related studies published between 2000 and 2019.

Eligibility of Resources

More than 414 articles were extracted. After removing duplicate items, examining the relevancy of titles, and reviewing the relevance of the subject, the validity of the source, and accessibility to the article, finally, the 23 articles were examined. Also, seven articles and two books were added after reference lists review. Since the purpose of a scoping review is a brief analysis around key concepts in the research subject and finding main sources and types of evidence without considering the quality of the studies ( Tricco et al., 2016 ), the studies were selected only based on the proximity to the subject and scope of the investigation. Exclusion criteria included irrelevant, duplicate, and non-English articles. However, lectures, summaries, studies related to other disciplines, and studies just related to DNP were excluded from the final review. In addition, the websites of some well-known universities and the contents of some of the global nursing websites such as AACN, NLN, IDEN, as well as reports such as IOM were reviewed. All data were collected, summarized, and then described narratively and discussed.

Goals of PhD in Nursing

By exploring PhD programs in nursing across the world, it becomes clear that the educational goals of training PhD graduates are different due to discrepancies in defined roles and responsibilities. The following cases are examples of such differences.

The University of Virginia in the United States which accepts students through two PhD and DNP programs aims to educate clinical professionals, nursing scholars, and researchers to develop nursing knowledge in the 21 century ( The University of Virginia, 2018 ), while the John Hopkins University, in the United States, emphasized the empowerment of students in development and direction of research toward improving provision of healthcare services ( The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 2018 ). Accordingly, the general purpose of this university is to educate nursing scholars to develop and conduct research studies and finally progress the nursing discipline and deliver better healthcare services ( The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 2018 )

The University of Alberta in Canada also expects the following roles from nursing graduates including nursing progress, knowledge mobilization, research development, and change in leadership ( The University of Alberta, 2018 ). Also, the objective of nursing education in China, which has been working on nursing education since 2003, is to educate future nurses in the domains of research and management ( Wang et al., 2016 ).

In general, the major objectives of establishing the nursing discipline in Iran include training specialized staff to provide the required workforce in the areas of research, education, technology, management, and services. Therefore, graduates can play roles in the domains of education, research, care, counseling, management, and prevention in communities. Accordingly, the positions considered for nurses can extend from hospitals to private centers, welfare and rehabilitation centers, research centers and institutes, planning centers related to nursing, growth centers, and knowledge-based companies as well as the community. However; the goals, visions, roles, and responsibilities of PhD graduated nurses in Iran have undergone changes in three periods since 1994. The focus of the first PhD programs in nursing was on improving the quality of education and research in order to achieve professional independence to supply the required human resource and also to promote nursing ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 1995 ). In 2003, following the graduation of only ten students, the curriculum of PhD programs in nursing was revised and training of high-quality students in terms of research gained more weight ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2005 ). In the last period and following the approval of the curriculum for PhD programs in nursing which had been implemented since 2017, the main goal was training specialized nursing staff to provide the required human resources in the field of research, education, technology, management, and nursing services as well as participation in policy-making in the health system. By adding six non-core units to the curriculum, a clinical perspective was formed ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ). Moreover, 24 professional responsibilities were considered for graduates. But there are not enough infrastructures to prepare nurses for gaining enough knowledge and skills during the years of education.

It seems that the shift in the locus of attention to the nursing PhD programs in Iran and some other countries from education to research and then clinical practice, as evident in curriculum changes, along with inappropriate consideration of specialized roles and responsibilities in PhD programs that distinguish graduates of PhD nursing from other nursing groups can be a reason for the role confusion among PhD graduates.

PhD in Nursing Careers

Based on the IOM (2011) reports as well as AACN (2018) , the nursing profession requires much more nurses at the doctoral level to deal with the difficulty of the lack of nursing faculty members and scholars. The Doctor of Philosophy programs in nursing is held with the purpose of preparing graduates to accept careers in health, education, research, and clinical practice.

Most nurses with PhD degrees have a normal transition to achieve an academic career; however, there are other alternatives for nurses at this level. For example, PhD graduated nurses are often recruited by large consulting companies to work with other individuals in terms of designing solutions related to problems in providing healthcare services. Some other nurses are employed by big hospitals to manage different wards. Moreover, a group of such nurses is hired for the management of complicated healthcare systems at an executive level. In other places, these nurses could carry out research and also formulate and develop national and international healthcare policies. No need to say that PhD studies can meet individuals with a wide range of appropriate job opportunities.

Roles, Expectations, and Challenges

Within the nursing profession, graduate students are trained to develop new nursing knowledge and to prepare future nurses in the fields of research, education, clinical practice, leadership, and health-related policies. However, one of the major challenges of nursing education is the lack of clarity in the roles and responsibilities of graduated nurses, especially those involved in PhD programs ( Bunkers, 2002 ).

In the study by Cheraghi et al. (2014) , clinical nurses’ perceptions and expectations about the roles and responsibilities of nursing doctorates were addressed. This study suggested that although nurses were good perceptions of PhD in nursing and believed that PhD nurses had been prepared to do research and to utilize theoretical knowledge in practice and they could also make use of their own specific conditions to improve current nursing status, PhD nurses, in reality, in the clinical setting cannot analyze issues related to healthcare systems and establish strategies to address nursing challenges.

Also, McKenna et al. (2014) highlighted the inadequate competency of PhD graduated nurses in confronting existing challenges in health systems. They acknowledged that although PhD graduates were expected to deal with nursing problems via knowledge and in-depth insights, in practice, such individuals had failed to play their roles in reforming the health system.

On the other hand, Sahebi et al. (2017) reviewing the challenges of the nursing doctoral curriculum in Iran conceded that with regard to the dynamism nature of needs of the health system and the development of nursing education, the nursing curriculum was faced with challenges and needed some changes. One of the most important findings of this study was that the nursing doctoral curriculum could not meet the needs of the community, health care system, the nursing profession, and even faculty members and PhD students. In the study by Zamanzadeh et al. (2014) investigating students’ attitudes toward the quality of PhD programs in nursing, the lowest score was associated with “no consistency between the curriculum of PhD programs and the nursing profession as well as its missions and obligations.”

Following the changes that occurred in the curriculum approved by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 2017, it seemed that no adaptation was expected in this domain via adding six non-core units whose method of implementation was not defined clearly. The confusion and challenges faced by PhD students in relation to the expected roles of passing these six units also increased. In a study by Feizalahzadeh and Hassani (2012) , the participants showed that if nurses with PhD degrees were to be employed in clinical practice, necessary and sufficient infrastructure and organizational positions, as well as salaries, are required.

Expectations from PhD graduated nurses are miscellaneous and multifaceted. So, it is expected that individuals demonstrate their best performance in different domains and positions; while there is no proper and practical preparation in the clinical, care, decision-making, policy-making, and education fields. There actually seems to be a contradiction in what universities are producing and what employers expect from the graduated nurses. The following is a summary of the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses in five domains of education, clinical practice, research, leadership and management, and policy-making along with worldwide challenges, especially those highlighted in Iran.

Before the mid-19th century, the main focus of PhD programs was on teaching and higher education, aimed at training faculty members ( Glanville & Houde, 2004 ). Nonetheless, with the expansion of PhD programs in nursing and admitting more students, teaching became a secondary activity and concentration was directed to research programs ( AACN, 2016 ). One of the tasks of schools in this domain is to train experts, that is, future students and nurses, in terms of theoretical and clinical education ( Oermann et al., 2016 ). It is also one of the professional responsibilities and roles of PhD graduated nurses in Iran. Thus, nursing education has great importance in the development of the nursing profession and preparation of future nurses to accept today’s advanced roles and to take on responsibilities for providing safe and high-quality nursing services ( Burton et al., 2009 ).

Nursing graduates are expected to be able to prepare for the quality training of future nurses, but this readiness is low or not at all ( Bullin, 2018 ). Previous studies have shown that insufficient preparation among graduates to assume the role of lecturers and faculty members could reduce job satisfaction and have a negative impact on their performance in the educational role ( Whitehead, 2015 ). In the study by Moghadam et al. (2017) , it has been reported that PhD nursing students and graduates were not ready for nursing education. PhD graduated nurses further acknowledged that organizational expectations were much beyond their abilities, clinical competencies were low, and uncertainties and obligations could lead to identity threats in PhD students. Also, McNelis et al. (2019) showed that there is a vague process for preparing graduates for teaching in both PhD and DNP curricula. so, should prepare graduates for faculty roles by including coursework on teaching.

Currently, the presence of Iranian PhD graduated nurses in clinical practice is defined as lecturers in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in clinical settings ( Cheraghi, et al., 2014 ). But based on the contents of the PhD programs, students are not completely prepared for clinical education. So, assuming the role of clinical instructors by PhD graduated nurses is neither acceptable nor cost-effective. Perhaps, teaching-specialized clinical education can be assigned to experts of the related field and the educational role of nursing doctorates can be limited to teaching how to acquire knowledge and research and how to enhance the body of nursing knowledge. It has been highlighted in most PhD programs worldwide, and PhD nursing students are prepared in that domain.

Clinical Practice

As stated, the nursing discipline is inherently clinical and one of the goals to train future nurses is helping in terms of provision of safe and high-quality services and consequently improvement of community health ( Edwards et al., 2018 ). By assessing the roles for PhD graduates in clinical practice, it can be realized that the expected clinical role is promoting health in communities at higher executive and managerial levels, and no direct clinical role for such graduates in the care domain has been taken into consideration. In contrast, in Iran, planning, implementation, and evaluation of nursing services, working with healthcare teams, as well as patient follow-up after discharge, have been considered as responsibilities of PhD graduated nurses, while the defined positions for playing these roles have been not considered ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ). Additionally, the lack of well-defined and purposeful program have faced students with more confusion. There is no doubt about the role that nurses can play in clinical practice, but if nurses with PhD degrees have the same responsibilities assumed by other nursing groups, what is the need to spend money, time, and manpower to train nursing doctorates.

Certainly, DNP has a different definition of PhD. Accordingly, there are different programs, goals, missions, and job positions ( Oermann et al., 2016 ). The launch of the DNP program alongside PhD in nursing as a separate discipline considering educational infrastructure, manpower, working environment, community acceptance, and … can be debated; however, the problem is to what extent the integration of these two programs will be practical.

Research and Investigation

The goal of the PhD programs is to prepare nursing students to produce new knowledge, develop the profession, and improve the quality of healthcare and health policies that are possible in the light of research studies. Therefore, one of the expected roles of PhD students in nursing is the ability to carry out applied research ( Henly et al., 2015 ). Now, in the PhD Programs in Nursing in Iran (2017), students are required to fulfill a final research dissertation. In fact, one of the prominent roles of PhD graduated nurses is setting up and conducting proper and high-quality research. Thus, PhD students can identify concepts and structures of their interest, study their relationships, develop predicted models, and finally test them. The result can be the production of new knowledge for the nursing profession. However, AACN (2013) and Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education ( The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education [QAAHE], 2011 ) in the United Kingdom have expressed concerns about the quality of PhD theses.

It seems that attention to the quantity of the dissertations, limited research areas, and lack of interest in fundamental subjects, along with the prolongation of the research period, can all reduce the quality of research in PhD programs in nursing.

Leadership and Policy-Making

Although the tasks of governments or nursing leaders appointed to state affairs are policy-making, the presence of nurses in policy-making can improve nursing performance and consequently increase the quality of care services ( Sullivan & Garland, 2010 ).

More than any other efforts up to the present, the IOM report (2011) has encouraged nurses to make changes in policies. According to this report, nurses have been called on to enhance their leadership capacities in order to design, implement, and support health policies that affect community health.

In recent years, Iranian nurses have tried to increase their participation in policy-making in nursing affairs although the status of nurses in the domain of policy-making is not still clear enough ( Ministry of Health Policy Making Council, 2014 ).

It is also obvious that PhD graduated nurses have the most important role in shaping leadership. In the curriculum ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ), there are at least eight to ten leadership responsibilities that have been listed for PhD graduated nurses. It is also believed that the endpoint of the nursing profession is a leadership position to provide nursing services or train nurses. Accordingly, the PhD degree puts more emphasis on the leadership position of nurses, particularly in clinical practice. Moreover, it is claimed that nursing managers should benefit from the cooperation of PhD nurses in decision-making processes ( Brar et al., 2010 ).

In regard to the preparation of PhD graduated nurses to assume leadership and policy-making roles, there are still ambiguities. Recently, two units of policy-making have been included in the nursing syllabus, but they have not been enough and also failed to prepare nurses for such situations. Therefore, it seems necessary to change the goals and the plans of PhD programs in nursing in order to prepare nurses to take on leadership and policy-making roles in the future.

On the other hand, due to the lack of a precise definition for organizational positions in leadership and policy-making groups in the Ministry of Health or at hospitals, graduates have no idea of employment in such organizations. Moreover, the terms “cooperation” or “participation” have been used in the responsibilities listed in the curriculum and independent roles have not been considered for PhD graduated nurses.

Study Limitations

One of the limitations of this study was the difficulty of fully accessing up-to-date and reliable sources. However, the best and most reliable sources were selected and retrieved according to the situation and needs.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses are expected to play the roles of agents for the development of the body of knowledge and nursing profession, as well as for educators, researchers, leaders, policy-makers, and professional consultants. Nevertheless, one of the major challenges facing nursing education is ambiguity in defining the roles of nursing graduates particularly those with PhD degrees (Bunkers, 2001). The definition of nursing roles can be challenging because studies in many countries have indicated disruptions in roles as well as overlaps ( Chiarella & McInnes, 2010 )

There is much evidence that PhD programs in nursing do not prepare graduates for their roles and responsibilities ( Booth et al., 2016 ). In general, the relationships between doctoral education, expectations, and career roles for PhD graduated nurses have not been well defined ( Agger et al., 2014 ; Bullin, 2018 ). Therefore, for possessing graduates with multiple abilities and multiple tasks, there is a need for the enrichment of the curriculum, defining clear roles, and proper preparation to achieve these roles ( Adib-Hajbaghery & Hosieni, 2018 ).

It seems that PhD programs lasting for 4–5 years have failed to create the competency required to provide these complex, broad, and sometimes cooperating roles with other medical and nursing staff. On the other hand, the working environment is not ready to accept these graduates.

As a whole, all the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses need further clarifications and there is a need to think about the consistency between curriculums and roles, as well as the establishment of better relationships between academic settings and educational programs and organizations providing job opportunities.

Educational planning to achieve the competency to accept the roles needed for the market in order to meet the needs of communities and the nursing profession is worthwhile because the type of investments in an educational system will be equal to its outputs. Therefore, the type of perspectives to educational programs can direct human resource policy. Therefore, the results of this study, while reporting the situation in Iran, should be considered as a basis for expanding awareness of the challenges in this field, and the authorities should find a solution in the field with proper planning.

This article provides an overview of the expected role of nursing PhD graduates around the world with a special focus on nursing PhD graduates in Iran and discusses its challenges. Obviously, because of cultural differences and the educational and care structure of each country, roles and expectations will be different. Therefore, it is suggested that this issue be discussed in several countries and a solution be found to its challenges.

Peer Review: Externally peer-reviewed.

Author Contributions: Concept – S.K., R.N.; Design S.K., R.N.; Supervision – R.N.; Resources – S.K., R.N.; Materials – S.K., R.N.; Data Collection and/or Processing – S.K.; Analysis and/or Interpretation – S.K., R.N.; Literature Search – S.K., R.N.; Writing Manuscript – S.K.; Critical Review – R.N.

Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Funding: The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.

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• Applying to graduate school
• Master’s vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences

Master's vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences

Published on November 27, 2020 by Lauren Thomas . Revised on May 10, 2024.

The two most common types of graduate degrees are master’s and doctoral degrees:

• A master’s is a 1–2 year degree that can prepare you for a multitude of careers.
• A PhD, or doctoral degree, takes 3–7 years to complete (depending on the country) and prepares you for a career in academic research.

A master’s is also the necessary first step to a PhD. In the US, the master’s is built into PhD programs, while in most other countries, a separate master’s degree is required before applying for PhDs.

Master’s are far more common than PhDs. In the US, 24 million people have master’s or professional degrees, whereas only 4.5 million have doctorates.

Table of contents

Master’s vs phd at a glance, which is right for you, length of time required, career prospects, costs and salaries, application process, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about master's and phd degrees.

The table below shows the key differences between the two.

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A PhD is right for you if:

• Your goal is to become a professor at a university or some other type of professional researcher.
• You love research and are passionate about discovering the answer to a particular question.
• You are willing to spend years pursuing your research even if you have to put up with a lot of dead ends and roadblocks.

A master’s degree is the better choice if any of the following apply:

• You want to continue studies in your field, but you’re not committed to a career as a professional researcher.
• You want to develop professional skills for a specific career.
• You are willing to pay a higher upfront cost if it means finishing with your degree (and thus being able to work) much faster.
• You want the option to study part-time while working.

The length of time required to complete a PhD or master’s degree varies. Unsurprisingly, PhDs take much longer, usually between 3–7 years. Master’s degrees are usually only 1–2 years.

Length of a master’s

Master’s degrees are usually 2 years, although 1-year master’s degrees also exist, mainly in the UK.

Most of the degree consists of classes and coursework, although many master’s programs include an intensive, semester-long master’s thesis or capstone project in which students bring together all they’ve learned to produce an original piece of work.

Length of a PhD

In the US, a PhD usually takes between 5 and 7 years to complete. The first 2 years are spent on coursework. Students, even those who choose to leave without finishing the program, usually receive a master’s degree at this point.

The next 3–5 years are spent preparing a dissertation —a lengthy piece of writing based on independent research, which aims to make a significant original contribution to one’s field.

Master’s degrees tend to prepare you for a career outside of academia, while PhDs are designed to lead to a career in research.

Careers for master’s graduates

There are two types of master’s degrees: terminal and research-intensive. The career prospects are different for each.

Terminal master’s degrees are intended to prepare students for careers outside of academia. Some degrees, known as professional degrees, specifically prepare students for particular professions; these include the Master of Public Policy (MPP), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees.

Other master’s degrees, usually Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Sciences (MS or MSc) degrees, do not necessarily lead to a specific career, but are intended to be a final degree. Examples include an MS in Communications or MS in Data Analytics.

In research-intensive master’s programs, students take coursework intended to prepare them for writing an original piece of research known as the master’s thesis . Such programs are usually intended to prepare for further study in a doctoral program.

Careers for PhD graduates

As research degrees, PhDs are usually intended to lead to an academic career. A PhD can be thought of like an apprenticeship, where students learn from professional researchers (academics) how to produce their own research.

Most students aspire to become a university professor upon the completion of their degree. However, careers in academia are highly competitive, and the skills learned in a doctoral program often lend themselves well to other types of careers.

Some graduates who find they prefer teaching to producing research go on to be teachers at liberal arts colleges or even secondary schools. Others work in research-intensive careers in the government, private sector, or at think tanks.

Below are a few examples of specific fields and non-academic careers that are common destinations of graduates of those fields.

• Computer Science
• Lab Sciences

Many government jobs, including economists at a country’s central bank, are research-intensive and require a PhD. Think tanks also hire economists to carry out independent research.

In the private sector, economic consulting and technology firms frequently hire PhDs to solve real-world problems that require complex mathematical modeling.

Graduate students from the humanities are sometimes hired by museums, who can make use of their research and writing skills to curate exhibits and run public outreach.

Humanities PhDs are often well-suited to research and grant-writing roles at nonprofits. Since so much of research is funded by grants, PhD students often gain a lot of experience applying for them, which is a useful skill in the nonprofit sector.

There are a wide range of non-academic research jobs for lab scientists with doctorates in subjects like chemistry, biology, ecology and physics.

Many PhD graduates are hired by pharmaceutical companies that need to perform research to create and test their products. Government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), also hire lab scientists to work on research projects.

Job prospects after graduation vary widely based on the field. In fields like management, computer science, statistics, and economics, there’s little underemployment—even graduates from less well-known programs can easily find jobs that pay well and use the skills they’ve gained from the PhD.

However, in other fields, particularly in the humanities, many PhD graduates have difficulty in the job market. Unfortunately, there are far more PhD graduates than assistant professor roles, so many instead take on part-time and low-paid roles as adjunct instructors. Even non-academic careers can sometimes be difficult for PhDs to move into, as they may be seen as “overqualified”  or as lacking in relevant professional experience.

Because career options post-PhD vary so much, you should take the time to figure out what the career prospects are in your field. Doctoral programs often have detailed “placement” records online in which they list the career outcomes of their graduates immediately upon leaving the program. If you can’t find these records, contact the program and ask for them—placement information should play an important role in your choice of PhD program.

Although PhDs take far longer to complete, students often receive a living stipend in exchange for being a teaching or research assistant. Master’s degrees are shorter but less likely to be funded.

Both master’s degrees and PhDs lead to increased salaries upon graduation. While PhDs usually earn a bit more than those with a master’s degree, in some fields, the wages are identical, meaning that no financial benefit is gained from going on to a PhD.

Cost of a master’s

The upfront cost of a master’s degree is usually higher than a doctoral degree due to the lower amount of financial aid available. However, increased salaries also arrive faster than with a doctoral degree, because people graduate much earlier from a master’s program.

Some master’s students do receive stipends for their degrees, usually as compensation for being a teaching or research assistant. In addition, many people complete master’s degrees part time while working full-time, which allows them to fund their living costs as well as tuition.

The cost varies significantly by school and program. Public schools are usually cheaper than private ones. Some master’s degrees, such as MBAs, are notoriously expensive, but also result in much higher wages afterwards that make up for the high cost.

The master’s wage premium , or the extra amount that someone with a master’s degree makes than someone with just a high school diploma, is 23% on average. Many universities provide detailed statistics on the career and salary outcomes of their students. If they do not have this online, you should feel free to contact an administrator of the program and ask.

Cost of a PhD

PhDs, particularly outside the humanities, are usually (though not always) funded, meaning that tuition fees are fully waived and students receive a small living stipend. During the last 3–5 years of a PhD, after finishing their coursework (and sometimes before), students are usually expected to work as graduate instructors or research assistants in exchange for the stipend.

Sometimes students can apply for a fellowship (such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program in the United States) that relieves them of any obligations to be a teaching or research assistant. Doctoral programs in the US tend to be better funded than in the rest of the world.

Sometimes, PhD degrees can be completed part-time, but this is rare. Students are usually expected to devote at least 40 hours a week to their research and work as teaching or research assistants.

The main cost of doctoral programs comes in the form of opportunity cost—all the years that students could be working a regular, full-time job, which usually pays much better than a graduate school stipend.

The average wage premium for PhDs is 26%, which is not much higher than the master’s degree premium.

In the US, the application process is similar for master’s and PhD programs. Both will generally ask for:

• At least one application essay, often called a personal statement or statement of purpose .
• Letters of recommendation .
• A resume or CV .
• Transcripts.
• Writing samples.

Applications for both types of programs also often require a standardized test. PhDs usually require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which tries to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative, critical thinking , and analytical writing skills. Many master’s programs require this test as well.

Applying for a master’s

Master’s degrees programs will often ask you to respond to specific essay prompts that may ask you to reflect upon not just your academic background, but also your personal character and future career ambitions.

Northwestern University’s Kellogg Business School requires Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) applicants write two essays, one about a recent time they demonstrated leadership and the second about their personal values.

Who you should ask for your letters of recommendation varies by program. If you are applying to a research-intensive master’s program, then you should choose former professors or research supervisors. For other programs, particularly business school, current work supervisors may be a better choice.

Some professional master’s programs require a specific test. For example, to apply to law school, you must take the Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT. For business school, you must take either the GRE or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Applying for a PhD

When applying for a PhD, your resume should focus more on your research background—you should especially emphasize any publications you’ve authored or presentations that you’ve given.

Similarly, your statement of purpose should discuss research that you’ve participated in, whether as an assistant or the lead author. You should detail what exactly you did in projects you’ve contributed to, whether that’s conducting a literature review, coding regressions, or writing an entire article.

Your letters of recommendations should be from former professors or supervisors who can speak to your abilities and potential as a researcher. A good rule of thumb is to avoid asking for recommendations from anyone who does not themselves have a PhD.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

This depends on the country. In the United States, you can generally go directly to a PhD  with only a bachelor’s degree, as a master’s program is included as part of the doctoral program.

Elsewhere, you generally need to graduate from a research-intensive master’s degree before continuing to the PhD.

This varies by country. In the United States, PhDs usually take between 5–7 years: 2 years of coursework followed by 3–5 years of independent research work to produce a dissertation.

In the rest of the world, students normally have a master’s degree before beginning the PhD, so they proceed directly to the research stage and complete a PhD in 3–5 years.

A master’s degree usually has a higher upfront cost, but it also allows you to start earning a higher salary more quickly. The exact cost depends on the country and the school: private universities usually cost more than public ones, and European degrees usually cost less than North American ones. There are limited possibilities for financial aid.

PhDs often waive tuition fees and offer a living stipend in exchange for a teaching or research assistantship. However, they take many years to complete, during which time you earn very little.

In the US, the graduate school application process is similar whether you’re applying for a master’s or a PhD . Both require letters of recommendation , a statement of purpose or personal statement , a resume or CV , and transcripts. Programs in the US and Canada usually also require a certain type of standardized test—often the GRE.

Outside the US, PhD programs usually also require applicants to write a research proposal , because students are expected to begin dissertation research in the first year of their PhD.

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• What are the foundations of a good PhD?
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• http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9104-1999 Alison Rodriguez 1 ,
• Joanna Smith 2 ,
• http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4308-4219 David Barrett 3
• 1 School of Health Care , University of Leeds , Leeds , UK
• 2 School of Healthcare , Lecturer in Children’s Nursing , Leeds , West Yorkshire , UK
• 3 Faculty of Health Sciences , University of Hull , Hull , UK
• Correspondence to Dr Alison Rodriguez, Health Care, University of Leeds School of Healthcare, Leeds, Leeds, UK; a.m.rodriguez{at}leeds.ac.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebnurs-2020-103353

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• statistics & research methods

A PhD is a globally recognised postgraduate degree and typically the highest degree programme awarded by a University, with students usually required to expand the boundaries of knowledge by undertaking original research. The purpose of PhD programmes of study is to nurture, support and facilitate doctoral students to undertake independent research to expected academic and research standards, culminating in a substantial thesis and examined by viva voce. In this paper—the first of two linked Research Made Simple articles—we explore what the foundations of a high-quality PhD are, and how a Doctoral candidate can develop a study which is successful, original and impactful.

Foundations of a ‘good’ PhD study

Supervision and support.

Central to the development and completion of a good PhD is the supervisory relationship between the student and supervisor. The supervisor guides the student by directing them to resources and training to ensure continuous learning, provides opportunity to engage with experts in the field, and facilitates the development of critical thinking through questioning and providing constructive criticism. 1

An environment that promotes personal and professional development is further aided by positive peer interactions. If students feel part of a community and have contact with others also working on doctoral studies, there is the scope for peer compassion and understanding during both challenging and rewarding periods. Students who access personal and professional support and guidance through mentoring models during their studies are more likely to succeed. These models include one-to-one peer mentoring or activities for example journal discussion or methods learning groups. Often, groups of students naturally come together and give each other support and advice about research process expectations and challenges, and offer friendship, and guidance. 2 Given the usefulness of different types of mentoring models, all can create a supportive and collaborative environment within a PhD programme of study, to minimise working in isolation and enable students to achieve their greatest potential.

Characteristics of a good study: originality and theoretical underpinning

A PhD should make an original contribution to knowledge. Originality can be achieved through the study design, the nature or outcomes of the knowledge synthesis, or the implications for research and/or practice. 3 Disciplinary variation, however, influences the assessment of originality. For example, originality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects is often inferred if the work is published/publishable, in comparison to intellectual originality in the social sciences. 4 Although PhD originality assumes different nuances in different contexts, there is a general acceptance across disciplines that there should be evidence of the following within the thesis:

An interplay between old and new—any claims of originality are developed from existing knowledge and practices.

There are degrees of originality, relating to more than one aspect of the thesis.

Any claims for originality are accompanied by clear articulation of significance.

A good PhD should be also underpinned by theoretical and/or conceptual frameworks (that include philosophical and methodological models) that give clarity to the approach, structure and vision of the study. 5 These theoretical and conceptual frameworks can explain why the study is pertinent and how the research addresses gaps in the literature. 6 Table 1 provides a distinction of what construes theoretical and conceptual frameworks.

• View inline

Characteristics of theoretical and conceptual frameworks 7

Theoretical/conceptual frameworks must align with the research question/aims, and the student must be able to articulate how conceptual/theoretical framework were chosen. Key points for consideration include:

Are the research questions/aim and objectives well defined?

What theory/theories/concepts are being operationalised?

How are the theories/concepts related?

Are the ontological and epistemological perspectives clearly conveyed and how do they relate to theories and concepts outlined?

What are the potential benefits and limitations of the theories and concepts outlined?

Are the ways the theories/concepts are outlined and being used original?

A PhD thesis (and demonstrable in viva) must be able to offer cohesion between the choice of research methods that stems from the conceptual/theoretical framework, the related ontological and epistemological decisions, the theoretical perspective and the chosen methodology ( table 2 ). PhD students must be able to articulate the methodological decisions made and be critical of methods employed to answer their research questions.

Relationship between research paradigms, perspectives, methodologies and methods. 8 9

In summary, we offer considerations of what the foundations of a good PhD should be. We have considered some of the key ingredients of quality PhD supervision, support and research processes and explored how these will contribute to the development of a study that leads to student success and which makes a valuable contribution to the evidence base. In the next paper, we will look in more detail at the assessment of the PhD through the submission of a thesis and an oral viva.

• Dimitrova R
• Pancheri K ,
• Fowler DL ,
• Wiggs CM , et al
• Wellington J
• Osanloo A ,
• Bunniss S ,

Twitter @ARodriguez339, @josmith175, @barrett1972

Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests None declared.

Patient consent for publication Not required.

Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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How much research experience or publications are required to get into a good PhD program in USA

I am an international student(south Asia) who has recently completed his 4th semester in CS.

My current CGPA is 3.2 (social science courses in my freshmen year messed it up) and Major GPA of 3.6. I am expecting my CGPA to be around 3.5 by the time I graduate.

I do not have any research experience and I am worried that I might not get into any good program.

My question is that How much research experience or publications are required to get into a good PhD program in US? or that How much experience does an average accepted candidate has? Phrased in a different way:

What kind of experience should I aim to get by the time I apply to grad school that I get accepted into a good program.

I am not talking Stanford, MIT etc but may be among the top 30-40.

• graduate-admissions
• research-undergraduate

• 1 I don't know about CS, but I had 0 publications, a masters thesis and a 3.05 undergraduate GPA and got into a top 20 Earth Science school. –  Neo Commented Jul 5, 2014 at 3:08
• 2 The simplest response, which you'll find unsatisfying, is that you really need to do some research, not just to "get in" to graduate school but to find out if you enjoy science. If you do end up applying after deciding you like CS research, it's most critical that you be able to convey to an interviewer a deep understanding of the project you worked on, whether or not you got any publications out of the experience. –  vector07 Commented Jul 5, 2014 at 5:46

2 Answers 2

I think you should focus more on the quality and focus of your research than the amount. If you are researching a concrete topic, and have 1-2 solid works dealing with it, then you are golden. Make sure you explain the value of these works in your research statement/essay. That would be more or just as important as the resume, because it is an expression of you as an individual.

Other people will tell to go down the bullshit path and sprout several pieces that milk the same research but add little to the field. Some schools will buy that, but others will not differentiate you from the rest of students. You can also try this approach, but it may be even more time-consuming than the first.

Reading your question again, it is better that you engage in research before applying. Perhaps you can contact a professor and work with him, or a PhD student at your university, or find a research institute in which you can put in some time.

I am relatively familiar with this for domestic (US) students, but less familiar with the requirements for international students. I'll assume the requirements are the same....

Have you done any research at all, even for a big class project or something on your own? If so, mention these. The admissions committee that reviews your application will want to know that you're interested in doing research and that you know what you're getting yourself in to.

If you have a couple years left before you graduate, I would try hard to get a research experience before you apply, even if you have to volunteer (work for free) for a semester. If I had to make a guess, I'd guess that most programs would want to see that you have done at least one or two research experiences, if only so that they know that you know what research is.

Formal research experiences (summer research internships, for example) and publishing a paper or two are great, but they're not the only criteria.

First, it depends on how competitive the program you are applying to is. More research experience may be needed to help you stand out enough to be accepted. Publications are always great, but research experience (which may not have resulted in a publication) is still well-regarded.

Another factor grad programs consider is how focused you are, and if you have an existing connection with a research group in that program. For example, you may have previously collaborated with a professor in their program, and he/she is familiar with your work. If you show a genuine interest in working with him/her, it will reflect well on you, and who knows -- he/she may be able to help your application get accepted. If you just want to get accepted into their program, but it looks like you have no direction or research interests after that, the committee reviewing your application will look less favorably on you.

Lastly, when you apply, you should apply for a spread of schools. Apply to 1-2 competitive programs which, if they accepted you, would make you feel lucky because you weren't sure you qualified. You should apply to several programs that you think might accept you. Lastly, apply to a few programs which you are certain you would be accepted to, just in case you aren't accepted to any of the others.

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10 things you need to know before starting a PhD degree

So you want to do a PhD degree, huh? Here we've got everything you need to know about getting started.

So you want to do a PhD degree, huh? Are you sure about that? It’s not going to be an easy decision, so I’ve put together a list of 10 things you need to know before starting a PhD degree. Oh, and don’t panic!

I have recently graduated from the University of Manchester with a PhD in Plant Sciences after four difficult, but enjoyable, years. During those four years, I often felt slightly lost – and there was more than one occasion on which I didn’t even want to imagine writing up my thesis in fear of delving into fits of panic.

On reflection, I realise that – to quote a colleague – commencing my PhD was like “jumping in the deep end with your eyes closed.” If only I’d known to take a deep breath.

1. Are you sure you want to do a PhD degree?

Let’s be under no false impressions, completing a PhD isn’t easy. There will be times when you feel like Wile E Coyote chasing after the Roadrunner – a little bit out of your depth a lot of the time. It’s four years of your life, so make sure it is what you really want to do.

If you want to pursue a career in science, a PhD isn’t always necessary.

It is possible to make great inroads into industry without a doctoral degree. That said, a PhD can also be a very useful qualification with many transferable skills to add to your CV.

By the time you’ll have finished, you can include essentials such as time management, organisational skills, prioritising workloads, attention to detail, writing skills, presenting to an audience – and most importantly – resilience, to name but a few.

2. Choose your project, and supervisor, wisely.

This is  very  important.

Time after time, our experienced scientists at EI, including Erik Van-Den-Bergh (and I agree) say, “ make sure you’re extremely passionate about exactly that subject. ” When I saw the PhD opening that I eventually was offered, I remember being demonstrably ecstatic about the project before I’d even started it.

I was always interested in calcium signalling and organised a meeting with my potential supervisor immediately, which (to quote Billy Connolly) I leapt into in a mood of gay abandon.

Not only does this help you to keep engaged with your project even through the painstakingly slow times, it also greatly enhances your ability to sell yourself in an interview. If you can show passion and enthusiasm about the project and the science then you’ll be that one step ahead of other candidates – which is all the more important now that many studentships are competitive.

You have to  be the best  out of many, often exceptional candidates.

However, as important as it is to be passionate about your project, make sure that the person who will be supervising you is worthy.

Does your potential supervisor have a prolific track record of publishing work? What is the community of scientists like in the lab you may be working in? Are there experienced post-doctoral scientists working in the lab? Who will your advisor be? Is your supervisor an expert in the field you are interested in? Is the work you will be doing ground-breaking and novel, or is it quite niche?

There is nothing more frustrating – and I know many PhD degree students with this problem – than having a supervisor who is rarely there to talk to, shows little interest in your work, and cannot help when you are struggling in the third year of your project and some guidance would be much appreciated.

Personally, and I was very lucky to have this, I think it’s incredibly useful to have two supervisors. My PhD degree was split between the University of Manchester and the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth. Between my supervisors, I had two people with expertise in different fields, who could give me some fantastic advice from different perspectives. This also meant that I had two people to check through my thesis chapters and provide useful comments on my drafts.

Make sure you are passionate about your subject before taking it to PhD level. And by passionate I mean  really  passionate.

For a start, you will most likely have to write a literature review in your first three months, which if done well will form the main bulk of your thesis introduction and will save you a lot of stress and strain when it comes to writing up.

At the end of your first year, you will have to write a continuation report, which is your proof that you deserve to carry on to the end of your three or four years. This doesn’t leave much time for lab work, which means time management is incredibly important. If you think you’ll be able to swan in at 11 and leave at 3, think again.

Fundamentally, never, ever rest on your laurels! As tempting as it may be to slack-off slightly in the second year of your four year PhD, don’t.

4. Be organised.

This is a no-brainer but still, it’s worth a mention. Take an hour on a Monday morning to come up with a list of short-term and long-term goals. You’ll probably have to present your work at regular lab meetings, so it’s always worth knowing what has to be done (lest you look a pillock in front of the lab when there’s nothing to show for your last two weeks.)

It’s always good to have a timeline of what will be done when. If you have a PCR, maybe you can squeeze in another experiment, read a few papers, start writing the introduction to your thesis, or even start collecting the data you already have into figures.

The more good use you make of your time, the easier it’ll be to finish your PhD in the long run. Plus, it’s lovely to sit back and look at actual graphs, rather than worry about having enough to put into a paper. Once you’ve typed up your data, you’ll realise you’ve done far more than you had anticipated and the next step forward will be entirely more apparent.

5. Embrace change – don’t get bogged down in the details.

Felix Shaw – one of our bioinformatics researchers at EI – put it best when he said, “ it felt like I was running into brick walls all the way through [my PhD]… you’d run into a brick wall, surmount it, only to run straight into another. ”

You’ll find that, often, experiments don’t work. What might seem like a great idea could turn out to be as bad as choosing to bat first on a fresh wicket on the first day of the third Ashes test at Edgbaston. (Yeah, we don't know what that means either - Ed).

Resilience is key while completing your PhD. Be open to change and embrace the chance to experiment in different ways. You might even end up with a thesis chapter including all of your failures, which at the very least is something interesting to discuss during your  viva voce .

6. Learn how to build, and use, your network.

As a PhD student, you are a complete novice in the world of science and most things in the lab will be – if not new to you – not exquisitely familiar. This matters not, if you take advantage of the people around you.

Firstly, there are lab technicians and research assistants, who have probably been using the technique you are learning for years and years. They are incredibly experienced at a number of techniques and are often very happy to help show you how things are done.

There are postdocs and other PhD students, too. Not only can they help you with day-to-day experiments, they can offer a unique perspective on how something is done and will probably have a handy back-catalogue of fancy new techniques to try.

There are also a bunch of PIs, not limited to your own, who are great to talk to. These people run labs of their own, have different ideas, and might even give you a job once you’ve completed your PhD.

Don’t limit yourself to the labs directly around you, however. There are a massive number of science conferences going on all around the world. Some of them, such as the Society of Biology Conference, take place every year at a similar time in different locations, attracting many of the leaders in their respective fields.

If you are terrified by the prospect of speaking at a full-blown science conference and having your work questioned by genuine skeptics, there are also many student-led conferences which will help you dangle your fresh toes in the murky waters of presenting your work.

One such conference, the Second Student Bioinformatics Symposium, which took place at Earlham Institute in October 2016, was a great place for candidates to share their projects with peers, who are often much more friendly than veteran researchers with 30 year careers to their name when it comes to the questions at the end of your talk.

Another great reason to attend conferences, of course, is the social-side too – make the most of this. You never know who you might meet and connect with over a few drinks once the talks are over and the party commences.

7. Keep your options open.

You should be aware that for every 200 PhD students,  only 7  will get a permanent academic post , so it’s  incredibly unlikely that you’ll become a Professor  – and even if you make PI, it probably won’t be until your mid-forties.

You may also, despite having commenced along the academic path, decide that actually, working in a lab environment isn’t for you. Most PhD graduates, eventually, will not pursue an academic career, but move on to a wide range of other vocations.

It might be that Science Communication is more up your street. This was certainly the case for me – and I made sure that I took part in as many public engagement events as possible while completing my PhD. Most Universities have an active public engagement profile, while organisations such as STEM can provide you with ample opportunities to interact with schools and the general public.

You might also consider entrepreneurship as a route away from academia, which might still allow you to use your expert scientific knowledge. There are a variety of competitions and workshops available to those with a business mind, a strong example being Biotechnology YES.

I, for example, took part in the Thought for Food Challenge, through which I have been able to attend events around the world and meet a vast array of like-minded individuals. Many of the participants from the challenge have gone on to set up successful businesses and have even found jobs as a result of the competition.

8. Balance.

Remember that you still have a life outside of your PhD degree – and that this can be one of the greatest opportunities to make amazing friends from around the world.

A science institute is usually home to the brightest students from a variety of countries and can provide a chance to experience a delightful range of different people and cultures. Don’t just stick to the people in your lab, go to events for postgraduate students and meet people from all over campus.

There are usually academic happy hours happening on Fridays after work where you can buy cheap beer, or some lucky institutions even have their own bar. At Norwich Research Park, we not only have the Rec Centre, along with bar, swimming pool, calcetto, samba classes, archery, and a range of other activities, but there are also biweekly “Postdoc pub clubs” which are very fun to join on a Tuesday evening.

Maintain your hobbies and keep up with friends outside of your PhD and you’ll probably find it’s not that gruelling a process after all.

Plus, the people you meet and become friends with might be able to help you out – or at least be able to offer a sympathetic shoulder.

9. Practical advice.

If, after reading all of this, you’re still going to march forth and claim your doctorhood, then this section should be rather useful.

Firstly, make sure your data is backed up. It’s amazing how many people don’t do this and you’d be bonkers not to. Keep your work saved on a shared drive, so that if your computer decides to spontaneously combust upon pressing the return key, you won’t have lost all of your precious work – or have to go through every one of your lab books and type it all up again.

Secondly, don’t leave your bag in the pub with your half-written thesis in it. I did this, the bag was fine, I was in a state of terror for at least half an hour before the kind person at Weatherspoons located said bag.

Thirdly, read. Read broadly, read anything and everything that’s closely related to your project – or completely unrelated. It’s sometimes amazing where you might find a stroke of inspiration, a new technique you hadn’t thought of … or even in idea of where you might like to go next.

Finally, ask questions – all of the time. No matter how stupid it might sound in your head, everyone’s probably been asked it before, and if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

You’ll probably look far less stupid if you just ask the person standing next to you how the gradient PCR function works on your thermal cycler rather than standing there randomly prodding buttons and looking flustered, anyway.

10. Savour the positives.

At the end of all of this, it has to be said that doing a PhD is absolutely brilliant. There’s no other time in your life that you’ll be this free to pursue your very own project and work almost completely independently. By the time you come to the end of your PhD, you will be the leading expert in the world on something. A real expert! Until the next PhD student comes along …

Related reading.

A PhD, is it worth it? Just ask our students

The realities of doing a PhD

My advice for PhD students? See what bites

COVID and my PhD: to lockdown and back

How does a PhD work and how to find the right one

Building the confidence to take on a PhD

PhD life, 10 things we learned in our first six months

What’s the third year of a PhD like? Tips for navigating your PhD

PhD by experience

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What are important skills for PhD students ( or candidates) to facilitate their success in research?

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• To undertake doctoral studies one must be s elf-directed, motivated, and highly disciplined.
• All Ph.D. degree and D.Ed. degree recipients in the College of Education should be able to:
• 1. pose a research question/problem.
• 2. examine the range of available modes of inquiry.
• 3. identify the appropriate research mode (s) and procedure(s ) complementary to the research question/problem.
• 4. define a sample/population.
• 5. identify a data collection strategy (or strategies).
• 6. analyze and interpret data.
• 7. draw conclusions from the data.
• 8. write research reports.
• https://ed.psu.edu/lps/ldt/forms/doctoral-research-skills

• Passion - keen in the research area & motivation to complete the study. 
• Perseverance - persistency while still facing numerous failed research attempts.
• Diligence - hard working & willingness to sacrifice.
• Curiosity - mindset that think outside the box & think opposite the norms etc.
• Integrity - complying to research ethics.

• Someone who is intelligent enough. (smart, but certainly does not need to be a 'genius').
• They need to be both intellectually curious, and creative (particularly because of the need to make a knowledge contribution).
• Essential to have/develop excellent (written and spoken) communication skills.
• They need 'drive' (as they will have to make sacrifices), as well as (intrinsic) self-motivation, and to be disciplined and productive. To re-emphasise , they should have perseverance, tenacity, and resilience.
• Are able to work by themselves autonomously.

• Work closely with your seniors and learn their experiances
• Read, read, read
• Never afraid to made mistake and learn out of your mistakes while doing research
• Ask your self always why?how? when? where?
• Participate in scientific forums, occasions, events
• Be SMART thinker, sharp implimenter
• Never and ever give up while trialing /experimentation/ till the end

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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Real-World AI Use

Join researchers from RTI International for an insightful webinar exploring the transformative impact of AI in healthcare, informatics, and the research community. We'll kick off with a brief overview of AI's role in the sector, highlighting its integration with Clinical Decision Support (CDS) systems, applying AI in Large-scale EHR Data Repositories, and how LLMs are more than just Gen AI. Following this, we'll delve into two practical application examples, showcasing AI's real-world benefits. The session will conclude with an examination of AI governance, ensuring ethical and effective implementation, and an engaging Q&A segment. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from experts and gain valuable insights into the future of AI in healthcare.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the Responsible Use of AI in Healthcare through Real-world AI Applications
• Explore Applications of AI in Large-scale EHR Data Repositories
• Discover the Capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) for Novel Approaches to Text Analysis

By the end of this webinar, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of AI's current and potential future roles in healthcare, practical insights from real-world applications, and knowledge of the governance frameworks essential for ethical AI implementation.

Laura Marcial, PhD, FAMIA

Laura Marcial is a Health Informaticist who has been working with AMIA for ~21 years. Laura is the Senior Director for the Center for Informatics at RTI International. The center has ~50 staff and includes researchers in Bioinformatics, Environmental informatics, and Health informatics.

Jamie Pina , PhD, MSPH

Jamie Pina is a public health informatician with 20 years of experience in the development, implementation, and evaluation of information systems to support public health practice and research. Jamie is the Scientific Director of Public Health Technology at RTI International.

Daniel Brannock, M.S.

Daniel Brannock is a research data scientist in the Center for Data Science and AI at RTI International, which uses modern data science techniques to progress RTI’s mission to improve the human condition. He has experience leveraging machine learning, Bayesian modeling, clustering, optimization, forecasting, and simulation across a broad array of industries and applications. His research focus is in applying data science in health care data and applications.

Emily Hadley, M.S.

Emily Hadley is a research data scientist at RTI International focusing specifically on responsible AI. In her work, Emily collaborates with subject matter experts to solve complex problems in health, education, and criminal justice using AI, data science, and statistical approaches. Emily’s main research interests are exploring technical and policy approaches to addressing bias, equity, and ethics in data science and AI. Emily leads RTI’s contributions to the NIST AI Safety Institute Consortium. She has presented at numerous conferences, including IEEE Big Data; ACM Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT); and the Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM). She has several data science publications and has been quoted about data science research in Scientific American and the New York Times. Emily holds a BS in Statistical Sciences with a second major in Public Policy from Duke University and a MS in Analytics from North Carolina State University.

Dates and Times: Sep 18, 2024 | 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT Type: Webinar Course Format(s): Live Virtual Price: Free Register now Share

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Research Has a Role for Every Oncology Nurse

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If you’re interested in identifying best practices and finding new and better ways to support patient care, scientific study and clinical research need nurses to serve in a variety of roles, including PhDs, DNPs, nurse researchers, and direct-care clinical nurses. In fact, all nursing roles contribute to the research cycle, speakers said during a 2024 ONS Congress ® session about the integration of and collaboration between nursing researcher roles.

“All types of scholarly work are interdependent and interconnected,” Kristen Fessele, PhD, RN, AOCN ® , a nurse scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York, NY, said. The process of taking research studies and analyzing data to the point of actual implementation in clinical care is complex and can take years. “It’s too much for one person to do alone, so we need different kinds of training that emphasize our skill sets so we can get all of this to our patients,” Fessele said.

Nursing Roles in Research

Research has a variety of roles for nurses for a reason: Each has a specific purpose. Nurse researchers, usually PhD prepared, focus on the generation and dissemination of knowledge, DNP-prepared nurses emphasize the application of research to clinical practice, and clinical nurses implement the new practices in direct patient care, observe side effects, identify challenges or obstacles, and provide insights and data back to nurse researchers to inform future studies.

Uniting those roles around a clinical topic is essential to solving clinical problems together, Fessele said. “It’s not until we implement the evidence in our different clinical practice, policies, procedures, workflows, clinical settings, and patient groups that we start to improve outcomes.”

That third factor is critical: Nurses are key to helping researchers understand how an innovative approach or technique works for different populations. “Especially as we start to look at scholarly work through a health equity lens, this becomes even more important,” Fessele said. “We need to ask, is it working for everyone? Is every clinician following the practice that we think is the best, and are they evolving as new evidence comes along? We need evidence and we need implementation, or we’re not going to improve the clinical problem.”

Although most research is “very regimented,” Fessele said, it will not change practice or contribute to new standards of care until the findings are implemented in direct care. And that’s where the DNP role comes into play.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)  approved the first DNP program in October 2004. DNP education prepares “nurse leaders at the highest level of nursing practice to improve patient outcomes and translate research into practice,” AACN said.

Cheryl Le Huquet, DNP, MSN, RN, NE-BC, project manager of hospital operations at  UCLA  Health in Los Angeles, CA, and James Simmons, DNP, AG/ACNP, acute care nurse practitioner and founder of Ask the NP and Simmons Medical, were in the first DNP cohort at UCLA. Le Huquet said that she and Simmons have been working on socializing DNPs and PhDs since 2020. 

“This is not a one-and-done situation,” she explained. “Personal relationships are required to build trust and are foundational to the working relationships.”

Why DNPs Should Consider Research

Le Huquet described herself as very process-oriented, so when she was initially finding her place in research, she knew it would be in application. “I don't need to generate more research. I need to apply what’s already out there,” she said.

Simmons’ pathway was similar: He recognized that his area of interest already had established evidence and models, but he wanted to find a new way to apply them. 

“I knew I wanted to implement the science, see with my own eyes if it worked in a community that I care about, and then give that information back to the researchers because that information was missing. So once I figured this out, the check for DNP was pretty easy,” Simmons said.

The  distinction between PhD and DNP roles in research can be vague, and collaboration can be challenging across roles and settings. However, working together can improve the research process, facilitate faster implementation and improvement, and identify additional projects to improve patient care. 

PhDs and DNPs Team Up to Conduct Better Clinical Cancer Research

As DNPs, Le Huquet and Simmons needed to collaborate with PhD researchers to accomplish their goals. In 2020, they convened a meeting of nurses interested in research at UCLA. Simmons said they had a vision that “building a collaborative scholarly PhD–DNP community will advance nursing science and improve patient outcomes.” 

Based on the concept of speed dating, the UCLA program participants come to each meeting prepared to pitch their areas of clinical interest to someone else. Simmons described the meetings as a “DNP–PhD immersive experience” and “where nurse scientists meet practice change.” 

Simmons said the original goal was to start small and use experiential learning to grow the program. However, the community was so excited about the program that it expanded organically. Word spread and the concept grew, and now participants meet virtually once a month, with in-person meetings once per quarter. The program has also evolved to allow participants to share their elevator pitch by video to distribute within or beyond the group for ideas, resources, or other support.

One topic that the group has addressed is the difference between what PhDs and DNPs do. “It was a really lovely opportunity to have some folks understand these career paths—not in a formal but in a really casual environment,” Simmons said. “The value of that has been the different perspectives that people can bring.” He said that many participant connections have led to exciting collaborations, and he is currently creating a website to expand the program and connect PhDs and DNPs around the world to talk about their interests and projects. 

Fessele implemented a similar meeting concept at MSKCC, which is called a “monthly mingle.” She said the meetings bring together the “doctorally prepared and the doctorally curious,” with about 160 people invited to the Interprofessional and Doctorally Educated Allied Scholars (IDEAS) meeting. IDEAS features speakers, networking, and ideas sharing, and Fessele said that the meetings have led nurses to create more formal collaborations around common interests.

Another benefit of research partnerships is potentially shrinking the timeline from analysis to implementation, and Fessele said that she is now prioritizing implementation science through DNP collaborations on the research team. She said that DNPs and other implementation specialists help to test interventions, plan how to launch the results, speed up timelines, and identify direct care obstacles or barriers before launch.

Initial Findings From ONS’s PhD–DNP Think Tank

ONS is leading national work to expand collaboration among nursing research roles. In April 2024, the Society convened a PhD–DNP think tank at ONS Congress that brought together 30 PhD and DNP nurses to discuss collaboration opportunities and obstacles and develop an action plan to leverage both roles. The group is currently analyzing insights from the conversations and plans to publish the findings. 

According to the participants, barriers to collaboration between PhDs and DNPs include funding, role confusion, lack of organizational support and infrastructure, time limitations, and competition for positions. The benefits, participants said, include improved patient outcomes, efficiencies, more pragmatic and clinically relevant studies, promotion of the profession, faster translation of research to practice, and more diverse skill sets. 

Do You Want to Get Involved in Nursing Research?

ONS develops research priorities designed to advance patient care, scientific inquiry, clinical applications, and the field of oncology nursing (see sidebar). They can serve as a starting point for nurses interested in developing research projects.

However, some aspects of nursing research apply to all roles. In fact, getting involved in nursing research doesn’t necessarily mean obtaining an advanced degree. “All nurses participate in evidence-based practice (EBP),” Le Huquet said. “By documenting their care in the electronic health record, each nurse is contributing to the data collection required as a baseline for EBP projects or as data for a nursing study.”

For those interested in becoming more involved in nursing research, Le Huquet provided these tips:

• Learn how to collect and present data.
• Read the literature and understand the methods and analysis, not just the results.
• Understand your organization’s goals so you can move your system forward.
• Work with a leader (often a DNP) to build the business case to support the change in your institution. 
• Build relationships with PhD- and DNP-prepared nurses. “This is an underrecognized skill in nursing but essential in the business world,” she said. “Health care is a business.”

Simmons added, “Find your passion! Nurses can leave a lasting legacy on the healthcare issues they care most about through a focus on generating new knowledge or on using the principles of implementation science to apply best practices from the literature. 

“Imagine doing what you love every single day—while changing the world? It’s entirely possible in nursing science!”

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Topics: Community Engagement , Five Questions

How to Make Research More Relevant to All

Five questions with courtney beard on engaging communities in research..

Courtney Beard , PhD, faced a problem familiar to many Harvard Medical School researchers: How to diversify your research studies to make them more applicable to the general population.

In Beard’s case, she was planning a study in the general population to evaluate a mental health app she developed as a cognitive-behavioral tool for so-called interpretation bias, which studies suggest is an important factor in anxiety and depression. The app was first tested at McLean Hospital, which serves a mostly white, well-educated population. She wanted to make sure her app also worked well for people historically under-represented in research studies, including people who identify as Black, Hispanic, and Latinx.

Serendipitously, Beard learned from a colleague about the study review service offered by the Community Coalition for Equity in Research , and immediately signed up. She filled out a two-page equity-focused template describing her study and made a 10-minute video outlining her research interests. Shortly thereafter, she found herself video-conferencing with a panel of community-embedded experts who provided individualized advice and guidance on how to make her study more equitable.

Beard, a clinical psychologist with expertise in anxiety disorders and cognitive behavior therapy, is associate professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and director of the Cognition and Affect Research and Education (CARE) Laboratory at McLean Hospital.

The app you’ve developed, HabitWorks, supports new ways of thinking for people facing mental health problems. How does this fit into the CARE lab?

Much of our work involves identifying mechanisms that keep people anxious or depressed, such as mental habits, and then developing treatments to target those very specific mental habits. Habit Works is a perfect example of that. It focuses on how people interpret the countless ambiguous situations they face throughout the day. We know that interpretation bias plays a big role in how people feel in the moment, and it impacts what they do, especially if they’re feeling anxious.

HabitWorks has been developed and tested over a number of years in people who have lived experience with these conditions. The aim is to help people become more aware of how they’re interpreting situations and consider opening to alternative interpretations. Perhaps they become a little more flexible in their thinking, or at least start to pause when they notice themselves jumping to a particular type of conclusion.

Your second HabitWorks study plan was reviewed by the Community Coalition for Equity in Research in September of 2022. Did your approach change at all as a result of the review?

Yes, it changed substantially. We originally planned to jump right into a pilot study to test our app in a general population and recruit a few hundred people. As a result of the review, we decided to take a step back and do a much smaller study specifically with people who identify as Black, Hispanic, or Latinx. We wanted to understand how they were experiencing the intervention and make sure it was acceptable to them before testing it more broadly, precisely because it had been first developed and tested in the primarily white population served by McLean. At the end of the study, we interviewed participants to clearly understand how they were using and experiencing the app.

“That warm handoff is critical. It has enabled us to be much more successful in getting people to respond to us. Otherwise, I’m just another Harvard professor wanting something from them.”

A particular concern was that the app presents day-to-day situations that are uncertain or ambiguous in some way. For people from minoritized backgrounds, those types of situations may bring up discrimination experiences or questions of identity in addition to the anxiety-related interpretations that are being targeted for reframing. We wanted to be sure the app wasn’t bringing up thoughts about discrimination, causing stress, or creating a perception that we were asking people to reappraise certain types of situations, which could be invalidating and unhelpful.

With changes recommended by the Coalition, we were able to answer many of those questions in advance of the bigger study in a broader population, which we’ve now just started. We found the app itself was easily accepted. People enjoyed using it and it didn’t cause harm. That was very reassuring.

In response to the Coalition’s recommendations, we also expanded and revamped the resources we provide to people along with the app. We added more resources around finding a therapist based on various aspects related to identity, as well as information on topics such as financial supports and coping with discrimination. We now have an exhaustive resource list that we give people.

You’re also working with the new Community Ambassador Initiative on a separate research program that uses the HabitWorks app to tackle parental transference of anxiety. What does that entail?

The community ambassadors have been helping us form connections and spread the word about an NIMH-funded trial that is testing how parents’ interpretation bias might get passed down and ultimately cause anxiety in kids.

Quite a bit of data supports the idea that anxieties are passed down, and parenting behaviors might be even more important than genetics. Some data suggests that how parents interpret threat in their world leads them to engage in parenting behaviors that teach the child that the world is threatening, that maybe they can’t handle it and should avoid it. Those behaviors can keep the parent anxious as well as transfer anxiety to the children.

We’re using the HabitWorks app to manipulate parents’ interpretations and examine the downstream effects on their anxiety and their parenting behaviors related to anxiety. Then we bring in their kids and assess their own interpretations and anxiety.

What were some of the challenges you faced that the community ambassadors have been helping address?

We’re trying to enroll 300 parent-child dyads and would like at least 30% of those to be parents of color, mostly focusing on Black, Hispanic, and Latinx families. We also want fathers to represent 30% of our cohort because they have been largely ignored in this literature so far.

“Everyone’s hopefully realizing that if we want our research to have an impact, community-engaged research is something everyone should be trained in and conducting.”

We’ve been partnering with different organizations in the Springfield area in Western Massachusetts. We’re still early in the process, but we hope to expand the reach of our study beyond the populations of Boston and its affluent suburbs. The goal is to have a representative sample from which we can draw meaningful conclusions for all groups of people.

The people we’re working with are deeply embedded in their communities. They’re very well connected across many different community-based organizations and have helped us identify which might be a good fit for our outreach. When I reach out to these organizations, I can say I’m working with someone they already know.

That warm handoff is critical. It has enabled us to be much more successful in getting people to respond to us. Otherwise, I’m just another Harvard professor wanting something from them. That’s not a good way to start.

Community-engaged research has become such a buzzword. What does it mean to you and what do you think it means to other researchers?

It’s something I wish I had learned about when I was in graduate school. A subset of people have been doing this type of research for a long time, but it was not necessarily viewed as relevant to all researchers. I think that is changing now. Everyone’s hopefully realizing that if we want our research to have an impact, community-engaged research is something everyone should be trained in and conducting.

In my work developing treatments for depression and anxiety, I’ve always included the perspectives of people with lived experience. A patient advisory board helped us develop the app, and we’ve asked people about their experiences. But our community engagement had always been specific to the clinic I was partnering with, whether at McLean or primary care clinics. Working with the Coalition has helped me go even further.

I’m eager to get to know these communities, to learn more from them, and to have them inform our future studies. So far, what we research has always been led by my team and me. I’m eager to realize the next phase of this process, to really listen to what research the community thinks is important to conduct.

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Raygun becomes viral sensation during breaking performance at 2024 Paris Olympics: Social media reacts

Breaking , more commonly known as breakdancing, made its debut as an Olympic sport this week at the 2024 Paris Games , with 17 B-girls and 16 B-boys making their way to France with the hopes of securing a gold medal.

On the first day of competition, viewers from across the world were treated to a different kind of introduction — not to the sport itself, but one of its athletes.

Though she was a long way from winning a gold medal, likely no breaker Friday captured the imagination of the international audience more than Rachael Gunn, an Australian breaker who competes under the name “Raygun.”

REQUIRED READING: Follow USA TODAY's coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics

Raygun went 0-3 in her head-to-head competitions Friday — falling to Logistx of the United States, Syssy of France and eventual silver medalist Nicka of Lithuania by a combined score of 54-0 — and failed to record a point across those three matches, but for what she lacked in smoothly executed moves, she made up for in the hearts she won over with her demeanor.

Raygun’s short-lived Olympic experience made her a celebrity, one who people became even more enamored with once they learned more about her.

The 36-year-old Gunn, who was one of the oldest qualifiers in the breaking competition, has a PhD in cultural studies and is a college professor at Macquarie University in Sydney. Her research focuses primarily on breaking, street dance and hip-hop culture while her work draws on “cultural theory, dance studies, popular music studies, media, and ethnography.”

“In 2023, many of my students didn’t believe me when I told them I was training to qualify for the Olympics, and were shocked when they checked Google and saw that I qualified,” Gunn said to CNBC earlier this month .

Unlike much of her competition in Paris, Gunn took up break dancing later in life. She didn’t enter her first battle until 2012.

On Friday, a person who began the day as a little-known academic ended it as a viral worldwide sensation.

Here’s a sampling of the reaction to Raygun and her performance:

2024 PARIS OLYMPICS: Meet the members of Team USA competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Social media reacts to Raygun’s breaking performance at 2024 Paris Olympics

I could live all my life and never come up with anything as funny as Raygun, the 36-year-old Australian Olympic breakdancer pic.twitter.com/1uPYBxIlh8 — mariah (@mariahkreutter) August 9, 2024

Give Raygun the gold right now #breakdancing pic.twitter.com/bMtAWEh3xo — n★ (@nichstarr) August 9, 2024

my five year old niece after she says “watch this!” : pic.twitter.com/KBAMSkgltj — alex (@alex_abads) August 9, 2024

I'd like to personally thank Raygun for making millions of people worldwide think "huh, maybe I can make the Olympics too" pic.twitter.com/p5QlUbkL2w — Bradford Pearson (@BradfordPearson) August 9, 2024

The Aussie B-Girl Raygun dressed as a school PE teach complete with cap while everyone else is dressed in funky breaking outfits has sent me. It looks like she’s giving her detention for inappropriate dress at school 🤣 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/lWVU3myu6C — Georgie Heath🎙️ (@GeorgieHeath27) August 9, 2024

There has not been an Olympic performance this dominant since Usain Bolt’s 100m sprint at Beijing in 2008. Honestly, the moment Raygun broke out her Kangaroo move this competition was over! Give her the #breakdancing gold 🥇 pic.twitter.com/6q8qAft1BX — Trapper Haskins (@TrapperHaskins) August 9, 2024

my dog on the lawn 30 seconds after i've finished bathing him pic.twitter.com/A5aqxIbV3H — David Mack (@davidmackau) August 9, 2024

My wife at 3AM: I think I heard one of the kids Me: No way, they are asleep *looks at baby monitor* pic.twitter.com/Ubhi6kY4w4 — Wes Blankenship (@Wes_nship) August 9, 2024

me tryna get the duvet off when i’m too hot at night #olympics pic.twitter.com/NM4Fb2MEmX — robyn (@robynjournalist) August 9, 2024

Raygun really hit them with the "Tyrannosaurus." pic.twitter.com/ZGCMjhzth9 — Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) August 9, 2024

Raygun (AUS) https://t.co/w2lxLRaW2x — Peter Nygaard (@RetepAdam) August 9, 2024

Jindan Yu Lab section navigation

Our lab team is composed of cancer biologists, scientists and trainees prepared to decipher the intricate genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that drive the progression of prostate cancer.

Principal Investigator

Jindan Yu, MD, PhD

Fray F. Marshall Chair in Biomedical Urologic Research Vice Chair for Research, Department of Urology Professor, Department of Urology and Department of Human Genetics Emory University School of Medicine

Scientific Director, Prostate and GU Cancer Research Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

View Faculty Profile | Follow on Twitter/X

Dr. Yu has trained over 40 fellows and graduate students and served on over 30 PhD thesis committees.

Hobbies: yoga, running, meditation, reading, hiking and swimming

Junior Faculty

Jonathan zhao md, ma associate professor, department of human genetics.

MD, Peking University in China, and Master's degree in computer science and mathematics, Eastern Michigan University

Hobbies: travel around the world

Contact Dr. Zhao

Xiaodong Lu, PhD Instructor, Department of Urology

PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xiamen University, Fujian, China

Contact Dr. Lu

Wanqing Xie, PhD Associate Scientist and Lab Manager

PhD in basic science of Medicine, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Liaoning, China

Hobbies: travel to island with beach, delicious food, cooking with music, laying on bed doing nothing

Contact Dr. Xie

Postdoctoral Fellows

Hongwei gao, phd postdoctoral fellow.

PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Hobbies: hiking, reading, watching, experiencing and learning

Contact Dr. Gao

Liu Peng, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University, Guang Dong, China

Hobbies: reading, traveling and cooking

Contact Liu

Hongshun Shi, MD, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow

MD, PhD in Basic Medical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, China

Hobbies: hiking, cycling and traveling

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Yuan Wang, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD in Toxicology, Jilin University, China

Hobbies: hiking, saying nothing, but sitting with blank stare and chatting with my family and friends

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Lourdes brea phd candidate.

DGP Graduate Student, Northwestern University

Hobbies: running, going out to eat at restaurants and hanging out with friends

Contact Lourdes

Viriya Keo PhD Candidate

Contact Viriya

Sambhavi Senthil Masters Student

University of Illinois, Chicago

Hobbies: painting, reading novels and trying different cuisines (not cooking)

Contact Sambhavi

Shaojun Yu PhD Candidate

CSI Graduate Student (BMI track), Emory University

Contact Shaojun

Research Technologists

Xinyue chen.

MPH, Emory University

Hobbies: playing badminton, swimming, visiting botanical gardens and baking

MBioTech, Northwestern University

Hobbies: hiking, gaming, cooking, basketball and swimming

Xiaojun Kong

BN, Wuhan City College

Hobbies: traveling, movies and music

Mingyang Liu

MSc, Illinois Institute of Technology

Hobbies: road tripping, camping, hiking, kayaking, skiing, cooking, candle making and gardening.

Xianglin Shi

Hobbies: playing video games, watching musical and movies and laying on bed for the whole day with my cat

Out of 1,600 applicants, this College of Health Solutions PhD student got to present his research at Nutrition 2024

From watching presentation year after year, fang zhou finally got to present his research.

Shu Wang (right) and Fang Zhou (left) Photo courtesy of Shu Wang

For  College of Health Solutions doctoral student  Fang Zhou , presenting an in-depth research project about nanocarrier functions as an international student at one of the nation’s premier nutritional conferences filled him with nervousness and honor.

When he got the email stating he was one of the Graduate Student Research Award Competition finalists, he immediately went to his mentor, College of Health Solutions Professor  Shu Wang , to talk to her about it.

Zhou and Wang’s research project started because of a combined interest in both nanoparticles, phytochemicals, and obesity.

After going to the past two annual conferences, Zhou wanted to be a presenter of a research project. When he got the email three weeks before the conference began, he practiced his presentation with Wang.

“I felt very nervous,” Zhou said. “I quickly went to my mentor's lab office to talk with her and get tips and advice from her years of experience. I was really nervous, but I also felt very honored that I was chosen.”

He presented his research along with five other finalists on June 29, 2024.

“Presenting felt pretty good, and I won first place in the post-presentation for the research,” Zhou said. “Something else that was really interesting is that I was the only student of the graduate student research award finalists from ASU at the conference and after I presented there were so many other professors that I got to meet from ASU and get to talk to about their research.”

After mentoring him for the past three years, Wang says that watching a student grow and succeed is always very rewarding.

One of the reasons that Wang thought Zhou was chosen to present the research project is according to her because Zhou’s work is impactful and has a high quality. Also, this research project is innovative, and both Zhou and Wang are pioneers in applying nanotechnology in the nutrition field in the US.

“To improve solubility and delivery efficacy of phytochemicals is an emerging topic, and also our work is innovative by using this technology in the nutrition field,” Wang said. “Our group is a pioneer group, and it can have a huge impact if the result is good by improving human health.”

Zhou came to ASU from his home country, China, in 2021 with a master’s degree in food science and nutritional engineering from  China Agricultural University in Beijing. He reached out to Wang, who he found through a Google search and by reading her research papers, to further his education and fulfill his passion for research.

“I emailed her and let her know I had just graduated and got my master's degree,” Zhou said. “We had a couple of interviews with each other and talked about my research interests and my future goals, and we both felt pretty good. That’s when she decided to admit me into the PhD program.”

The research Zhou presented, according to the  nutrition lab website , uses “biocompatible and biodegradable nanocarriers to enhance bioactivities of nutrients and phytochemicals for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease, obesity and Type II diabetes.”

Zhou and Wang were able to conduct this study by using the obese mouse model. Over several weeks, the mice are given a high-fat diet that makes them obese. The nanocarriers carry nutrients and phytochemicals that can be delivered into the mouse body.

The reason for this study is, according to Wang, the human body does absorb nutrients from food and supplements, but most phytochemicals/bioactive compounds from fruits, vegetables or dietary supplements cannot be absorbed well.

“I know there is an issue with these phytochemicals/bioactive compounds,” Wang said. “One issue is they have low solubility.  For example, if someone takes a big pill of resveratrol, (a phytochemical which according to an article by  healthline.com can have benefits such as possibly easing joint pain, and suppressing cancer cells) a minimal amount of that pill is soluble. If it's not soluble, it cannot be absorbed.”

Wang eventually wants this research project to branch into a new drug entirely, which according to her could take up to 10 years.

She says her main motivation for this research is that she wants to find an innovative strategy for improving human health, especially obesity, diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

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