Doing a PhD in Canada: What I Wish I Knew Before Starting

Event Information

Event Date

April 24, 2026

USA Time

08:00 AM (PST)

Canada Time

11:00 am (EDT)

Bangladesh Time

10:00 pm (GMT+6)

Location

Teams Online

Speaker Name

Dr. Christina Saed

Organizer

Talent Tweak

Registration Fee

Free

Event Description

This session is part of the Talent Tweak Monthly Life Science Career Webinar Series, designed to help students, early-career researchers, and professionals explore career pathways across academia, biotechnology, and the global life science ecosystem. Each session highlights the journey of accomplished scientists and the lessons they learned while building successful research careers.

This month’s session is titled “Doing a PhD in Canada: What I Wish I Knew Before Starting” Rather than focusing only on technical research, this discussion will highlight the skills, preparation, and strategic decisions that shape a successful PhD journey but are often overlooked before starting graduate school.

Drawing from her experience progressing from a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy to a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences and now a Postdoctoral Fellow at McMaster University, the speaker will share practical insights into navigating doctoral training, building a strong research profile, publishing scientific work, and securing competitive scholarships and fellowships.

Attendees will gain valuable perspectives on how to prepare for graduate research, develop professional skills, and position themselves for global academic and research opportunities.

Presented by:

Dr. Christina Saed; Postdoctoral Fellow; Department of Medicine, McMaster University

In this interactive session, you will:

  • Learn what many researchers wish they had known before starting a PhD
  • Understand how to prepare for doctoral research and international graduate study
  • Gain insights into building a strong research profile through publications and conferences
  • Discover strategies for applying to competitive scholarships and research fellowships
  • Learn how mentorship, networking, and scientific communication influence long-term research careers

Who should attend?

Students, graduate researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and professionals interested in pursuing PhD studies and building successful careers in life science research.

Webinar Rules & Regulations

  • This webinar is a 1 hour and 30 minute session, beginning with a brief 5-minute overview of the rules and an introduction to the speaker.
  • The session will consist of a presentation by the guest speaker, followed by an interactive Q&A segment
  • Registration is required. All registered participants will receive the webinar access link 24 hours before the event.
  • Participants may submit questions during the session, which will be addressed during the Q&A period.
  • The webinar is conducted strictly for educational purposes and is not intended for commercial promotion.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Christina completed her Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy, followed by a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2024). She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at McMaster University, Department of Medicine, where her research focuses on metabolic diseases and translational health research.

She has authored more than

 15 peer-reviewed publications and has presented her work at major international conferences including the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).

Her research and academic achievements have been recognized through numerous competitive scholarships and awards, including

 the CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship, Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship, Alberta Diabetes Institute Graduate Studentship, Graduate Student Engagement Scholarship, Dr. Leonard Wiebe Graduate Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and the Best Trainee Poster Award from the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences (CSPS).

Dr. Christina is passionate about mentoring and supporting early-career researchers, and she actively shares insights on how young scientists can prepare for graduate research and build successful international scientific careers.