Thursday, January 13, 2011

So long Vanderbilt, and thanks for all the fish!

After finishing the final revisions on my dissertation I was reminded of this spot-on graphical guide to what a Ph.D. is really all about.

Now that I'm finished, I'm leaving Vanderbilt to start a postdoc in genetic epidemiology with Dr. Loic Le Marchand at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. Posts may be sparse over the next few weeks, but I plan on blogging as usual once I'm set up at my postdoc. Because I won't have the same level of statistical and bioinformatics support in Hawaii that I have now, I'll have much to figure out on my own, so I'll have even more to write about here. But for now, enjoy this Illustrated guide to a Ph.D., reproduced with permission from Matt Might, and follow me on Twitter (@genetics_blog).

...

Imagine a circle that contains all of human knowledge:



By the time you finish elementary school, you know a little:




By the time you finish high school, you know a bit more:




With a bachelor's degree, you gain a specialty:





A master's degree deepens that specialty:






Reading research papers takes you to the edge of human knowledge:



Once you're at the boundary, you focus:




You push at the boundary for a few years:





Until one day, the boundary gives way:







And, that dent you've made is called a Ph.D.:




Of course, the world looks different to you now:




So, don't forget the bigger picture:





Keep pushing!

10 comments:

  1. Good luck and Congratulations! Do not forget about us, the readers of the blog!

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  2. Stephen:
    Congratulations and best wishes for a meaningful experience.

    Stephen and Will:
    Your blog has been extremely helpful. Hopefully the dolphins will stay with us (or visit frequently).

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  3. That.
    Is.
    Awesome.
    And most correct. Very nicely illustrated, Stephen. Good luck in Hawaii and keep on posting.
    Rx

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  4. Congratulations! Enjoy your new position, I'm sure it will be rewarding for you.

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  5. Congratulations and best of luck! I have found the post-doc phase of life to be the oddest yet. I look forward to your reflections and musings of the experience!

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  6. After my PhD I decided to grow other branches, trying to look like a star or a splash instead. This is frowned upon, but it feels so good :)

    ReplyDelete

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