Different Field of Research?

[Newquagmire]

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Any opinions on the merits of a PhD in a field other than what one [currently] intends to do following graduation? For example, completing a thesis in biochemistry when interested in immunology.

I'm particularly interested in what you old farts might have to say about this.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

Any opinions on the merits of a PhD in a field other than what one [currently] intends to do following graduation? For example, completing a thesis in biochemistry when interested in immunology.

I'm particularly interested in what you old farts might have to say about this.

It is alright if you are going from a deeper subject to a shallower one. Thus, it is OK to do a PhD in physics if you are interested in a career in chemistry (but not vice versa), a PhD in chemistry or biophysics if you are interested in biochemistry. In fact, touching upon some of the more basic and/or esoteric methods and ways of thinking can be a strength in a different but closely related field.

That said, immunology and neuroscience are somewhat unique subjects that may employ techniques and thinking that is somewhat apart from mainstream molecular biology. For one, I know that immunology massively uses confocal microscopy and flow cytometry and neuroscience uses various forms of electrophysiology (whole cell, oocyte, neuron, patch, etc.), techniques that you might not learn in a biochemistry PhD. Which is not to say that you can't learn them as a postdoc.

 

[gaganheim]

On one of my interviews, the faculty member I was talking with told that it was very easy to spot an MD/PhD applying for a job by looking at their publications part of their CV. There will be a fair number of papers, a break for about 3-4 years, then more publications in a completely different field.

Many people will tell you to select your thesis lab based more on your relationship with your mentor rather than on subject. The PhD is more about teaching you how to ask good scientific questions, and translate those into a long series of experiments. The postdoc is where it is really important to learn the field where you want to get independent funding. If you don't believe me ask any faculty member if what they did in their thesis still helps them with methodology.

 

[fantasty]

Many people will tell you to select your thesis lab based more on your relationship with your mentor rather than on subject. The PhD is more about teaching you how to ask good scientific questions, and translate those into a long series of experiments. The postdoc is where it is really important to learn the field where you want to get independent funding. If you don't believe me ask any faculty member if what they did in their thesis still helps them with methodology.

That's pretty much what I've heard. Many people have told me that a biological science phd is pretty interchangable (exceptions, possibly, being neuroscience or immunology). Most of our students select the mentor first. Most faculty have multiple appointments, so selecting the PhD dept then becomes a secondary consideration. But graduate school is meant to teach you how to think like an investigator, not to make you a specialist in a narrow content area.

Of course, I'm in epidemiology and do not do lab work so my opinions are relatively uninformed 🙂

 

[Newquagmire]

subjects that may employ techniques and thinking that is somewhat apart

a biological science phd is pretty interchangable

I suppose the main concern here is pretty much that the methods used in the differing fields are entirely different. I don't feel like it's really a question of "depth" into the subject or graduate program, but rather a completely separate field -- like going from epidemiology to bioinformatics.

This situation would put a student at a disadvantage from day 1, but would be a good opportunity to learn the other field in depth. Is it "worth" the additional pain, given that it's not the direction that one [currently] wants to take in the future?

 

[gaganheim]

The only thing I'll say is don't be too confident you know what you'll want in the future. If something is attracting you, at least try it out in a rotation. Ask yourself what your motivations are. You won't make it through a PhD if you have no interest in the problem you are investigating.