Title: STUDENTS’ COLUMN

Author:

Section/SPIG: Occupational Health and Safety

Issue Date:

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Lessons of a Doctorate
By Sarah-Truclinh Tran
Oregon Health and Science University
MPH Epidemiology/Biostatistics 2006

In early June, I was fortunate to have been selected from a national applicant pool to attend a training called the Minority Training Program in Cancer Control Research (MTPCCR) at the University of California at San Francisco. The program was created in 1998 by a cancer control researcher who was concerned about the increase in the incidence rate of cancers among minority populations. At the same time, she noticed a shortage of scientists from these affected ethnic communities who could lead research to reverse this trend. Thus, the MTPCCCR was founded to encourage minority masters-level students to pursue doctoral training and to choose a career in public health research.

During the training, we enjoyed guest speakers from UCSF, UCLA, NIH, and the Northern California Cancer Center who discussed such public health issues as the disparities in disease distribution, the challenges of research in multi-ethnic communities, and the current intervention models. In one event, the staff performed a comical skit to illustrate the long and arduous process of selecting the “right” questions for a cross-cultural survey. The underlying message was that, like the survey, a “one size fits all” approach is not an effective way to improve the health outcomes across different cultures. In the course of 5 days, I was exposed to various research opportunities in health research and was given the foundational knowledge and resources to apply to a doctoral program. Even more valuable to me was meeting the 21 other individuals, each from rich and diverse backgrounds, who gave me the moral support and confidence to seriously consider a doctorate degree. The farewell ceremony was emotional, with all of us pledging to continue to support one another well into the future. I decided that even if I choose not to pursue a doctorate degree, I can still help improve the health outcomes in vulnerable populations through public health research.

The three most important lessons that I learned from the MTPCCR that I would recommend to anyone interested in pursuing a doctorate degree are:

1) Do not pay for a PhD - there are many institutions that will waive tuition and offer you a stipend just for attending their school. In addition, plenty of fellowships and grant supports are available to help you pay your way. Take advantage of free money!

2) Networking - Increase your chance of getting into the school of your choice by getting in touch with faculty members that you are interested in working with once there. Not only will this show the selection committee that you’ve done your homework, it gives you a better idea of whether the program is a good fit for you.

3) Support - this is the most important element of the application process. Support does not come only from family and friends, but colleagues, mentors and professors can provide the encouragement and resources to help guide your way.

In the end, it is important to remember that you should choose a doctoral program that fits you, not the other way around.