Note: These are my personal experiences and reflections. Every PhD journey is unique, and
what worked for my field and specific circumstances may not apply to everyone. I was extremely fortunate to
work with my advisors
Dr. Vaibhav Rajan and Assoc. Prof. Suranga Nanayakkara, who were extremely supportive and instrumental
in shaping my PhD journey - I could not have asked for better mentors. Some of the strategies here are the
takeaways from talks with postdocs and senior PhD students, which I found extremely helpful.
PhD Highlights ✨
My journey was driven by a desire to solve challenges faced by oncologists in cancer treatment using AI.
- Mission 🎯: Focused on developing a cancer treatment recommendation system, which
could be used by oncologists in treatment decision making.
- Output 📝: Published 3 core first author papers for my thesis, along with several
collaborative works.
- Impact 🏥: Contributed as a technical collaborator on a clinical trial to evaluate
how the AI models we developed together worked in clinical practice for cancer treatment.
- Outcome 🏆: Received multiple job offers, including post-doc and industry research
offers before
graduation.
Core Takeaways 💡
- Be Consistent ⏳: Success isn't about bursts of brilliance; it’s about
showing up for yourself every single day.
- Start Small 🌱: When a task feels insurmountable, take baby steps.
Small
wins build the momentum needed to get unstuck.
- Get Fast Feedback 💬: Don't wait for perfection. Optimize your time by
seeking feedback early and often.
- Find the right mentor ✅: Connect early with potential mentors and try
to work
with them closely, to understand their mentorship style and expectations. It is
imperative to
be on the same page to make the best use of your time and resources.
Productivity Tips & Tricks ⚡
Managing Yourself
- Schedule Breaks ☕: Add breaks on your calendar just like meetings. You can’t finish
a
PhD on an empty tank.
- Organization 📅: Use your calendar for everything and maintain rigorous to-do
lists.
- Broaden Your Horizons 🌐: Attend seminars outside your niche and revisit
fundamental
courses. Inspiration often comes from varied sources.
- Teaching 🏫: Revisit the basics by teaching; it solidifies your own understanding.
- Strategic Coursework 📚: Whenever possible, tie your coursework deliverables
directly
to your research directions.
Staying on Track
- Peer Support 🙏: Find a supportive group with diverse perspectives to keep you
grounded.
- Deadline Mastery 📅: Mark conference submission deadlines on your calendar months
in
advance.
- Administrative Efficiency 📑: Finish your mandatory graduation requirements early
to
clear your plate for research.
Research Strategy 🔍
- Literature Management 📖: Sign up for topic updates and follow relevant X (Twitter)
channels. It’s hard to cover everything, but staying in the loop is worth the effort.
- Writing Workflow 📝: Try creating presentation slides first to refine your logic,
or
do a "memory
dump" and refine the writing in subsequent passes.
- Data Integrity 💾: Sort your data right at the beginning. Spend time on the
experimental design and model architecture before you build too much on top of it.
- Reviewing 📝: Reviewing papers for conferences is a great exercise, as it helps
you
understand different writing styles and even learn new topics.
- Tool Use 🤖: Learn how best to use tools available to you, like LLMs, to speed up
your research. But do remember to adhere to guidelines of the university and publishers.
Generating Impact 🌎
Real-world impact, especially in interdisciplinary fields, requires having the right collaborators,
which I was very lucky to have.
- Find Collaborators 🤝: Look for partners who fill your skill gaps. Seek your
advisor’s
help to create connections.
- Build Trust 🤝: Sustained working relationships are key. Involve partners in the
initial stages for requirement gathering.
- The Reality of Data 💾: Be mentally prepared for data cleaning to be a huge part of
the
process. Figuring this out early is often crucial and helps lay a strong foundation.
The Job Hunt 💼
- Internships 💼: Apply and keep interviewing. It keeps your skills sharp and your
network growing.
- Conference Networking 👥: Visit booths and make a list of "must-meet" people before
you arrive.
- Practice 🗣️: Attend local events to hone your networking and communication skills.
- Be Ready 📧: Keep templates ready for cold emails (jobs, internships, or
collaborations).
- Timing ⏳: Research hiring seasons. Talk to recruiters inside companies to identify
these
patterns early.