That sounds really worthwhile.
Why do you want to do that?

What are you doing at the moment?

EDIT: I'm not asking WHY you want to do something worthwhile.
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 0:32, 1 reply, 15 years ago)

I'm a research scientist
working in cancer genetics. But without a PhD, there's no career path, essentially. I love the field I work in, but I really don't want to be bottom of the pile with no chance of progression for the next 20 years...
(berk, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 0:35, Reply)

How long will the PhD take?
Is it something you can do whilst working, or would you need to be a full-time student to get it?
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 0:36, Reply)

No, you can't do a PhD
part time. Not in science. Besides, they are funded, it's not like I'd need a student loan or owt - in fact as they're tax free I'd actually be getting a payrise in all likelihood (academia is appallingly paid) the one I particularly want has 4 years funding.
(berk, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 0:42, Reply)

How many places offer the chance to study this?
And where are they?
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 0:47, Reply)

All over the place, really
It's the Russell Group universities mainly though - if I get offered one I'm likely to be in London/Cambridge/Oxford/Birmingham, or possibly Manchester/Newcastle/Bristol/Edinburgh.
(berk, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 0:52, Reply)

yay! Bristol gets a mention!
Do you have any preference, or is the qualification more important than where you earn it?

I assume a PhD is valued more than a degree in terms where it was acquired?

Or is there still the thinking that 'an Oxford PhD is better than a Birmingham PhD'?
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 0:54, Reply)

I lived in Bristol for a year
it's a fucking awesome place and I would love to move back - however most of the research done there isn't really my thing - it's all very clinical, a lot of cardiac stuff.
Academia is pretty snobbish. If I went and got my PhD from, I don't know...Swansea or Middlesbrough or something, for science at least it'd be practically worthless. You need to go to a good research uni for it to mean anything really.
(berk, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:01, Reply)

After Oxford
Where would you love it be?
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:03, Reply)

Ignoring the fact that that sentence seems to make no sense...
I don't really mind. I'd quite like to live in London, but really any of the cities I mentioned above I'd be happy living in.
(berk, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:06, Reply)

Sorry, I've opened a third bottle.
I wouldn't wish Middlesborough on anyone,(although I imagine you'd get the PhD within 6 months, with nothing better to do...)

When do you find out if your applications have been successful?
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:09, Reply)

Yeah, I went to Durham University
but I was at a campus about 5 miles outside of Middlesbrough, and spent 4 years there. I wouldn't go back unless it was a freaking awesome, queen-of-the-universe style job or PhD.
This oxford one is pretty quick; interviews are 13/14th December, so I find out in a few weeks. The other one whose deadline is tomorrow, he interview isn't til late January.
(berk, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:13, Reply)

What is the overall ambition?
To use the research to get a job within medicine, or to get a professorship so you can help other students?
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:16, Reply)

I'll carry on in research most likely
Professorship doesn't happen til you're about 50 or so!
(berk, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:17, Reply)

you'll like it when you get it

( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:21, Reply)

But surely successful research results
in people wanting to know how you got there?

Or, in my uneducated way, am I missing the point?
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:21, Reply)

I'm not sure
of anything other than that I've been asleep for the last five minutes and I desperately need to go to bed. Sorry, and night!
(berk, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:23, Reply)

I was about to post similar
Sleep well.

Hope you are warm enough too!
( JeffTheDogFucker Can you dig it?, Thu 18 Nov 2010, 1:26, Reply)