Where Does Learning Happen in Graduate School?

Working toward your PhD is a whole new game when it comes to learning.  You'll spend a good chunk of your time taking classes in your specific area of interest and yet this is not where you will do most of your learning.  Classes are designed to bring you up to speed in certain areas.  Really good classes force you to think like a scientist by forcing you to think through problems rather than answer simple questions. You will probably have a textbook (that you should read) but the majority of your lectures won't be taken directly from the book chapters -- they will likely be guest lectures from local experts.  Graduate school is much more self-driven than your undergraduate education so everything you learn becomes your responsibility to learn.

I've met graduate students who didn't understand the self-directed aspect of a PhD program and unfortunately, a few of them did not finish their degree.  "No one told me to" and "Journal articles are boring" are not valid excuses for a failure to seek out learning opportunities in graduate school.  A PhD is not about book smarts but about the ability to use the information you've been given in new ways...to come up with your own ideas, to seek out new information, to test your hypotheses.  You must be motivated to seek out every learning opportunity possible while you are a graduate student and in your professional career (after all...learning doesn't stop after you get your PhD).  Take pride in your ability to seek out new information and use your resources to accomplish your goals.

Immerse yourself in seminars and lab meetings.  Ask questions about techniques, thought processes, potential pitfalls...anything.  Try to have a question for every speaker you hear.  Read journal articles daily.  Read them critically -- don't simply accept them as truth; decide for yourself if the authors' conclusions are accurate.  Join a journal club (or start your own) if you have difficulty doing this.  If you're good at critical reading, help out your fellow students at a journal club -- it's a great way to enhance your skills while also practicing your teaching skills.  Talk over your research ideas informally with your labmates or fellow graduate students.  It really helps to bounce ideas off people and you'll be amazed at some of the great ideas (or potential hurdles) your colleagues will see in your experimental plans.

Remember you are a graduate student, which by definition means you are in training.  There's a lot of try and fail and try again in graduate school.  You are not expected to be an expert from the get-go so don't be afraid to ask questions.  Try to come up with your own solutions but use your resources and get advice when you need it.  No one but you can learn for you.  From this point forward in your life most of your learning will not take place in the classroom and it's an exciting world out there full of learning opportunities.