Hi guys,

Next year, i'll get my master degree in Medical Chemistry at the 28. I've worked during my university studies so i'll get my degree in late. I'm doing a thesis in Organic Chemistry.
I'll probably get a degree mark of 105/110 (Second class honours, upper division).
I haven't work experience in my field and no publication, but i'm a stubborn and determined person. My English level is about a b1, absolutely not fluent.

What are my chances to be accepted in a PhD course abroad(i'm italian)? I'll need a scholarship.
Give me some advice!
Would it be good for me to give up the idea of phd?

Help! :(

Hi. It is good to determine your goals. Having second class honour is fine but the competition is high. You can apply for many universities but the chance is not high. Another route is to work for one or two years as a research assistant and try to publish then try again.

I know an Italian who was in a similar position. He got an Erasmus scholarship in the UK for 3 months, made a bunch of contacts via his supervisor and from going to conferences etc, and then got on to a fully funded PhD in Life Sciences. So, it's more than possible.

I wouldn't worry about publications at this stage. In the UK, this isn't expected before PhD level.

If you need English improvement, maybe come to the UK and take a language course if that's an option? Live with English people and you should improve quickly.

But before doing a PhD, think about the future. What do you want to do afterwards? Are you prepared to move around chasing short term contracts with no guarantee of a job at the end of it?

eng77 and treeoflife, Thanks for the answers!

@treeoflife, english level is not too a problem, I'd already decided to spent at least 1 month in UK during my studies to improve my english. The "problem" is my master degree and my age. My Degree (3bachelor+2 master) allows to become chemist and pharmacist. Pharmaceutical industries's positions, for example in research and development, almost always requires a phd. Pharmacist has a salary cap too low..and as foreign pharmacist i have to become fluently in that country language (Germany=fluently in German language)...As i understand, good work position in Organic chemistry are very few without a phd..even less in Italy.. :(

Your age won't affect you. There are plently of older PhD students, as long as you gort some real world experience and din't life under a rock you will be fine.

Is that 3 seperate batchelor degrees and 2 masters? If so that is a lot of university.

A Pharmacist is a person who diustributes drugs to pattienets and requires a specialised undergraduate degree, not a PhD. Making the pharmacetucials would be some form of chemist/bioscientist/engineer, were a PhD grealty helps. I don't think you can be both a pharmacist and be in R&D. But if you want R&D, getting a PhD is very good on a CV.

Hi, gdiben17,

If working with big pharma is your interest, could you use your current qualification to get into a Graduate Program by the big pharmas eg. Astra Zeneca, Novo Nordisk, GSK and Roche? Then, whilst you are working with them, see if they could internally sponsor you to do a PhD. Big pharmas are big on prof development for their own staff, so that maybe a way to go.