UBC PhD SPPH admissions

[kobr]

Hi There, 

I am working in my application for a PhD program at UBC at the School of Population and Public health. I already have a potential supervisor but I was wondering how competitive is that? 

I have no research background but a very extensive clinical experience, great GPA and goo references. My grade in stats is 92% and my GPA is 3.91. 

How important is to have publications? Is that hard to get into the PhD program? 

Any comment, tips, thoughts are welcome.

Thanks

[juilletmercredi]

If you have no research background, I think you'll find it difficult to get admitted to a PhD program. PhD programs - including this one at UBC - are primarily research degrees. Professors want to know that you know what you're getting yourself into, and that you truly enjoy research, are passionate about a specific area and are ready to commit 5 to 7 years of your life studying it. They also want to know that you're going to be useful in their research group, because they need you to do research for them.

Another way to put this is...how do you even know you want to do a PhD if you have no research experience?

Publications are a nice cherry on top, and I believe in some natural and physical sciences fields they've become increasingly important even for undergraduates applying to graduate school (which is insane to me). In the social sciences, they're still not necessarily expected, but they do demonstrate that you are capable of doing one of the core competencies of a researcher. They can help make up for weaknesses in other areas, too.