To Do or Not to Do a PhD?: Insight and Guidance from a Public Health PhD Graduate (SpringerBriefs in Public Health)

This book prepares and guides individuals who are about to embark (or already have embarked) on a health/medical PhD journey, with a specific focus on Public Health. Based on the author's experience as a recently graduated Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student, readers benefit from the knowledge imparted and lessons learned, including an analysis of the different aspects of a Public Health doctoral degree, and practical tips and guidance on how to go about this journey from the initial phase of choosing a research niche up until the oral examination (also called defence). All throughout the book, the author shares examples from her own journey to show that in spite of sacrifices and hurdles along the way, hard work, perseverance, and supportive resources can help see you through, eventually, to a hopefully positive outcome at the end. Using an informal style, the author provides a step-wise guide, from chapter to chapter, on the various essential aspects that need to be considered, including: • The initial steps towards a PhD • Proposal, permissions and funding • The fieldwork • The art of data analysis • The hurdles along the way – a personal experience • What comes after the completion of a PhD? Intended to be a compact go-to guide for students throughout their PhD journey, both from an academic and personal perspective, To Do or Not to Do a PhD? engages readers who are about to enroll in or who already have started a PhD, especially in public health, epidemiology, and health/medical fields of study. The brief also would appeal to postgraduate and undergraduate students who are interested in learning about how to write a research proposal, draft a scientific paper for publication in a journal, or prepare a thesis. Preface......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 About the Author......Page 10 Chapter 1: What Is a PhD? Am I Ready for This Commitment?......Page 11 Why Should I Read for a PhD?......Page 12 What Am I Getting Myself into?......Page 13 What Types of PhDs Are Out There?......Page 15 Getting a PhD in the United States......Page 18 US Entry Requirements......Page 19 The US PhD Programme......Page 20 The UK PhD Application......Page 21 Getting a PhD in Europe......Page 22 Entry Requirements......Page 23 The Proposal......Page 24 The Study Design (Methodology)......Page 25 Permissions......Page 26 Funding for Your Research Project......Page 28 Defining the Population......Page 30 Questionnaire......Page 31 Recruitment of Fieldworkers......Page 32 Setting Up Your Fieldwork......Page 33 Laboratory Fieldwork......Page 35 References......Page 37 Chapter 5: The Art of Data Analysis......Page 38 Parametric or Non-parametric?......Page 39 Analytic Studies......Page 41 Reference......Page 42 Chapter 6: Putting Pen to Paper to Publication......Page 43 Structuring a Scientific Paper......Page 44 Targeting the Most Appropriate Journal......Page 46 References......Page 48 Thesis vs. Research Manuscripts......Page 50 The Structure of a Thesis......Page 51 Reference......Page 57 Chapter 8: The Hurdles Along the Way: A Personal Experience......Page 58 Chapter 9: Getting Ready for the Oral Defence......Page 62 Preparing for the Big Day......Page 63 After the Oral Defence......Page 65 Academia......Page 66 Public and Private Sectors......Page 67 Personal Experience......Page 68 Index......Page 70