The secret to a successful PhD Prof. dr. Steven A. Kushner Department of Psychiatry Chair, Neurobiological Psychiatry

Why am I in graduate school?

Why am I in graduate school? • Your goals should be clear!

Why am I in graduate school? • Your goals should be clear! • Fun

Why am I in graduate school? • Your goals should be clear! • Fun • Education

Why am I in graduate school? • Your goals should be clear! • Fun • Education • Excellence

What are the key ingredients?

What are the key ingredients? • Supervisor

What are the key ingredients? • Supervisor • Colleagues

What are the key ingredients? • Supervisor • Colleagues • Friends & family

What are the key ingredients? • Supervisor • Colleagues • Friends & family • Thesis Project

What are the key ingredients? • Supervisor • Colleagues • Friends & family • Thesis Project • Yourself

Supervisor

Supervisor • Meet regularly with your supervisor

Supervisor • Meet regularly with your supervisor • Discuss and negotiate your progress regularly

Supervisor • Meet regularly with your supervisor • Discuss and negotiate your progress regularly • Understand your different styles

Supervisor • Meet regularly with your supervisor • Discuss and negotiate your progress regularly • Understand your different styles • If it is not working out, do something about it

Supervisor • Meet regularly with your supervisor • Discuss and negotiate your progress regularly • Understand your different styles • If it is not working out, do something about it • Open, honest, and direct communication (Especially when there’s something uncomfortable to discuss!)

Colleagues

Colleagues • Learn to ask for help. Not only are you allowed, but you will greatly reduce your stress and increase your success.

Colleagues • Learn to ask for help. Not only are you allowed, but you will greatly reduce your stress and increase your success. • Use all of the resources available to you: Get help from statistics consultants, faculty, peers, your supervisor…..

Colleagues • Learn to ask for help. Not only are you allowed, but you will greatly reduce your stress and increase your success. • Use all of the resources available to you: Get help from statistics consultants, faculty, peers, your supervisor….. • Be a team player! You should also provide assistance to other people who need it.

Colleagues • Learn to ask for help. Not only are you allowed, but you will greatly reduce your stress and increase your success. • Use all of the resources available to you: Get help from statistics consultants, faculty, peers, your supervisor….. • Be a team player! You should also provide assistance to other people who need it. • Science is a community of people. Your reputation among colleagues is invaluable.

Family & friends

Family & friends • Many of your closest friendships will develop from your time in graduate school.

Family & friends • Many of your closest friendships will develop from your time in graduate school. • But many of your friends & family are not graduate students. Share with them your experiences, and use them as a trusted outside perspective.

Family & friends • Many of your closest friendships will develop from your time in graduate school. • But many of your friends & family are not graduate students. Share with them your experiences, and use them as a trusted outside perspective. • Organizing your time is absolutely critical for your success. This includes making, often difficult, decisions about how you spend your time.

Family & friends • Many of your closest friendships will develop from your time in graduate school. • But many of your friends & family are not graduate students. Share with them your experiences, and use them as a trusted outside perspective. • Organizing your time is absolutely critical for your success. This includes making, often difficult, decisions about how you spend your time. • Do NOT neglect your family & friends. Remember the main goal: fun! Without your family & friends, you will not be happy.

Thesis Project

Thesis Project • Set priorities. Be realistic. Science is very rewarding, but really difficult.

Thesis Project • Set priorities. Be realistic. Science is very rewarding, but really difficult. • You are learning how to do a PhD, you are not expected to know this in advance.

Thesis Project • Set priorities. Be realistic. Science is very rewarding, but really difficult. • You are learning how to do a PhD, you are not expected to know this in advance. • Constantly re-evaluate your thesis question. Your thesis project is not written in stone. It’s a moving target: Ask a question that can be answered!

Thesis Project • Set priorities. Be realistic. Science is very rewarding, but really difficult. • You are learning how to do a PhD, you are not expected to know this in advance. • Constantly re-evaluate your thesis question. Your thesis project is not written in stone. It’s a moving target: Ask a question that can be answered! • Very important: do not accept a thesis project unless you truly feel very interested and enthusiastic!

Yourself: the most important ingredient!

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • PhD success is 90% persistence + 10% intelligence.

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • PhD success is 90% persistence + 10% intelligence. • You would never be accepted as a PhD student, unless you are intelligent. If you feel like impostor, join the club! Most people doing a PhD feel that way.

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • PhD success is 90% persistence + 10% intelligence. • You would never be accepted as a PhD student, unless you are intelligent. If you feel like impostor, join the club! Most people doing a PhD feel that way. • Persistence is perhaps the most important element; this comes from habits like meeting regularly with your supervisors and making the most of every day.

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • PhD success is 90% persistence + 10% intelligence. • You would never be accepted as a PhD student, unless you are intelligent. If you feel like impostor, join the club! Most people doing a PhD feel that way. • Persistence is perhaps the most important element; this comes from habits like meeting regularly with your supervisors and making the most of every day. • You must have confidence that you can do well. If you feel stressed: talk to your supervisor, colleagues, family, and friends. You should be happy, most days!

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • Marathon, not a sprint.

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • Marathon, not a sprint. • Every successful scientist has a much larger number of failed, than successful projects.

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • Marathon, not a sprint. • Every successful scientist has a much larger number of failed, than successful projects. • Be willing to take risks, but choose carefully.

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • Marathon, not a sprint. • Every successful scientist has a much larger number of failed, than successful projects. • Be willing to take risks, but choose carefully. • Don’t believe everything you read. Think critically. Do not proceed until you truly understand something.

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • Marathon, not a sprint. • Every successful scientist has a much larger number of failed, than successful projects. • Be willing to take risks, but choose carefully. • Don’t believe everything you read. Think critically. Do not proceed until you truly understand something. • Experimental design and control groups.

Yourself: the most important ingredient! • Marathon, not a sprint. • Every successful scientist has a much larger number of failed, than successful projects. • Be willing to take risks, but choose carefully. • Don’t believe everything you read. Think critically. Do not proceed until you truly understand something. • Experimental design and control groups. • Be your own toughest reviewer. Criticism in science is not personal! (In fact, from your supervisor and colleagues, it’s what you should ask of them.)

Remember the most important goals…..

Remember the most important goals….. Fun, education, and excellence!

Veel succes! Best of luck!