REJECTION IS FINE, MY PhD STORY... by Niyi Olarewaju
In 2017, I applied for 5 PhD positions, four ended in premium rejections. But, after each rejection, I improved and moved on. I was finally accepted for the fifth one which was the most competitive, with over 450 applicants for 20 positions. I did not believe my eyes when I received a mail informing me I scaled through the initial screening, I thought it was a fluke. I had my BSc and MSc in Agricultural Sciences. How is it possible I passed the screening for PhD positions at Hannover Medical School? Well, I was officially invited for an all-expense-paid interview in Hannover, and I also received the list of the available PhD projects. I went through, and I had no experience in any of the topics, as they focussed majorly on cardiovascular diseases, stem cell therapies/research, regeneration approaches, and cancer research. This is impossible I said... I read widely on the projects, and I became profoundly fascinated by their prospects. The mere thought that I may get an opportunity to w...