Over the past few years, Isabelle Kohler has heard the same question countless times from Master’s students: should they do a PhD? Students often associate a PhD with research but overlook other important aspects, notably related to career prospects. In this column, Isabelle discusses the realities that PhD students may face, which are often overshadowed by the emphasis on research.

If you have been following Exploring Academia for some time, you will know that I value teaching and mentoring students very highly. Students have noticed this too; they feel more comfortable asking me for advice about their careers. A common question I hear from Master’s students is:

‘Should I do a PhD?’

I have heard this question countless times. When I was a pharmacy student, only 10% of my classmates pursued a PhD, likely because most pharmacy graduates traditionally worked in community or hospital pharmacies. But students I have supervised and mentored in the Netherlands face a much wider array of choices (e.g., industry, government institutes, start-up companies, science communication, academic career, etc.). I am therefore surprised by the relatively high and increasing number of students interested in a PhD.