Singapore Life Science Conundrum

[song]

Just want to share this article that i come across

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/148163.asp

hope our nus and NTU grad can see and show some support for the author

 

[retrok]

Just want to share this article that i come across

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/148163.asp

hope our nus and NTU grad can see and show some support for the author

Thanks for the read. But how do we show our "support"?

While I sympathise with him, he did make two fundamental mistakes:
1. Choosing a field because it was a "hype".
2. Choosing a PhD because it will mean a job.

But that said, it is good that he pointed out the realities of "a local pursuing a local PhD", so that someone else may make an informed choice.

 

[satay16]

thanks for showing that article. i am planning to do pure physics(and then therotical physics) in uni. really wonder if i would encounter the same problem as him.

 

[song]

Thanks for the read. But how do we show our "support"?

While I sympathise with him, he did make two fundamental mistakes:
1. Choosing a field because it was a "hype".
2. Choosing a PhD because it will mean a job.

But that said, it is good that he pointed out the realities of "a local pursuing a local PhD", so that someone else may make an informed choice.

Ah, it just showed that govt messages in the media are all engineered for some purpose.
That person choose it because it is hyped because the media is giving false impression of the lifescience industry. It is very unfortunate that our education system still advise course choice after A-level based on government's messages. Nowadays , u see a lot of people in biology combination in a-level.


Your second point is valid. but it is sad that the government is telling everyone that lifescience is economics to singapore. So everyone think it is a job and a rice bowl just like the electronic industry.

 

[satay16]

Ah, it just showed that govt messages in the media are all engineered for some purpose.
That person choose it because it is hyped because the media is giving false impression of the lifescience industry. It is very unfortunate that our education system still advise course choice after A-level based on government's messages. Nowadays , u see a lot of people in biology combination in a-level.


Your second point is valid. but it is sad that the government is telling everyone that lifescience is economics to singapore. So everyone think it is a job and a rice bowl just like the electronic industry.

right now, the A lvls for the J1 batch this year is even more risky. The new syallbus makes it complusory to take at least 1 contrasting subject, making triple science students history(unless you are talking about crazy ones that takes 5 As). So for the science student, it is often between this dillemma: Physics Chem or Chem Bio?

 

[Shodan99]

It is very mis-guided that a PhD is a ticket to a well-paying job in singapore. It is very sad that Singaporeans think this way! There are more than 1 way to earn a living.

FYI, I have turned down a PhD offer from Leeds Uni (fees+living sponsored) mainly because of a desire to start my career. But right now, I am considering doing one at the local universities is because of a quest for knowledge.

In my opinion, only a desire for knowledge will see you through the long hours in the lab and not forgetting the accompanying research and analysis! Think carefully before you consider!

 

[VR Man]

Generally speaking, those that major in math and/or pure physics can always switch to life sciences later on for their PHD but not the other way round.

Most of the easy stuff for life sciences have been discovered. These days, you do require lotsa computaion math/physics/science to make new discoverives or solve problems in life sciences.

 

[dkw]

Ah, it just showed that govt messages in the media are all engineered for some purpose.
That person choose it because it is hyped because the media is giving false impression of the lifescience industry. It is very unfortunate that our education system still advise course choice after A-level based on government's messages. Nowadays , u see a lot of people in biology combination in a-level.


Your second point is valid. but it is sad that the government is telling everyone that lifescience is economics to singapore. So everyone think it is a job and a rice bowl just like the electronic industry.

Actually there is no merit in his statements whatsoever. You mean the government deliberately falsely hyped up the life science industry? And to what end would that achieve? He goes on to make statements about employment opportunities which are totally unfounded. I am aware of many jobs in life-sciences for which a PhD is pre-requisite, i.e. you couldn't get in the front door without one. The claim about narrow-focused training is so ridiculous I can't even imagine how he cooked up that idea. One wonders if it is not just sour grapes on the author's part. FYI, Singapore still turns out far fewer PhDs per capita than most developed countries.

 

[londonray]

It is very mis-guided that a PhD is a ticket to a well-paying job in singapore. It is very sad that Singaporeans think this way! There are more than 1 way to earn a living.

FYI, I have turned down a PhD offer from Leeds Uni (fees+living sponsored) mainly because of a desire to start my career. But right now, I am considering doing one at the local universities is because of a quest for knowledge.

In my opinion, only a desire for knowledge will see you through the long hours in the lab and not forgetting the accompanying research and analysis! Think carefully before you consider!

agree with you that Phd wun mean well-paying job... Philip Yeo already said that before.. if you want lotsa money each mth... go into business and finance... not science...

As for going for a PhD... i wld say it's seriously out of passion... you must want to seek out
answers to a question that would ultimately form your PhD Thesis...

Of course there are practical considerations as well i guess... i mean who wants to be a poor scientist when they can be a rich engineer/businessman? In doing a PhD, you are sacrificing 3-5 years of your time (which could be spent working and working your way up the rat race) and just ending up with 1 more cert and perhaps a particular area of expertise.

oh well.. personal choice... nothing good or bad about doing PhD.....

 

[song]

It is very mis-guided that a PhD is a ticket to a well-paying job in singapore. It is very sad that Singaporeans think this way! There are more than 1 way to earn a living.

FYI, I have turned down a PhD offer from Leeds Uni (fees+living sponsored) mainly because of a desire to start my career. But right now, I am considering doing one at the local universities is because of a quest for knowledge.

In my opinion, only a desire for knowledge will see you through the long hours in the lab and not forgetting the accompanying research and analysis! Think carefully before you consider!

Good luck !

I suggest you consider taking one by coursework. The research based ones are not so solid for u if u wanted to learn new knowledge. This is because a research prepares a person to question deeper and than devise experiements to answer the questions.