VBD

I went into a PhD program with no work experience outside of academia, mainly in microbiology labs since 2007. I went straight through my bachelors in biology and then my MPH and took a gap year (working restaurant jobs) and then entered my PhD program. Now, more than half-way through my PhD with a PI who is not that supportive in terms of funding (he doesn’t want me to apply to anything and just focus on research) or in terms of allowing me to do any outside activities which will affect research time, I am reconsidering my life choices. I feel I am at a crossroads. Don’t get me wrong, I love public health and am still interested in infectious diseases. However, I am still harboring a love for community health work (something I did during my MPH) and am trying to figure out how I can combine the two interests. Additionally, when I did a quick search for public health jobs on search engines like indeed.com, most jobs seem to require the MPH and not a PhD. Now here are my questions: 1.) Will completing my PhD close doors to getting positions in public health? I can’t see places being willing to hire someone “overqualified” if they can get someone who has an MPH. 2.) Should I be concerned about my lack of non-academia work experience? If I continue with my PhD, how can I start to build that work experience? 3.) Is this a completely crazy option: Leave the program, count my years in my PhD as years of experience, and find a job utilizing my MPH? 4.) Are there other in-between options I am missing? I’m sure it doesn’t have to be a black and white decision of (A) Stay and suffer through a PhD with no work experience, or (B) Leave and get work experience, but it sure seems that way to me. I believe I lack the experience in the field of public health to see other options. Thanks in advance! Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

Hi all. Apologies if there have already been topics on this, but a quick search pulled up no existing topics for note-taking apps.. I recently got a (Android) tablet (yay Christmas and post-Christmas electronic sales), and am completely green to whole apps thing. I intend to use this tablet as a good way to cut down on all my paper usage for notes and article reading. It would be ideal if the pdf editor allows me to highlight, write notes/markup, edit the pdf and be in a format that is easily transferred to a laptop. As for note taking, I've guiltily used up reams and reams of notebook paper just for one semester. If there's a note-taking app that's good for free-form stylus use (I need it for writing equations and drawing diagrams) and keyboard use that would be great! Fellow grad students, what are the note-taking and PDF editor apps that you use? Relevant Follow-up question: I use dropbox, would that be well paired with such apps? Or is it better to get some file managing app and manage files on my device that way?

I'm a bit different since I did two rounds of applications (two years ago, I only got into one school and ended up declining), so both rounds combined: BU, Columbia, Hopkins, UNC, Emory, UIC, Univ of Washington, Berkeley, Harvard, Yale. I am not as comfortable saying where I ended up, but I will say that I really do love my program :3 Good things come to those who (painfully) wait!

To add in my two cents on the cost of housing and such. Case -- rents are gonna run you around $500-600. Efficiencies will be higher (Watch out for some landlords, there are some in the area who take advantage of the UGs who are renting for the first time). Pitt -- rents would be a little higher. BUT since Pitt allows student to do off-campus housing earlier, there's more competition. Some of my friends at Pitt had to show a statement to their landlord that they do have x income amount, or x amount saved, and can in fact pay the rent on time. OSU -- similarly competitive, but the prices have a wider range. My one friend did have to get a credit check at some places which costs and additional $40. *shrugs* but that's the only time I've heard of that going on in Columbus I don't know about the other places you are applying. Point being is that for moving there's a lot to consider. I had a friend move from the bluegrass area of Ohio to OSU and the cost was a bit higher than she was used to. She worked as a waitress for a few months and with just the move, finding a place, etc. She completely drained her savings (and the emergency-save-for-a-rainy-day-fund of $2200 from her job. I don't know why, but just keep in mind that sometimes crap happens when you move. XD Have you asked those acquaintances you know in the area whether they would be available to help you or are you assuming? I ask because when school time comes, many acquaintances are usually too busy to be able to help and flake on you. Social wise -- my friends at OSU were essentially forced to be socialable, but alcohol is usually involved. Also hope you like talking about football! (Jk -- I have some very home-body friends at OSU, and they are fine without forcibly talking about football) I have MSW friends at OSU, Case, and Pitt and they are usually somewhat tight knit since they share a lot of the same views, but of course, your mileage may vary. In addition to sites like idealist, I would recommend opportunityknocks Also, maybe you can go to your local community service fair. I'm sure there is one in Univ of Akron. Contact someone at your alma mater who was in charge of community service and they can give you a lot of advice on alternative post graduation. Americorp and Peace Corp are extremely competitive, but you would never know if you can even get it if you don't apply! Peace Corp though will require a LOT of independence. You will likely be in a foreign country you've never been to before and have just learned the language, and may even have limited communication with your family. My friends in the peace corp have to walk a good amount of miles before they can reach the village with a working satellite phone (He was in Francophone Africa though).

Guys, it's ok. There's no need to worry about responses yet. When I applied last year, I got my first interview offers in late Dec/early Jan (mainly January). Some schools don't even start reviewing until the new year. My first acceptance was in mid February. Now it's just a waiting game, so I would recommend that you do yourself a favor and get away from the computer/checking your status and so forth. It'll just heighten your anxiety. This stretch of month is the hardest since you FEEL like you should do something, but really there's nothing to do application-wise. Go out and enjoy the holiday season! I'm sure you did your best on the applications, and best of luck to you all!

A few years ago, when I was completing my masters, I had a peer go into labor during our last final of the semester. Her baby girl made her debut at the departmental summer picnic AND my peer got an A in that class. It's doable, and in her words "totally worth it!" Also the baby added some internal motivation for her during the thesis writing. Congrats Mr. Pootawn and Mrs. Pootawn (Also a belated congrats to others in the thread who survived/are currently surviving with children while in grad school)

As anecdotal evidence to MsD's post, My linkedin (which is the first hit when I google my name) got a lot of hits in December/January/February from supervisors/advisors/grad students of one of the labs I wanted to get into. All in all, it was about one hit for each program I applied to. I would also caution that this is a "your mileage may vary" sort of thing, since my programs were tiny so it makes sense that they'd want to make sure I was the type of student they would like. A larger program may not do that. In sum, I would just say you should do your best to keep your online presence professional!

Definitely recommend contacting professors if you're applying for PhD programs. It's nice to build connections, and you have to make sure the professors have space for you in their research or lab, and related funding issues.

The Lenovo ideapad is the consumer version of the Thinkpad and it's been working fine for my stats program usage. I chose it because it was closer to my price range, if cost if a worry stmaan. I have heard that Lenovo customer service is hit or miss though.. During my undergrad and masters, my Dell and HP failed miserably, so I would NOT recommend those.

I highly recommend visits. If the school offers an admitted student day and you're going to go (because it's in your top three picks/it's free or covered for you to go), I would even recommend asking if you could stay on campus for another day or so to really get a sense of what it's like and even have a chance to talk to professors of interest (that is, if they happen to be free) or current students. I would agree with Juliet that Admitted student days were a lot more helpful than Open houses. Some programs may cover travel expenses and others may not. For example, Columbia helped cover the travel expense but not the accommodations for my visit, but Emory and Yale covered all of it. (Side note, I personally think it's interesting to see other campuses, but that may just be the weird nerd in me...)

This seems like a fun idea, it sure sounds like the 3 hosts are having fun. Also, you get points for enthusiasm! Sometimes I find myself losing interest (perhaps breaking it up with music in between segments?), but I'll probably stick around for a few more episodes.