PhD Inspiration - Dr Alex Conner, The University of Birmingham

Considering a PhD, but wondering what you'll actually get out of it? We've sat down with some of the UK's top academics to hear their experiences and thoughts on postgraduate study. Dr Alex Conner is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham Medical school. Here he shares some advice for new students.

Video Transcript

My name is Alex Conner, I’m a Senior Lecturer at the University of Birmingham Medical school and I’ve been asked to answer some questions by FindAPhD.com.

Why did you choose to do a PhD?

Silly reasons, really. I didn’t know what else to do, I got offered one. I got a degree and someone said, “Do you want to do this PhD?” I said, “Yes”. I didn’t actually ask, “What’s it on?” but I’ve never regretted it.

What did you get out of doing a PhD?

The main thing that I got was friends. Contacts. Networks, whatever. They remain to this day. I also got an understanding of how to manage a project and how to work as part of a team. Proper transferable skills for the marketplace.

What was the biggest challenge during your PhD?

This is a personal issue but, I struggle with the lack of short term goals. At the end of the three or four years, there’s a thesis to write. Which is fine but, Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, everyday – no short-term goals. I find that very difficult. I had to make them for myself - write a paper, go on a conference, go work in a foreign group. I struggle with focus and I have no attention span! I have to do little things to get me through those daily tasks.

Why should people do a PhD?

There is no way of answering that, it’s a personal choice. What I would say is do one because you want to. Not for anybody else, and certainly not for someone you wish you were or hope to be. Do it for who you are now. Do something that interests you.

What’s your top PhD tip?

I have two. One is you have all the power, don’t forget that. Very few people fail a PhD who start it. Certainly, anyone who writes a PhD themselves and has done the work, the vast majority of those people pass. If you don’t then it’s your supervisor and your college that gets into trouble, not you. The other one is, make contacts. Call it networking, or making friends. It doesn’t matter. Make as many as you can, these are never bad!