For doctoral students, it can seem like your PhD program couldn’t be any slower. Not only do you have to slug through boring prerequisite courses, you may also have to go through a grueling internship. Sure, your internship will give you real world experience, but it can also be full of grunt work. However, there are a few ways that you can fast track your PhD program. Indeed, there is no magic fast forward button, but there are some things you can do to speed things up. Of course, you don’t want to cut corners, because that could compromise things, but you do want to find ways to expedite the process, so that you can get your doctorate degree and get on with your career. Here are some ways to finish your PhD program faster.
Finish Your Internship at the Same Time as Your Doctorate Program:
Many students complete their doctorate program and then complete their internship, which could add up to three years to your program. What you want to do is start your internship during your doctorate program, so that by the time you graduate you can be ready for your career.
Rev Up Your Undergrad Requirements and Credits:
Whether you are going to USC Online or University of Houston, you want to rev up your undergrad requirements and credits. This means that you want to try and fit everything into two years – three years max. This will be difficult and you may be working all night and day to complete your courses, but the momentum could be exciting. If you know that you want to get your PhD, completing your undergrad requirements in such a short amount of time can really speed up the entire process of getting your doctorate.
Secure a Strong and Experienced Mentor:
Getting a mentor is important for a number of reasons. For one thing, a mentor can guide you and tell you what direction you should and shouldn’t go in. A mentor will also be able to help you find residencies and internships much faster. Without this person, your career may take longer to start and acquiring your PhD may be further in the future. You can usually speak to your professors about becoming your mentor.
Make Mistakes and Fix Them:
When you make mistakes on your path to becoming a doctor, you want to fix them and learn from them. If you remain bullheaded about your mistakes, you could continue to make them, which will result in you staying further behind in school, or your internship. If you are hoping to get a job in a hospital or clinic, you don’t want to have a bullheaded attitude.
Narrow in on Your Dissertation Topic:
On top of everything, many PhD students dread their dissertation, which can be a massive undertaking full of exhaustive research. If you want to get through your dissertation, you want to think about the narrowest topic. This will allow you the opportunity to go light on the research. In the end, just because a dissertation has a narrow topic, it doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting.