1. Taking Charge of Your Training to Maximize Your Future…
Adapted by Dr. Gail P. Taylor,
University of Texas at San Antonio
Revised 5/2013

2. Life is all about perspective…

4. Your Perspective, Your Point of View, Really Matters in Life…Particularly Involving your Future…

5. Thought Question #1: How to you view College?

6. Attitudes about College
It’s something to complete as soon as possible
It must be completed ON TIME!
It’s something my parents made me do
It’s a way of life
It’s all about grades!
It’s a guaranteed ticket for a good job
It’s a time to explore!
It’s a time to build credentials for a future career

7. Where are you? You’ve likely adjusted to college…
You’re figuring out grades
You’ve got a support network and friends
Now…
How to make college deeper/richer
How to prepare for next steps
How will you do this?
Engineers
Biology

8. Many just sit in classes day after day…
Others seek to stand out!

9. You must develop your credentials
You must develop your credentials! Time to start planning and focusing on your next steps!

10. Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now  
~Alan Lakein

11. Plan NOW to get a PhD or JD, or MD, DDS, or PT, or PA, or….

12. General Preparation Research your Path Decide something!
Establish Your Credentials!
Coursework foundation
Take what you’ll need, not degree requirements!
Look at graduate program requirements
Make Program of Study
Learn your material
Get strong grades!
Obtain Professional Experience
Internships
Co-ops
On-campus Research
Summer programs

13. Plan to Achieve Your Objectives!
Cultivate Letters of Recommendation and Contacts
Meet your professors- LOR
Get to know other students
Stretch yourself with Leadership experiences, etc.
Volunteer and get involved (education)
Learn how to work with groups
Theses/Proposals
Complete required tasks
Degree paperwork
GRE
MCAT
EIT
Evaluate Grad/Prof Schools
Reassess as needed!

14. Plan to Achieve Your Objectives!
Overcome “weaknesses”
Fear #1
Oral presentations
Writing
Fear
Passivity
Anxiety
Single-mindedness
Self-doubt/Imposter Syndrome
Reassess as needed!

15. Path to PhD Undergraduate -> PhD (Biosciences)
Undergraduate -> Start MS -> PhD (others)
Undergraduate -> Postbacc -> PhD
Undergraduate -> Job (research) -> PhD
Undergraduate -> MS -> PhD (others)
Depends on:
Research Experience
Skill in lab
Letters
Confidence
Grades

16. PhD Preparation in Particular
Course work
Laboratory Research & Prof Development
Find laboratory
Ethics and laboratory safety
Learn lab culture
Techniques
Reading the literature/High level reading
Experiments
Data Analysis
Writing Abstracts
Conferences
Poster and Oral Presentation
Courses (mentor recommended)
Summer Research
Writing Theses
GRE/MCAT Tests

17. Opportunities often Come Disguised as Hard Work, so Some People Don’t Recognize Them….
Ann Landers…

18. Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises….
~Demosthenes

19. Why Perform Research?

20. Why Research? Reasons diverse as there are researchers Discovery
Help others
“Born” researcher
Curiosity
Always something new going on
Exciting environment
Bored when not learning new things
Can change fields

21. Other Benefits to UG Research
Academic:
Validates coursework
Intro to balancing school and research
Deeper Faculty contact/mentoring
Personal:
Self-confidence
Maturity
Knowledge that you can have an impact
Generally, an increase in motivation
Professional
Observe a “high level” career
Learn to speak like a professional
CV/Resume that stands out
Letters of recommendation
Publications
Doors open into Grad School or Jobs

22. Shhh…I’ll Give Away a Secret…

23. How to Impress Faculty…
Strong grasp of your course work
Strong work ethic and productivity
Responsibly finish what is assigned to you
Work to solve own problems
Attitude- enjoyment of what you are doing
Teamwork
Respect self and others
Good communication
Honesty/Integrity
High level critical thinking (take time to think!)
How do you approach problems?
What is the next step of your project?
What are the implications of your project?

24. Types of Opportunities not to Miss!
If you want to deepen your education and yourself
Workshops
National Summer Programs (REU, SURF, MURF)
Volunteering
Work Study (WSRTP)
Honors Research (COS or Honors College)
Leadership opportunities
Internships
Research Training/Independent Study
Research Training Programs – RISE, MARC, McNair, LSAMP, TREE, HLAE