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Arguments for gap-year(s) before PhD

A PhD is a long and grueling journey. If you are hesitant about the commitment, I highly recommend taking one or two years after college to perform full-time research. You will have a clearer idea of pursuing a PhD, as well as enhancing your PhD application with more research experiences and accomplishments. 

 

Personally, I spent two years after college as a postbac fellow at the National Institutes of Health. Coming from a cognitive psychology background, I took the opportunity to perform biochemistry research in a neuroscience lab. While I am no longer affiliated with the field, the experience continues to shape my current research interests. Working full time in the lab also allowed me to pursue independent projects and solidified my passion for research; I switched career paths from MD/PhD to PhD. Without school and coursework, I was able to pursue personal hobbies, travel, and prepare for the busy PhD interview season. 

 

Additional perks (in time for PhD applications) included:

  • New letter of recommendation from gap-year lab

  • My undergraduate paper was published (this is a long process!)

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Even now, I continue to benefit from papers that are being published years after the conclusion of my gap-year fellowship. I would not have been accepted to the same PhD programs without the extra two years of research underneath my belt. I also find that a majority of my peers who continue in academia (postdoc, faculty) took gap years before graduate school (anecdotal).

Arguments against a Master’s Degree:

Quite frankly, this is a huge financial commitment. In the US, you will receive a Master’s degree during the course of your PhD (for free!). Having a Master’s degree will also disqualify you from certain grants (such as the National Science Foundation GRF) if you decide to pursue a PhD later. Additionally, the intensive coursework for most Master’s programs will mean that you cannot perform/experience full-time research in the lab. I would only recommend a Master’s degree if you are switching fields.

Types of post-bac opportunities:

Most positions require a two-year commitment. I personally believe this is a good length of time for showing productivity (discoveries, conference presentations, papers if lucky) and for a stronger letter of recommendation. Remember, if you only take one gap year, the new PI can only write about what you accomplished in the first 3-6 months when the letter of recommendation is due (usually December 1st)

 

Lab manager role:

  • Pros: 

    • Usually interact directly with PI

    • Learn how to manage a lab. Often involved in numerous projects

  • Cons:

    • Often a more administrative position with limited time/opportunities for independent research

Technicians:

  • Pros:

    • Full-time research

    • Often paired with an established senior lab member (postdoc, staff scientist) who should have time to provide direct mentorship

    • If you are in a large lab that hires many technicians (i.e. HHMI labs), you will have a community of peers (this helps with social network and even graduate school application process)

  • Cons:

    • Your experience (mentorship, training, and even publications) will depend largely on your direct supervisor

    • If your time is being shared by multiple people (i.e. postdocs), you may not have time or guidance for your independent project. This may also affect the quality of mentorship you receive

Fellowships:

  • Pros:

    • You can defer your student loans

    • Structured. They will have cohorts, networking and training opportunities, courses (usually optional), and staff dedicated to guiding you through the PhD application process

    • Often target underrepresented groups in STEM

  • Cons:

    • Limited number of programs and are usually more competitive

 

Industry: disclaimer – I do not have experience with this path

  • Pros:

    • Much better pay

  • Cons:

    • More difficult to publish

    • Less likely to have your own project

    • *Not a con, but I do not see many people in biological PhD programs who have postbac industry experience. This likely reflects potential applicants choosing to stay in industry rather than a weakness in their PhD applications

Resources:

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