Career Change: I Want to do PhD in Neuroscience

[trustinsight]

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Hi Everybody,

Could you please help me by giving suggestions about changing my career to neuroscience.

I am currently a master's level student (an international student) at Philosophy department of San Jose State. Spring 2008 was my first semester and I took one course of Neuroscience (got an A) and two courses of Philosophy of Mind. I have always been interested in brain, consciousness and philosophy of mind thing. But after taking these three courses I became frustrated with merely philosophical approach to brain/mind without any base of rigorous science. So I am now totally determined to study neuroscience and do some significant research in this area.

But the problem is I do not have a bachelor's degree in science. I have an MPA (2-year) with gold medal, BA degreee (3-year) in Statistics and Philosophy. I also did two-year course in hard sciences soon after graduating from class 10. Though I do not have much background of science I feel that I am capable to do any science course.

Now that I am totally determined to change my career and pursue PhD in neuroscience, I am looking for a way to achieve that goal.

My questions are:

1. What is the best and faster way for me to get admission to PhD program in neuroscience? I want to do it anyhow.
2. Do I need a master's in biology or any other subject? Or merely research experience of a year will work?
3. Which will be more important for me: a master's degree in science or research experience?

Please give me suggestions regarding the steps I should take so that I could be considered for admission to graduate programs in neuroscience. I would appreciate your help.

 

[Ariodant]

Welcome. You can look up prerequisites for some of the neuro programs you are interested in, they usually involve courses in calculus, organic chemistry, biology, physics, etc. Some schools will allow you to make up after enrollment if missing only one or two of thoses prereqs, but others will be more strict. If you haven't met all the prereqs, you may want to take them at your school before applying. Research experience is also crucial, you may want to start voluneering in labs at your school, or even Stanford. Most applicants will have at least a year or two of research experience, you want to at least match that in order to be competitive. As long as you have solid research, good GRE scores and all the prereqs, no degree in science, bachelor's or advanced, is necessary.

 

[Wylde]

From what I hear, research is the most important part of your application (assuming your GRE and GPA is within their range). Also, as the previous poster stated, bio/orgo/physics/calculus are required for a lot of programs.

So, I would try and find a neuroscience lab on-campus and work there for awhile. While doing this, finish any science pre-reqs you do not have fulfilled. If you pursue a PhD, your career will probably involve doing research in a lab, so you want to make sure you actually enjoy the work environment and not just the subject material.

Good luck, find a position in a lab, complete your pre-reqs (check a school's neuroscience website).

 

[GWD]

What country are you from?

 

[magwi11]

Also, it may be wise of you to consider more carefully what area of neuroscience you want to do research in. From what you have said about your path to this decision, it would seem that you might be more interested in cognitive (as opposed to cellular or molecular). You may have an easier time making yourself an appealing candidate for a PhD in psychology with a cognitive neuroscience focus than a straight neuroscience degree. These programs will allow you to do your research in areas that might interest you (many PIs in this area will have joint appointments between neuroscience and psychology), but will have fewer hard science entrance requirements and might look more kindly on an undergraduate degree in the humanities. I would suggest that you at least look into this path and see if you can find programs that might appeal to you. If you can, than you might have more time to focus on your research, rather than taking classes that are prereqs for neuroscience (like physics and orgo) that you might not actually use much.

Good luck.

 

[trustinsight]

Thank you very much for your replies.

I have got an opportunity to work in a neuroscience lab at UC San Francisco as a volunteer at least for 6 months (or about 1 year). Should I go for it? Do you think that this is better for me than pursuing an MS at San Jose State?

If taking courses in basic science will work (instead of doing MS at San Jose State), is it ok if I take such courses in a community college?

I am new to US educational system (I am from Nepal). I am interested in both areas of neuroscience: cellular/molecular and cognitive.

 

[Wylde]

take the position in the UCSF lab. You will need a lot of lab experience for PhD admissions and this is a great start.

 

[recycleruminate]

Thank you very much for your replies.

I have got an opportunity to work in a neuroscience lab at UC San Francisco as a volunteer at least for 6 months (or about 1 year). Should I go for it? Do you think that this is better for me than pursuing an MS at San Jose State?

If taking courses in basic science will work (instead of doing MS at San Jose State), is it ok if I take such courses in a community college?

I am new to US educational system (I am from Nepal). I am interested in both areas of neuroscience: cellular/molecular and cognitive.

From my understanding, research assistance at UCSF (one of the most revered neuroscience facilities in the world) would look a LOT better on paper than an MS degree at San Jose State, and certainly community college classes.

At this stage in the game, it looks MUCH better if you are able to just dive right into the research and deal with any weakness you have in the sciences by taking the initiative to teach yourself on the job whenever it comes up.

HOWEVER, if you get involved with research prematurely, you might not have the general knowledge or confidence to really engage with the lab's research. This also depends on the personalities in the lab -- some researchers may be patient and spoon feed you along the way, others might basically exploit you and relegate you to menial, rote tasks. You also might not have the general frame of reference to appreciate the utility of all the methods and operations you will be exposed to by simply being in a lab environment.