How to Ace Your PhD Interviews

It’s February, which means interview season for most US neuroscience PhD programs is underway. First off - if you’ve made it here - congratulations! Those interview invites mean that your colleagues are excited about your research and your potential as a scientist. If you still have questions about how to make the most of your interviews, the BraiNY team is here to help. We’ve collected some wisdom below to help you navigate this exciting time.

 Q: How do I talk about my research?

Prepare (and practice!) a 2-3-minute pitch about a project you worked on. You should be able to describe your big research question, hypothesis, methods (with an emphasis on what parts YOU did), and major results. Be prepared to discuss where this line of research might lead in the long run, and the next experiments you would want to do if you were to continue with that project. Essentially, interviewers want to know that you have thought deeply about your research and that you understand what you did and why it matters. You might deviate from your “pitch,” as the conversation flows, but it’s good to have a few talking points to fall back on if you get nervous.

It's great if you can tell a story that leads into your current interests (ex. “I studied X, which made me curious about Y, so I’m looking forward to exploring that topic more in graduate school.”)

Beyond the basic concepts and techniques involved in your research, some interviewers may also be interested in what other skills you’ve learned that will serve you well going forward. For example, perhaps you gave a talk that improved your science communication, worked with multiple lab members to foster collaboration, or gained programming skills that will inform your future analyses.

Q: What else do grad schools want to know about me?

In addition to discussing your research, you should be able to answer the following:

What is your motivation, or your “why,” for doing research? In other words, what will keep you going when challenges arise? Maybe you’re passionate about a certain research area, excited to learn new techniques, or interested in improving our understanding of a certain disease.

What are your goals, and how will a PhD program help you get there? It’s okay if you don’t have your whole career mapped out just yet, but it’s good to have a path or two that you’re strongly considering. This could be running a lab one day, teaching, working as a scientist in industry, or going into science policy. Again, knowing your goals will help you find motivation and purpose throughout your PhD. Consider whether the program has teaching opportunities, connections with industry internships, or other programs in place to help you reach your goals.

Do your interests fit with those of the department? For programs that require rotations, you’ll ideally have at least 3-4 faculty members who you would be interested in working with. This way, if one lab isn’t taking students, you’ll still have plenty of options. It’s worth noting however, that many students (myself included), end up in labs that did not exist yet or weren’t on their radar when they applied, so it’s good to keep an open mind. Lastly, consider the expertise of the department or institution– most places have a few areas of focus – like learning and memory, drug addiction, or neuroimmunology. More labs related to your interests means more resources, collaborators, and people invested in your work down the road.

Overall, the people interviewing you want to know if you are someone who they would be excited to work with. If you can convey your excitement about your current (and future) science, and express genuine interest in theirs, you’re already most of the way there!

Q: How do I figure out if the program is right for me?

This interview is not just about the program evaluating you - you are evaluating them too. You’ve already thought about the science, but don’t undervalue all the other factors that will impact your quality of life. These could include location, your stipend, housing options, health insurance, teaching requirements, and more. Will you have what you need to be a healthy and happy human?

Determine whether the environment will be supportive for you. Ask for specific examples. You might say something like, “Can you tell me about a few things your department (or lab) has done that made you feel supported?” It’s easy to give a yes or no answer, but if someone can give a long list of examples, that’s a green flag. Asking multiple people, including more junior and more senior students, faculty, and folks from communities traditionally underrepresented in science will give you a more well-rounded picture.

Find your community. While the lab you eventually join is one of the most important choices you’ll make, the broader community of your department is important too.  Do the faculty seem welcoming and invested in your success? They might be your future thesis committee members, or informal mentors. Can you envision the students as your future collaborators, classmates, and hopefully friends? A PhD takes a village, so take some time to think about whether this is a village you’d like to be part of.  

A final note – HAVE FUN! This is an awesome opportunity to meet people in your field and have conversations about science.

Wishing you a successful interview season and a healthy and fulfilling 2023!

Lauren Vetere & the BraiNY Team

 

Other awesome resources for interview advice:   

Lauren Vetere is a Neuroscience PhD candidate at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in NYC. Her research focuses on how brain regions that are involved in spatial memory communicate with each other, and how that communication can be disrupted in animal models of epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease. Before starting grad school, she completed her BS in Neuroscience at University of Florida, where she studied how memory and decision making change during aging. When she is not doing science, Lauren enjoys baking, creative writing, growing way too many succulents, and petting dogs in central park. She also advocates for grad student and postdoc mental health as part of Sinai's Trainee Health and Wellness Committee.

Edited by Denise Croote, PhD

 
Lauren Vetere