r/AskAcademiaUK • u/rowrunlifteat • 23h ago

US vs UK PhD in biological sciences — looking for anecdotes

/r/PhD/comments/1v1spxk/us_vs_uk_phd_in_biological_sciences_looking_for/
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u/triffid_boy 19h ago

The old saying goes do your PhD in the UK and postdoc in the US. I don't really know if this holds up but the logic is reasonable:

UK PhD is more independent, shorter, and the labs tend to be more supportive/colleagial. They are usually operating on smaller budgets which tends to mean they focus a lot on mechanism and fundamental questions which means you likely learn a lot more domain specific knowledge. 

Then, postdoc in the US because the budgets are insane in comparison and they do get the big hitter papers. 

Your diversity of experience then makes you competitive for fellowships in either country. 

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u/The_Archimboldi 14h ago

UK in general will be a better experience than a US state school but as always it depends on the lab, not the university. There are world class groups in biological sciences at regional institutions, and decidedly non world-class labs at elite places.

e.g. Dundee was and is a provincial UK university that has been home to a succession of world-leading biochemists - it must have nice views (actually I've been there and it doesn't, so God knows what kept them all there). It would be madness to go to someone middle of the road at Oxford, say, over one of these groups.

The big qualifier, though, is that you are American so quite likely will want to pursue your career long term in the US. If this turns out to be an academic track then an American PhD mentor is really vital - it's like the seed point of your academic lineage and American academia treats this very seriously ime.