Comments on: Why Grad School? http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school A Wandering Through Life and Science Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:30:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Apollo http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school/comment-page-1#comment-56 Apollo Thu, 19 Apr 2007 01:21:12 +0000 http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school#comment-56 I think you should go about things with the mindset of enjoying them and doing good work: you're extremely talented and interested in what you do, which is not something that can be said about all training scientists. I think their subjective (bad) experiences might not always apply to you and your future, though it isn't a bad idea to be informed by the truth in their experiences (and others) in your pathfinding. I think you should go about things with the mindset of enjoying them and doing good work: you’re extremely talented and interested in what you do, which is not something that can be said about all training scientists. I think their subjective (bad) experiences might not always apply to you and your future, though it isn’t a bad idea to be informed by the truth in their experiences (and others) in your pathfinding.

]]> By: Eric http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school/comment-page-1#comment-54 Eric Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:52:55 +0000 http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school#comment-54 Definitely when I'm looking for a post-doc, I will be much more conscious of my career and life goals. I've heard many, many horror stories about post-doc-hood such that I don't think I can ignore it. But for grad school, I feel like I can afford to let my science-love take control a bit. I'm still young, I don't have a family to take care of, so I can have a bit of fun. Definitely when I’m looking for a post-doc, I will be much more conscious of my career and life goals. I’ve heard many, many horror stories about post-doc-hood such that I don’t think I can ignore it. But for grad school, I feel like I can afford to let my science-love take control a bit. I’m still young, I don’t have a family to take care of, so I can have a bit of fun.

]]> By: Betsy http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school/comment-page-1#comment-51 Betsy Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:09:05 +0000 http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school#comment-51 I too went to grad school because I loved science. Everyday, I would marvel at how lucky I was to be doing what I was doing. I had a great grad school experience, and came out thinking that I could conquer the world. Then I did a postdoc. A very long, somewhat productive postdoc. I saw many smart, talented people linger in their postdocs, unable to get academic jobs. The ones who did get jobs were miserable, and were struggling to get funding. The whole experience made me very bitter and jaded about science, particularly as it is done in academia. I've since gone into biotech, and am much happier, though not any less stressed or busy. Would I do it again? Probably, though I'd do it differently. Pick your labs wisely, and only go places that have a history of putting students/postdocs into jobs. Pick a lab that works collaboratively, so you can publish more quickly. Make an effort to learn about science outside of academia, since in all likelihood, that is where you'll end up. I think it's great to love science, and enjoy the process, but you really have to stay focused on your long-term goal (i.e. getting a job). It's way too easy to get stuck in the academic science machine. Lecture over now, carry on. :) I too went to grad school because I loved science. Everyday, I would marvel at how lucky I was to be doing what I was doing. I had a great grad school experience, and came out thinking that I could conquer the world.

Then I did a postdoc. A very long, somewhat productive postdoc. I saw many smart, talented people linger in their postdocs, unable to get academic jobs. The ones who did get jobs were miserable, and were struggling to get funding. The whole experience made me very bitter and jaded about science, particularly as it is done in academia. I’ve since gone into biotech, and am much happier, though not any less stressed or busy.

Would I do it again? Probably, though I’d do it differently.

Pick your labs wisely, and only go places that have a history of putting students/postdocs into jobs. Pick a lab that works collaboratively, so you can publish more quickly. Make an effort to learn about science outside of academia, since in all likelihood, that is where you’ll end up. I think it’s great to love science, and enjoy the process, but you really have to stay focused on your long-term goal (i.e. getting a job). It’s way too easy to get stuck in the academic science machine.

Lecture over now, carry on. :)

]]> By: Brian http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school/comment-page-1#comment-49 Brian Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:01:24 +0000 http://futilecycle.com/2007/04/17/why-grad-school#comment-49 Ahhh, to be young and carefree (not that I'm that much older than you). It's super easy to get a postdoc out of graduate school in biology. Getting a job after that is a little more of a challenge. My main reason for going to grad school was that I did a summer internship at a biotech company. By the end of the summer, I had basically mastered my bachelor level supervisor's job. It was at that point I realized I needed a little more challenge than doing "grunt" work 8 hours a day. Now that I have my PhD, the difference is that I get to decide which grunt work I do. :) Ahhh, to be young and carefree (not that I’m that much older than you). It’s super easy to get a postdoc out of graduate school in biology. Getting a job after that is a little more of a challenge.

My main reason for going to grad school was that I did a summer internship at a biotech company. By the end of the summer, I had basically mastered my bachelor level supervisor’s job. It was at that point I realized I needed a little more challenge than doing “grunt” work 8 hours a day.
Now that I have my PhD, the difference is that I get to decide which grunt work I do. :)

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