Hosted by Merck
Describe your experience working with your host.
At our initial meeting, my host took the time to understand where I was in my PhD program, my anticipated dissertation timeline and the ideas I had for the next step in my career path. He also described his educational background and the path to his current role in the Global Digital Analytics and Technologies team at Merck. During the course of the semester, he setup informational interviews with other team members at Merck, with backgrounds similar to mine. The meetings were tailored in a way that enabled me to get familiar with and gather valuable insights into the work culture at Merck.
What did you learn from the opportunity (about yourself, about career fields, the job search, etc.)?
As a graduate student transitioning to industry, the informational interviews helped me understand how the current members with a similar academic background at Merck have navigated their career path, and how the experience has provided them opportunities to collaborate with other teams and with a diverse skillset.
How does your CEF experience benefit your future career plans?
The rich variety of CEF workshops, especially the ones focusing on LinkedIn and resume building, helped me on how to better market the skills gained during my doctoral journey. Further, the informational interviews helped me get a better idea of the work culture at Merck and the career path adapted by Merck members as they had transitioned from academia to industry roles.
What was the most valuable part of your CEF experience?
The CEF fellowship helped me build connections with scientists at Merck that will be extremely valuable as I navigate my career path in the medical imaging field.
Top reason PhD students should apply to the CEF.
The Career Exploration Fellowship provides PhD students with an understanding of the experience of being a scientist in the industry, and ease their transition from academic to industry roles as well.
