Whether you are nurse with a firm idea of your proposed PhD project or someone rather less clear, these tips and advice could help you in your doctoral studies

Setting out on a doctoral study is a big and exciting decision. It is easy to be swept up in the urgency to enrol and not strategically plan this major step in your life and career.

I am often approached by nurses wanting to do a PhD. Some have a clear idea of their proposed project; others have less clarity. Choosing your topic is important for potential PhD success and career prospects. The importance of thinking it through often only becomes apparent further down the track.

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The first consideration is whether the topic is of real interest. A PhD is a long and often arduous journey. Without a passion, the work is so much more difficult and lack of engagement will often show in the quality of work produced.

Make sure you have supervisors with methodological and subject matter expertise

Care needs to be taken to ensure that the topic is sufficiently novel and will produce the kind of new knowledge expected of a PhD. This is particularly relevant for nurses wanting to explore a major clinical issue that may be the result of a lack of implementation of best practice in a local setting, rather than a lack of knowledge or evidence.

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Candidates should have supervisors with methodological and subject matter expertise. Without such experts, literature and recent developments may be missed and nuances misunderstood. This also means considering the expertise of an institution’s available research supervisors.

‘Being an expert in an area that has a limited impact or is not of interest to you is unlikely to lead to the kind of future you aspire to’

While local institutions offer ease of travel and access, technology makes it possible to successfully undertake a PhD at a distant or international institution while remaining in your home country.

Reach out to local institutions or academics with similar interests

It is wise to reach out early to your local institution or academics who have similar broad interests. This will help you clarify your research ideas or raise opportunities to join existing research. If the local environment does not offer expertise in the desired topic area, consider opportunities further afield.

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Your PhD will make you an expert in the topic. It will shape your future career and opportunities. Being an expert in an area that has a limited impact or is not of interest to you is unlikely to lead to the kind of future you aspire to.

Elizabeth Halcomb is professor of primary healthcare nursing, School of Nursing, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia and editor of Nurse Researcher