Hosted by Avalere Health
This summer, we will be featuring blog posts written by PhD students who participated in Career Services’ Career Exploration Initiative (CEI), a program that helps doctoral candidates explore their career interests through networking opportunities with advanced degree professionals. Click here to learn more about CEI.
Participating in the PhD Career Exploration Initiative (CEI) has been a valuable professional development experience. Through my placement with Avalere Health, I had the opportunity to work with my mentor, Kate Webb, whose guidance helped me better understand both the medical writing field and my own professional strengths. Kate was approachable, transparent, and incredibly generous with her time.
She shared her career journey from PhD training to medical writing, provided insight into the structure of medical writing interviews, introduced me to the STAR interview method, and even walked me through examples of medical writing assessments commonly used during the hiring process. Beyond our scheduled discussions, she also offered feedback on application materials I was preparing for a biotechnology mentoring program. Her mentorship felt less like a formal supervisory relationship and more like having a knowledgeable and supportive guide helping me navigate the final stages of my PhD and prepare for the next chapter of my career.Â
One of the most important lessons I learned through CEI was recognizing the transferable skills I have developed throughout graduate school. As someone interested in transitioning beyond traditional academic research roles, I often worried that my experience was too specialized to be competitive in non-research positions. Through conversations with my mentor and participation in the weekly CEI sessions, I learned how to better articulate the broader skills embedded in my research experience. I realized that I am not only a scientist, but also a project manager, communicator, editor, collaborator, and problem solver. This shift in perspective has increased my confidence as I prepare to enter the job market.Â
The informational interviews and interactions with other fellows were equally impactful. Learning about their career interests and hearing from professionals across different industries expanded my understanding of the opportunities available to PhD-trained scientists. While CEI did not change my overall career goals, it helped me develop a realistic and actionable plan for pursuing them. The goal-setting exercises, in particular, taught me the value of creating structured timelines and measurable objectives during a job search.Â
For any PhD student considering CEI, I would strongly encourage applying. The time commitment is manageable, but the insights, mentorship, and confidence gained are invaluable. CEI provided perspectives and career development tools that I was not receiving in my day-to-day research environment, and it has made me feel far more prepared to navigate the transition from graduate school to my future career.Â
