My final report covers my placement at AstraZeneca and my application to PhD programmes. My time at AstraZeneca provided invaluable insights into real-world medical research, reinforcing my commitment to pursuing a career in the field. I chose to apply for PhD programmes because a PhD is typically a prerequisite for becoming a medical researcher. The application process is distinct from that of undergraduate and master’s degree programmes. Hopefully, this report will be a helpful resource for Tazaki Foundation scholars interested in pursuing a PhD.

I undertook a 6-month placement at AstraZeneca. Each third-year student in my undergraduate degree programme is allocated to a project either internally at Imperial College London or externally at a partner company. Fortunately, my allocated project was held at AstraZeneca. The laboratory at AstraZeneca was more up to date than the laboratories at Imperial College London. The biggest change from last year was that I made experimental protocols myself. My supervisor was at the office every day, so I could ask for help if needed. We had meetings twice a week to discuss my experimental results and plans. Like a postgraduate student, I was expected to conduct experiments independently with guidance from my supervisor. This experience will be an ideal stepping stone to my postgraduate studies.

I started applying for PhD studentships in October. Skipping a master’s degree can save time and money, which motivated me to apply for PhD studentships rather than master’s degree programmes. In the UK, most PhD students are enrolled in studentships which enable them to pursue a PhD without paying tuition fees. I used the Find PhD website to search for studentships that aligned with my research interests. However, studentships typically cover tuition fees for UK home students, making it difficult to find studentships that matched my research interests and also covered international tuition fees. The recruitment schedule and application deadlines for studentships vary—not only across universities but even within the same institution. I patiently continued searching and applied for as many studentships as possible because they are competitive. Some studentships require applicants to contact the supervisor prior to submitting a formal application. It often took more than a week to receive an email reply from the supervisor. They held an online casual meeting, in which I introduced myself and explained my motivation for the research topic. It was also a great opportunity to gather more information about their research group. After these processes, applicants can submit the formal application. Although contacting supervisors makes the application process more demanding, it’s essential to find the right supervisor. After submitting the application, selected candidates are invited to an interview. Mostly, interviews are the last selection process, and offers are made afterwards.

I received the offer for a PhD studentship from the University of Dundee in March. This studentship covers full tuition fees at the international student rate and provides an annual stipend for four years. It is funded by the Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU), a research institute within the University of Dundee.

Over the past three years, I gained many new experiences: I learned to live independently; shared a flat with three flatmates; volunteered at a school in Nepal; worked part-time in London; and completed a placement at AstraZeneca. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the Tazaki Foundation, which made these possible. I am going to start a 4-year PhD programme in September. It will be challenging, but I look forward to dedicating myself to research and contributing to the advancement of medicine.