A PhD is Not Enough!- Katie Degen- PhD Student in SBES

A PhD is Not Enough!

(Book by Peter Feibelman)

    This a quick read which covers the high points of many stumbling blocks for young scientists who want to stay in research, either academic, government or industry. This book appears to be written for students with poor mentors because it covers some very basic material that an undergraduate should have a grasp of. While the first few chapters are a little basic, I did find the chapters on paper structuring and career planning to be particularly helpful. Some of the best advice is things you might expect but it is nice to have in writing, such as its okay to ask for time to focus on your own work early in your career rather than trying to do it all and what a postdoc should be. Additionally, Feibelman does a very good job of laying out the pros and cons of different career paths and doesn’t sugar coat anything which is refreshing. However, I think the most novel information was in his chapter on job interviews because it is an aspect that is mysterious to young scientists who have never been on the hiring end of a job hunt. Overall I found this to be a helpful guide for a beginning scientist who is thinking they want to continue in research.

(Review by Katie Degen- PhD Student in SBES)