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Often times, people ask me why I decided to get a PhD degree. They mostly ask because they find it difficult to fathom why a person would choose to go to school for such a long time to obtain a degree that doesn't guarantee a job upon completion.  I have long contended that passion, not employment, is the main driver in the decision to get a PhD--but I digress.

Back in ancient times when I started graduate school, the average time it took to attain a PhD degree in my department (Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison) was about 5.5 years (this included a mandatory Masters degree). At the time, many faculty members thought that the average time to a PhD degree was too long. Consequently, they instituted an ambitious plan and mandate to reduce the time to a PhD from 5.5 to 4.0 years.  Interestingly, only one person in our class of 25 was able the complete a PhD degree in 4.0 years (he got very lucky). The time it took for the rest of us (who remained in the PhD degree program) ranged from 5.0 to 10 years. 

With this in mind, the New York Times published an article in its Education Life supplement last weekend that compared the average length of time it takes to attain a PhD in various disciplines; ranging from the life sciences to the humanities.

While it should come as no surprise that it takes longer to obtain a PhD degree in humanities as compared with other disciplines, the average length of time that it takes to get a PhD in the life sciences has ballooned to almost 7 years! 

I am certain that this increase reflects the lack of urgency to finish a PhD in the life sciences because of the growing shortages of jobs in the sector. However, I believe that keeping students in graduate school for inordinately long periods of time doesn’t do them much good with regard to long term career outcomes. This is because —as most card- carrying PhDs will tell you—the real education doesn’t truly begin until your first postdoctoral fellowship or full time job.

While graduate school may seem extremely difficult and overwhelming at times, it truly doesn’t compare with the pressures, demands and anxieties pervasive in the working world. To that end, shortening the time PhD students spend in graduate school may afford them the opportunity to begin to experience the “real world” prior to the age of 35 to 40; the current age range of most life sciences PhDs looking for the “their first real jobs.”

Alternatively, if the time it takes to obtain a life sciences PhD degree can not be shortened, then it would behoove graduate programs to begin to integrate specialized instructional programs, e.g. alternate careers, career counseling, resume writing and interviewing workshops, etc, into their  curricula to more adequately prepare students for the working world.

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!!

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I regularly watch Real Time with Bill Maher and generally agree with many of the political views and ideas that he espouses. In fact, I am a fan! However, his rant two weeks ago about the H1N1 vaccines, and vaccination in general, showed me that while politically astute and incisive he has absolutely no understanding about science and modern medicine (see video below). Making matters worst, his guest, former conservative senator Bill Frist, a surgeon by training, was ill prepared to correct and refute some of Maher’s outrageous assertions regarding the differences between the two currently available H1N1 vaccines and the basic principles of vaccinology.

Maher is quick to tell people that they are stupid when they don’t agree with his ideas or political views. And, he rightfully criticized George W. Bush for routinely making decisions about important issues based on “his gut feelings” rather than facts. Ironically, this is exactly what Bill Maher does when he talks to his guests about medicine and food. Maher, who may be a vegetarian and is clearly anti-traditional medicine,  is quick to point out that Westernized medicine and food production is profit driven and consequently, any information or advice offered by the US government is little more than a ploy to keep people sick and fat. In other words, don’t trust anything that the government tells you if you believe otherwise or you heard it from a celebrity. 

I suspect that science wasn’t Bill’s “cup of tea” (he frequently calls the tea baggers who don’t trust anything that the Obama administration tells them idiots and morons) and may have never taken anything he learned about science seriously. If he had, he might have learned how vaccines work and realized that modern vaccines (the first vaccines were produced in the 1780s) protect over 95% of people who receive them from devastating childhood diseases and even cervical cancer. Instead, he cites bogus and scientifically refuted claims about vaccine safety including mercury poisoning, links to autism and the miniscule possibility of developing Guerin-Barr Syndrome (which was first observed in large number of patients following vaccination with the 1976 Swine Flu vaccine). Shockingly, despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary he continues to spew misinformation and flat-out wrong claims about vaccines. Ironically, his wrong-headed vaccine tirades are remarkably similar to those of the Birthers —people who refuse to believe that President Obama is an American despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary—and racists who contend that Obama is a Muslim—two groups that he is quick to bash and dismiss as crazies and morons. In other words, Maher believes that he is right even though he is clearly misinformed or wrong!

Originally, I was going to write this post after Maher’s “Real Time” tirade about vaccines almost two weeks ago on Real Time. However, I relented but couldn’t help myself after reading an article in today’s Scientist Times about a pregnant woman who lost her second child after she contracted the flu. As many of you may know, pregnant women are very susceptible to influenza which could have serous consequences for the mother and baby. This is an exchange the woman had with a physical therapist with whom she was working to regain muscle control after being hospitalized (and near death) for almost 4 months:

“Have you ever read the labels?” she (the physical therapist asked). “They’re so full of toxins.”

Asked if she realized that a shot, had it existed in June, might have saved her client and her baby, she frowned and went back to her clipboard.

Are you kidding me—full of toxins? This is exactly what Maher was trying to imply during his anti-vaccine rant on Real Time. Unfortunately, millions of people listen to him and celebrities like Oprah, Dr. Phil and Maher and many believe (and blindly follow) their recommendations and advice. While this may not be a problem when talking about hair color, books to read or weight loss it is extremely troubling and dangerous when it comes to scientific and medical advice. The problem is that a vast majority of Americans are scientifically illiterate and are either incapable or unwilling to analyze and evaluate scientific or medical information on their own. This forces many people to rely on the Internet, government agencies and sometimes healthcare professionals to do their medical and scientific thinking for them. And when things go wrong, or not as advertised, they are quick to accuse the government or the healthcare industry of withholding information and engaging in nefarious conspiracies. This is exacerbated by the fact that science and medical reporting in the US is grossly inadequate, often wrong and frequently designed to be as sensationalistic as possible. Is it any wonder why the American public is often confused and misinformed about science and medicine?

My scientific training has taught me to analyze and evaluate all available data before I draw any conclusions on a topic. And, as an infectious disease expert I believe that childhood vaccines are unequivocally safe and effective. To that end, they have substantially reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with mumps, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough, pneumonia, tetanus, almost eradicated polio and eliminated smallpox from the planet. There is no doubt that there are risks associated with vaccination and that a small number of those vaccinated may experience some side effects or serious adverse events. But, the small risks associated with modern vaccines don’t outweigh the benefits and positive effects on billions of people who may have lost their lives if they hadn’t been developed in the first place. I wonder whether or not an anti-vaccine movement would exist today if smallpox and polio were still causing as much death, disfigurement and paralysis as they had prior to development of the smallpox and polio vaccines in the mid 20^th century.

In closing, as an American, I believe that everybody is entitled to their opinions and the right to freely express them. However, I implore Bill Maher get the FACTS right before summarily bashing a topic and making recommendations to the millions of people who watch Real Time and believe what he says. Otherwise, he is no smarter or better than the ignorant, close-minded, right wingers who he regularly trashes on his show.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!!

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I have heard from many jobseekers, who—despite many years of work experience— are having difficulty finding full time employment. During economic down turns many companies cannot or are reluctant to hire full time employees. However, this doesn’t mean that there is work to be done. Consequently, many firms look for part-time, temporary or contract workers to handle the work that must get done to maintain operations.

Melanie Wanzek of CTW Features wrote an excellent article on why taking a temporary job might be a great opportunity for those who can’t find full time employment. Temporary jobs provide an opportunity to learn new skills, apply old skills to solve new problems or to gain experience in your profession.

For those of you who think that this may be right for you. Here are several questions you should ask a prospective employer when considering whether or not to accept a temporary or contract job opportunity.

1. Who will my supervisor be?
2. What hours will I be expected to work?
3. Is there a dress code?
4. What is the work environment like?
5. Do temporary workers have their own workspace or is it shared?
6. How are my benefits different or similar to full time employees?
7. Is there more scheduling flexibility for temporary workers?
8. Is there a possibility that this temporary opportunity might turn into full time employment?

Scientist who may be interested in contract work please check out a previous post that I wrote on this topic.

Until next time

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!

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