infocus #63 September 2021 Part-time PhD: Top tips for success

Doing a PhD part-time around a busy day-job in a research facility can be a challenge, not only in balancing the time and responsibilities, but even getting it off the ground in the first place. There can be plenty of logistical and financial considerations, as well as dogma and attitudes to break through, but some advanced planning and steps can ease the way a little.

DOI: 10.22443/rms.inf.1.210

I run the Flow Cytometry Facility in Trinity College Dublin. Like many core facility scientists, I came into the job and performed ably (I think!) for many years without the letters PhD after my name. As with similar disciplines operated through central facilities, cytometry requires technical and scientific expertise, but also skills like project management, planning, reporting, book-keeping, HR, and customer service.

Such abilities are not necessarily reliant on having undertaken a doctoral degree, so a PhD is frequently not required for the post. But for me, once in the job a few years I felt a real impetus to do one.

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