Hi, I am 21 years old and I have recently started studying MSc Biotechnology at Nottingham Trent University. Before I began this course I studied BSc Biomedical Science at the same university. I have extremely little work experience. I feel that my courses have contained a lot a practical laboratory experience compared with courses at other universities based on conversations I have had with other people but this is the only lab experience I have. I am currently thinking about what my next steps should be once I finish in September 2014.

I would like to develop a career in research. I see myself working in industrial research in the future, although I think I would also be happy doing academic research. I am aware that in order to obtain a high level research position in the future, a PhD would almost definately be required, and I would also be genuinely interested in obtaining a PhD for its own sake even if it didn't improve my career prospects so I do think that studying for a PhD would be appropriate for me at some point.

My first question is regarding PhD funding. I have been looking at PhD project on this website and see that, in the biosciences at least, a decent proportion of positions either have funding attached already or are competition funded. How difficult is it to obtain a funded PhD position, in other words, is there a realistic likelihood of me being able to obtain a funded position?

My second question is regarding research assistant positions. Would it be a good idea to apply for research assistant jobs instead of funded PhD positions in order to gain a few years work experience and therefore increase the likelihood of obtaining a funded PhD position, and also make it possible for me to pay for a non-funded PhD position if I could not obtain a funded place?

Finally, how difficult would it be to obtain a research assistant job? Easier or more difficult than obtaining a funded PhD position?

Kind regards, Malik.

It's pretty easy to obtain funding for biomedical research if you're flexible about start date, type of research and location.

I don't know how difficult or easy research positions are to obtain but personally I wouldn't bother with doing a research assistant position first. I don't think this really helps you when applying for PhDs, especially since you said you have already done quite a lot of lab work. It also increases the likelihood that you'll stay in a research position and not do a PhD. All the PhD students I know have either gone from a BSc, MSc or taken a gap year prior to starting a PhD. None of them has had a research position first. Additionally, I know of a few research assistants that have been hanging around for years on low pay waiting for the PhD promised by the PI that never materializes.

I would go straight for a funded PhD if I were you.

What TreeofLife says makes sense.

Thank you for your help. To be honest you have confirmed everything that I was hoping to be true!

I do have a couple of follow up questions which I hope you/someone else may be able to help me with. How many applications to different research projects would you expect someone to send or consider to be relatively normal before a position is successfully obtained? On one hand I have an urge to apply to as many projects as possible as fast as possible in order to increase my chances but on the other hand I worry that too many applications will firstly annoy my referees leading to worse references, and secondly take too much time away studying for my course.

My second question is if I want to start in or around October 2014 (my MSc finishes in September), when will the peak in advertised projects likely occur? I don't want to apply to too many projects now if the majority of project adverts won't become available until April for example, but then I don't want to apply to too few, expecting more to become available later if they don't!

Thanks again, Malik

I'm not sure about how many applications is normal prior to obtaining a position. In my case, I applied for 2 and got 1.

I would say about 5 on average, since there's never too many available positions in a specific areas anyway.

Just apply for the ones you are really interested in - enthusiasm in an interview goes a long way.

I think between now and December is the best time to look for projects, however a lot of projects are advertised around March/April too.