PhD Training Research Articles

Meet the First Authors.

Meet the First Authors.

Meet the First Authors.

Meet the First Authors.

Impostor phenomenon in STEM: occurrence, attribution, and identity

PurposeThis study aims to explore different themes related to impostor phenomenon, as experienced by graduate students and postdocs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.Design/methodology/approachOpen-ended survey responses from 120 US-based participants from 40 states and Washington, D.C., describing an occasion when they felt like an impostor, were analyzed thematically.FindingsFollowing content analysis, three themes emerged: occurrence, attribution and identity. While impostor-like feelings were experienced as early as high school or college, the majority experienced it during PhD application, on being admitted to a PhD program and throughout PhD training. The people experiencing impostor phenomenon attributed their achievements and success to others (other’s name, prestige, or connections, other’s mistake, other’s lies or misrepresentation, or other’s kindness) or self (self-inadequacy, pretense, luck or self-doubt) rather than their own hard work or ability. Gender-based and race/ethnicity-based identity also shaped the experiences of the impostor phenomenon.Research limitations/implicationsOpen-ended survey responses varied in length and level of detail. Responses provided a one-time snapshot of a memory related to impostor-feelings that stood out, not indicating if the feeling persisted or evolved with time. The findings are not generalizable over a larger population.Originality/valueThis study identified multiple themes related to the impostor phenomenon not investigated before, enriching existing research while also providing methodological rigor for the development of follow-up studies.

Sean Wu.

Sean Wu.

Toward the Next Generation of Scholarship: Challenges and Opportunities for Full Participation in PhD Training in Economics

A great advantage of our rigorous doctoral training is that as PhD economists we speak a common language that allows for efficient vetting and quick dissemination of ideas and insights. But what good is sophisticated grammar and a powerful vocabulary if the contents of our narratives are lacking? Our top three criteria for admissions to PhD programs are prior coursework in math, the quantitative GRE score, and prior coursework in economics. To attract top talent and prevent becoming a stagnant discipline that loses the influence we have in society and academia, students' creativity, originality, and drive should receive more weight.

Gamification: An Innovative Approach to Reinforce Clinical Knowledge for MD-PhD Students During Their PhD Research Years.

A longstanding challenge facing MD-PhD students and other dual-degree medical trainees is the loss of clinical knowledge that occurs during the non medical phases of training. Academic medical institutions nationwide have developed continued clinical training and exposure to maintain clinical competence; however, quantitative assessment of their usefulness remains largely unexplored. The current study therefore sought to both implement and optimize an online game platform to support MD-PhD students throughout their research training. Sixty three current MD-PhD students completing the PhD research phase of training were enrolled in an institutionally-developed online game platform for 2 preliminary and 4 competition rounds of 3-4 weeks each. During preliminary game rounds, we found that participation, though initially high, declined precipitously throughout the duration of each round, with 37 students participating to some extent. Daily reminders were implemented in subsequent rounds, which markedly improved player participation. Average participation in competition rounds exceeded 35% (23/63) active participants each round, with trending improvement in scores throughout the duration of PhD training. Both player participation and progress through the research phase of the MD-PhD program correlated positively with game performance and therefore knowledge retention and/or acquisition. Coupled with positive survey-based feedback from participants, our data therefore suggest that gamification is an effective tool for MD-PhD programs to combat loss of clinical knowledge during research training.

Meet the First Authors.

Meet the First Authors.

Integrating Scientific English into Biological Sciences PhD Programs in Developing Countries: Strategies from Trainees and Mentor.

Successful researchers in the biological sciences communicate their work to a global audience and must do so in English to be widely recognized and cited. This applies equally to scientific talks, posters, and published articles; thus, scientific English must be prioritized in nonnative English-speaking (NNES) academic institutions to prepare their trainees for successful careers. Here, we propose strategies for integrating scientific English into PhD programs operating in NNES countries. Many graduate students from NNES countries strive for an international career and encounter English as an important barrier. Based on our own experiences as NNES postdoctoral fellows at a US institution, or as a US mentor of these trainees, we contend that conventional learning processes at home institutions do not sufficiently prioritize scientific English as the medium for regular discussions of laboratory-generated data. Principal investigators, mentors, and supervisors are key in promoting English language usage as a structured component of PhD training. If these stakeholders routinely integrate English training and education within the research laboratory program, graduates will be equipped to pursue international academic careers. The ideas presented here are intended for NNES PhD students (and their mentors) who seek an international scientific career in the biological sciences.

What Do Australian Economics PhDs Do?

AbstractAustralian universities now produce about 100 economics PhD graduates each year. Many graduates, perhaps most, aspire to an academic position. How many ultimately achieve this ambition? Relatedly, how long does the PhD take to complete, how many publications emerge from the research and how useful do graduates regard their PhD studies—was it time well spent? These questions relate to the social value of the substantial investment devoted to PhD training in economics, questions which have gone largely unaddressed up to now. The article also contains information on recent trends in graduate numbers and identifies which universities have consistently been the leading producers.

When international mobility meets local connections: Evidence from China

AbstractTransnational academic mobility has long been championed as positive and worthy of supporting. Yet, little attention has been paid to its joint impact with local connections on the career advancement of established scholars. Utilizing novel curriculum vitae data of 1447 Chang Jiang Scholars, we examine the relationship between academic mobility and the speed of obtaining prestigious academic titles. Our results suggest that local connections accelerate the career development of Chinese scholars, while international academic mobility has a negligible effect or even slows down the speed of late-phase career advancement. Returnee scholars tend to obtain national academic titles within a longer time period compared with their local counterparts. This penalty of international academic mobility also holds for returnees with only overseas PhD training experience and international research visits. Local scientists are more likely than their returnee peers with equivalent ties to have a quicker career trajectory. Policy implications are also discussed.

Depression and suicidality among psychiatric residents - results from a multi-country study

BackgroundPrevious studies have highlighted risks for depression and suicide in medical cohorts, but evidence regarding psychiatric residents is missing. This study aimed to determine rates of depression, suicide ideation and suicide attempt among psychiatric residents and to identify associated individual, educational and work-related risk factors. MethodsA total of 1980 residents from 22 countries completed the online survey which collected data on depression (PHQ-9), suicidality (SIBQ), socio-demographic profiles, training, and education. Generalized linear modeling and logistic regression analysis were used to predict depression and suicide ideation, respectively. ResultsThe vast majority of residents did not report depression, suicide ideation or attempting suicide during psychiatric training. Approximately 15% (n = 280) of residents met criteria for depression, 12.3% (n = 225) reported active suicide ideation, and 0.7% (n = 12) attempted suicide during the training. Long working hours and no clinical supervision were associated with depression, while more completed years of training and lack of other postgraduate education (e.g. PhD or psychotherapy training) were associated with increased risk for suicide ideation during psychiatric training. Being single and female was associated with worse mental health during training. LimitationsDue to the cross-sectional nature of the study, results should be confirmed by longitudinal studies. Response rate was variable but the outcome variables did not statistically significantly differ between countries with response rates of more or less than 50%. ConclusionDepression rates among psychiatric residents in this study were lower than previously reported data, while suicide ideation rates were similar to previous reports. Poor working and training conditions were associated with worse outcomes. Training programmes should include effective help for residents experiencing mental health problems so that they could progress through their career to the benefit of their patients and wider society.

Doing Diversity: Creating Spaces, Opportunities, and Change

I briefly describe my work on race and racism, and the psychology of diversity. Two key aims have been expanding graduate training for students of color and expanding the focus of scientific theorizing, research, and applications in psychology. I argue that history is important for understanding race-related conflict and progress and that cultural context is both a source of obstacles to inclusion (cultural racism) and an important asset in resisting and coping with these obstacles (resilience). I describe ways in which my career represents “doing diversity.” Specifically, I have (a) helped diversify psychological science through a Minority Fellowship Program that provided PhD training opportunities for more than 1,500 students of color, (b) contributed to understanding psychological issues by spearheading psychological science publications on HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and abortion; (c) contributed to national conversations and understanding of race by advising the U.S. Department of Defense on assessments of racial and ethnic discrimination in the military and President Clinton’s Race Initiative; and (d) helped conceive and create an institute of world-class scholarship on race (DuBois Institute for African American Research) at Harvard University. I conclude by discussing challenges I faced, what I might have done differently, and how my work was meaningful in my career and life.

Co-determination – An interdisciplinary concept to train PhD students from different disciplines

Abstract The distribution of cyber-physical systems, crosslinking of data and other transition processes often discussed in the context of Industry 4.0 do not only affect the manufacturing industry but all kinds of work that offer potential for standardization. The Learning Factory of the Ruhr-University in its unique social embeddedness has long since recognized workers’ representatives and managers as well as undergraduate students as important target groups to be involved in the transition processes of Industry 4.0, always with a clear focus on industrial production. However, now also PhD students from various scientific backgrounds who plan to leave the academic world to build a career in NGOs, administrations or (industrial) enterprises will get the chance to be qualified in a field affecting everyone: The changes of the working world, of competences, tasks and working conditions, will not stop at the doors of industrial factories. According to the tradition of the Learning Factory of the Chair of Production Systems (Lehrstuhl fur Produktionssysteme, LPS) of using a holistic socio-technical approach, PhD students seen as future executive staff will play a key role in organizing and shaping transition processes as well as experience them affecting their own working life. This paper introduces a didactic concept developed in an interdisciplinary cooperation of the Office of Cooperation RUB/IGM and the Chair of Production Systems (LPS) of Ruhr-University Bochum with the support of the Hans-Bockler-Foundation. It aims at imparting theoretical knowledge e.g. on the role of co-determination, the use of assistance systems or forms of knowledge management as well as enabling practical experience in the course of four modules. It tries to raise awareness for chances, challenges, questions, and discussions surrounding the changes in the working world.

MEANS FOR INCREASING QUALITY OF STAFF TRAINING FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE INSTITUTES OF THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE OF UKRAINE

At present, the issue of training highly qualified brainpower is one of priority issues while solving tasks related to forensic science reform aimed at its further development and improving the quality of forensic researches. Hon. Prof. M. S. Bokarius Kharkiv Research Institute of Forensic Examinations is one of the oldest state forensic science institutes in Ukraine having sufficient experience in staff training. However, the training of highly qualified scientific personnel directly in graduate school of the Institute was carried out only at the beginning of forensic science institutions functioning. Thus, on September 18, 1925, Sovnarkom of the Ukrainian SSR adopted a resolution "On graduate students under scientific and forensic science offices" that determined the training procedure for experts in forensic examination for needs of these offices from persons having a professional higher education. Duties for postgraduate students with a three-year training period were provided at the Kharkiv, Kiev and Odessa offices of scientific and forensic examination according to this resolution. During the Second World War the graduate school came to an end. The lack of own graduate school complicates the work performed for highly qualified specialists training that leads to development inhibition of scientific and forensic science potential in Ukraine. KhRIFE direction performs relevant activities in order to solve issues related to the training for highly qualified brainpower. So, on June 13, 2018, the Institute received a license permitting perform educational activities in the field of higher education at the third educational and scientific level (PhD training) according to the field of specialization: 081 "Law". All the necessary activities have been carried out at the Institute for creation the graduate school according to obtained license. Decent peopleware of state forensic science institutions will guarantee high quality of expert researches, new modern expert methods, development of forensic expert activities in Ukraine.

Meet the First Authors.

Meet the First Authors.

Editorial introductions

Editorial introductions

Editorial introductions

Editorial introductions

Transition Experiences in MD-PhD Programs.

MD–PhD training takes, on average, 8 years to complete and involves two transitions, an MD-preclinical to PhD-research phase and a PhD-research to MD-clinical phase. There is a paucity of research about MD–PhD students’ experiences during each transition. This study examined transition experiences reported by 48 MD–PhD students who had experienced at least one of these transitions during their training. We purposefully sampled medical schools across the United States to recruit participants. Semistructured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed for analysis; items focused on academic and social experiences within and outside their programs. Using a phenomenological approach and analytic induction, we examined students’ transition experiences during their MD–PhD programs. Five broad themes emerged centering on multiple needs: mentoring, facilitating integration with students in each phase, integrating the curriculum to foster mastery of skills needed for each phase, awareness of cultural differences between MD and PhD training, and support. None of the respondents attributed their transition experiences to gender or race/ethnicity. Students emphasized the need for mentoring by MD–PhD faculty and better institutional and program supports to mitigate feelings of isolation and help students relearn knowledge for clinical clerkships and ease re-entry into the hospital culture, which differs substantially from the research culture.

Innovative training networks: overview of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie PhD training model.

Doctoral training has changed in recent years with most PhDs now performed in structured programmes operated by university graduate schools. These schools generally superimpose a training framework onto the traditional research project to improve the education experience of the students and to prepare them for their careers. Many graduates progress to the commercial sector, where there is demand for highly skilled employees. The European Union (EU) promotes the development of transnational, training-focused, PhD programmes called Innovative Training Networks (ITNs) through Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. ITNs share many features of thematic PhD programmes, but they only recruit a single cohort of students, and they align with EU policy goals. These training networks are prestigious and very well regarded within European academia. The authors of this article were participants in a yeast biotechnology ITN, YEASTCELL, which finished in 2017. Some interesting insights into the more and less successful aspects of the project arose during discussions at the final project workshop. The views of the participants are distilled here in a discussion of how an ITN could be structured to maximise the benefits for the three main stakeholders: students, supervisors and industry partners.

Meet the First Authors.

Meet the First Authors.