I enjoyed my studies immensely at Sheffield and wanted a chance to go more in depth on a particular area of biomedical sciences.

I am responsible for my DPhil research including laboratory experiments and writing.

I spend two thirds of my time carrying out experiments which can be very interesting and technically and theoretically demanding. Designing experiments can be one of the most fun parts. I then spend the other third working on theory including having published a first author peer reviewed paper and writing presentations and posters for national and international conferences. Talking to other scientists about my work is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling parts and I always enjoy a good discussion.

4 year funded DPhil place in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, The University of Oxford.

1 year research assistant at the Uehiro Center of Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford. Here I studied neuroethics and wrote literature reviews and philosophy papers.

I am currently in the process of applying for graduate entry medicine which I will start when I have completed my PhD. This is because I would like to engage in clinical practice as well as clinical research and the experience I have gained as a PhD student will not only benefit my clinical research career it will also contribute to evidence based clinical practice.

Experience in a lab before embarking on a DPhil is crucial. I would ensure you do two things:
1. Have some long term experience of what lab sciences are like - 2 months over the summer is perfect and can help get some money too. This is crucial because PhD's are difficult and this foreknowledge can really help you recognise how to deal with it.
2. Get lots of information on what the supervisor is like and what the atmosphere of the laboratory is like. The more you get on with your lab and can get help from your lab the better your experience and your science will be.