Vinith Bhandari
Branch: Bachelors of Pharmacy
Batch: 2016 batch, 4th year
CG: 9.25 CG
Field of interest :
Drug development and therapeutics for the Psychiatric disorders.
Also interested in Neuroscience.
Currently pursuing his thesis in Neurobiology at the University of Vienna.
How did you choose your current career path ?
During my 2nd and 3rd years, I experimented a lot with different fields in Pharmaceutical Sciences like Molecular Biology, Drug development, Nanoparticles and Diagnostics, Psychometry and Cognition, etc.
This helped me finally decide what I want to do and what interests me.
I wanted to stick to Pharmaceutical Sciences and still explore Neurosciences, hence took this thesis opportunity in Neuropathology and Degeneration models in Drosophila.
There is no direct way to stumble on your desired career path. You have to keep choosing and eliminating other options till you find something you like and want to immerse yourself in.
In college it is important to explore as much as possible and find a particular interest. Then you have to work hard toward it continuously.
You will be able to do something long term only if you have the drive toward it.
There are a lot of things I did while in college. I tried to keep everything diversified and applied problem solving everywhere possible. It takes a lot of effort but you stay interested in what you are doing. It’s like finding meaning in doing things and simply not doing things for the sake of it.
What advice do you have for juniors ?
The labs are a bit overwhelming and it’s hard to find time to concentrate on anything else. You have to get used to that.
Try to keep up with academics by attending classes and also concentrate on getting a good project, the outcome of which should be a good recommendation letter, skill set added, and possibly a publication.
It’s easy to balance these if you attend classes regularly.
Experimenting in different areas is a good idea to start with. Lab work requires hard work and patience as it’s a slow and long process.
Professors are really approachable in my department. Ask them for guidance, possible projects, and even places for summer internships and thesis, they can help you go.
Working independently is a very good thing.Try to get there. Use your free time to read up on current research trends, updates on what are currently the hot topics in the industry and connect with people on LinkedIn etc.
Reading books on subjects you are not very good at, helps in the long run. It gets easier the more you persevere.
Being smart, good at reading, and coming up with ideas shows enthusiasm and proves that you are fit to work in research. It does not require CG. To outsiders though, CG proves everything. It’s a given that Bachelors won’t have a lot of research exposure so they have to be proficient in theory. Your CGPA validates that. It shows that you worked hard during your Bachelors.
Yes you can balance it with other factors like published papers, projects, internships, essays etc but it’s better if you don’t have to do that. It’s easy to score. No subject is absolutely difficult. Our professors are sensible that way.
You have to work hard though. If you have chosen Pharmaceutical Sciences, it’s going to be a tough life. It’s still a lot of fun. My Bachelors gave me a lot of time to take up so many things like Mime, Slam Poetry, etc.
You just need to stay motivated and keep working. When you start getting the rewards, you will realise, it is worth it. All of it.
How to stumble into research. Is doing an MS fit for you? Or a direct PhD?
1. Find your interest : keep searching for the one thing that you would like to work on. Keep it brief and try understanding what exactly interests you in it.
2. Find projects that are relevant to the field and start working.
3. When you work independently in the project after some initial guidance, you will realise what exactly you must do and what you need to focus on learning . If you feel satisfied with the work you are doing, continue; otherwise choose a different area. Never give up, there are plenty of opportunities.
4. These are things you finish up in your 2nd and 3rd year. 1st years try to focus mostly on academics and spend some time on your hobbies (have fun). By the beginning of your second year, you should work out how you must balance out acads, projects, etc.
By the end of your 3rd year, you should be clear about what exactly you want to do and work accordingly. Choose a thesis area, send out mails and decide if 4-1 or 4-2 suits you better.
5. If you want to still get a better grasp on your chosen field or want to move to a different field, opt for a Masters program. If you are confident that you already know what exactly you want to do in your field of interest, try applying for a direct PhD. Nothing here is solid and you design your own path. In research, there is no direct way to your goals.
6. Make it a point to stay in contact with your professors in 2nd and 3rd year. Keep discussing with them what you plan on doing and ask for guidance. They are really helpful and their insights are valuable (but never definitive).
7. Based on your discussions and interactions with seniors in research; start looking at college websites - ideal time for this is 3rd year. Check out the programs and requirements for applications. If GRE is a requirement, start preparing and ideally finish it by 3rd year winter (4-1 thesis) or 3rd year summer (4-2 thesis).
8. Don’t fill out too many applications and try to apply for things that genuinely interest you. Try not to limit yourself with information from seniors, friends and professors. I would have never stumbled upon the Cambridge course had I stopped there.
9. It’s always good to find someone already doing what you would like to do after college and discuss it with them. There are no stupid questions and don’t hesitate. Grab as much information as possible. My applications were the most bizarre in my peer group but I was confident about it.
Disclaimer: The points given above are the views and steps taken by the individual. They are not fixed steps and guideline to base your college upon. Our hope is to inspire students so they can take the necessary steps here after. We hope you like it!
Written By: Eishitha Tripathi
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