Need some advice...

[Turkelton]

So I have found myself in a bit of a dilemma and was hoping someone could give me some insight. So I'm finishing up my undergrad and I didn't get any interviews this year and was looking to do a masters next year. Lab research is something I've done in the past and I actually do like it, so it seems like a viable option.

 

So after hunting for supervisors for a couple months I had a phone interview with one and they told me that they would be willing to supervise me and that they are very open to rewarding hard working students with publications and co-authorships. So everything sounded great, but there is one stipulation. The supervisor does not take on masters students, and would only take me if I was committed to doing a PhD. I'm kind of torn between the fact that this person is a physician in the exact field that I was hoping to get into so the research would be very exciting, but also that 5 years seems like a long time commitment to wait to eventually do med.

 

Any thoughts?

[Genemo]

I would be aware of this kind of supervisors if I meant to go to med school. They may not be very supportive when you need them for med application.

[Turkelton]

I would be aware of this kind of supervisors if I meant to go to med school. They may not be very supportive when you need them for med application.

 

He's a cardiologist and did his MD at UofT. I told him right off the bat that my goal was med school and he told me that he has absolutely no problem with that but this was his stipulation. Thanks for the advice though...I never even really thought about that.

[OIC]

Hello Turkleton, obviously I feel a kinship to you already . I would not work with a supervisor who demands I complete a PhD simply because they are in the field you want to be in. Five years is a long time to wait, especially since you can get equal opportunities somewhere else. I can tell you that I am a master's student with multiple papers and MD-PhD supervisors. I started my master's in september 2009 and received 4 ontario invites (this is my first cycle).

 

This all to say that you can get papers, work with MD's, do interesting research and get interviews all from within a masters, the PhD is NOT necessary and, in my opinion, not worth it. (Toronto PhDs aim for 5yrs but can take up to 7+, it is especially brutal at toronto grad school).

 

Good call on bringing up the med school aspect right from the start, I find that is the best approach and prevents any nasty surprises/tension later on.

[astrogirl]

Some professors see master's students as not a good investment because they have to spend a lot of time training them and they don't feel like they get much out of it. It sounds like you have found one of these profs. This isn't necessarily a red flag, but it's at least a yellow flag. He might still be an okay PhD supervisor, but he also might be more focused on what he can get from you that on how he can help you reach your own goals. Either way, your goals don't line up with his, and I wouldn't work with him if I were you. Don't do a PhD just so you can work with this guy. Doing a PhD can be pretty miserable even when it's what you want to be doing. I think you should keep looking for someone else, even if it's in a slightly different research area. Sometimes what you're doing doesn't matter as much as doing it with a supervisor who will support you and respect your career goals.

[affyuser]

I'm doing a Phd in the biosciences right now and I strongly agree with the posts above about not committing to a PhD from the onset without being pretty sure of what you are getting into. It's better to look for another lab that will let you start as a Masters student and decide about the Phd after a year or 2. The great advantage of the Masters is you get to judge your lab's working environment, your relationship with your supervisor and your project's potential productivity before signing up for the long haul. These 3 factors are going to play a huge role in the successful completion of your Phd as well your added competitiveness as a Med applicant in terms of authorships and strong reference letters.

 

The other thing you absolutely must do is talk to as many of the grad students and postodocs you can meet, who are currently in the lab you are interested in. Try to get a sense of how happy they are with the supervision style and the lab environment as well as completion rates of lab alumni and where they end up afterward.

[Turkelton]

Thanks everyone for the great responses. I think I'm going to pass on the opportunity and continue looking for other supervisors.