getting to know your advisor

Whether you are meeting your advisor for the first time, or are interested in revitalizing a placid relationship, these tips can help you not only make the most of your weekly meetings but improve your productivity and success as a graduate student. 

Here's three possible scenarios.

A Not-so-Good Meeting

You show up for your meeting, your advisor sits back in his chair, and waits for you to start. Which makes you nervous. Isn't he supposed to know what to do?

​ You want direction, but don't know how to ask for it.

You've stalled on your current project, but don't know how to ask for help.

You're working on one of their projects, but it's not aligned with your research interests. You don't know how to say no, or ask for an introduction with a professor you'd like to work with. 

You leave feeling more stressed than you arrived. 

An Okay Meeting

​You show up to your meeting and you have some notes jotted down about what you want to talk about. That regression model that didn't run. An upcoming deadline for a paper submission or an award nomination. 

You demonstrate your abilities and your personality, and share some overarching goals you have as a student. Perhaps they suggest you present at a meeting.

You leave feeling like it was a productive meeting, and you're on your way. You have tasks for the next meeting, and you divert your attention back to your homework and other tasks at hand.

​A Great Meeting

​You show up with an agenda and prepared to lead the meeting. Perhaps you sent the agenda in advance, but as long as you bring them a copy or send it before you arrive, that's sufficient. They'll look over it as you begin. 

As you work through the meeting agenda, you ask the questions you need answers to, communicate deadlines, and make notes of their comments.

You feel at ease and are comfortable sharing your thoughts and goals. Signal the end of the meeting by closing your computer or notebook, and sitting back in a relaxed manner. Share a relevant personal tidbit - where you're going for vacation, if your parents just got a new dog or are building a house. 

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So how do you get to that "great meeting" level? Especially if you're unsure or shy. Try this list of questions. 

The Logistics

1. How often do you meet with your advisees? 

Frequency of meeting reflects their management style. Their style should match your own. Common answers may be weekly, every few weeks, or monthly. It may depend on projects you're participating in, or if they hold a regular research meeting with all advisees. 

2. What expectations do you have of me? 

If you're on a training grant, your expectations may be spelled out in black and white. However, here is an opportunity to clarify any additional details from the previous question. Do they want a semester summary report of your coursework and projects? Weekly email updates? 

Everyone has their own work style, and you want to learn your advisor's so you can fit into their regular routine. 

The "Interview"
Express to you advisor you'd like to ask them some questions to get to know them a little better. 

3. What was your experience like when you were a doctorate student? 

4. What was your relationship like with your advisor? 

5. What do you wish you had known, and done, while you were a graduate student? 

6. What do you consider your professional goals? (Publishing, committees, directorships, mentoring...) 

7. What do you see as the future of epidemiology, and how do current students fit into this vision?

Shoot me a comment with your thoughts. Do you think these tips could help you with your advisor? What do you find particularly useful in these scenarios? 

In all seriousness,
​BD