Studying at Oxford, an interview with Shivanki Sahay

How Shivanki Shay started from scratch and ended up at a leading university

Today we have a special guest with us, Shivanki Sahay. 

Shivanki recently finished a Master’s in Radiation Biology at the University of Oxford, and now is working for a startup called Re-Vana Therapeutics. 

Today we’ll talk about her road to Oxford, and some other time we’ll dive more into her industry experience. 

Welcome to Better Biologist, Shivanki!

What motivated you to study Radiation Biology at Oxford, and how did you decide to apply to the university?

Having specialized in Tumour Biology for my undergrad degree in Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences, I have a deep interest in cancer research. Additionally, I am also very interested in the intersection of biology and physics. This interest developed as I studied a chapter on Medical Physics for A Level Physics.

Thing is, Chemistry and Biology are very interlinked and this is very widely explored but the link between Physics and Biology remains less explored. As such, my interest in it became more solid. 

During my undergrad I undertook a research internship in Cancer Radiobiology at Queen’s University Belfast. This was an academically positive experience and it helped me confirm my interest in the field.

Then, right after completing my dual degree Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences program as I began scavenging the internet for master’s courses to apply to, I came across this MSc Radiation Biology program at Oxford.

I knew instantly that this is what I want to study for my master’s owing to my deep interest in the field and positive prior experience.  Further, this interdisciplinary course offered both Physics and Biology as it explored the physics of radiation for cancer treatment, while also deeply exploring the biology of cancers in terms of its pathogenesis, response to treatment, etc.

This motivated me to study Radiation Biology.

Now coming to how I ended up choosing Oxford - I was hesitant to apply to Oxford simply because of the brand that it is. However, my sister and aunt pushed me to at least take a look at the MSc courses offered and give it a try. Simply put, it was a leap of faith that worked out really well!

Could you share some insights into the application process for studying at Oxford? Were there any particular challenges or unique aspects you encountered?

The application process for Oxford varies from course to course, and especially between degrees (bachelor’s, master’s, DPhil).

However, there is a general trend amongst most MSc courses and I can speak for that.

Now, on to the application process! It would be helpful to visit the web pages of your departments of interest to look at the courses they offer. You then open the course pages for your courses of interest. These serve as the one-stop destination for everything you would need for your application because these pages tend to be extremely detailed. They would have separate sections for entry requirements, fees & funding, and most importantly, a ‘how to apply’ section. You’d want to visit the ‘how to apply’ section as this would lay out all the necessary steps.

For my application, I had to submit a CV, 2 academic referees, and a 1,000 words motivation letter. I strongly recommend you stick to the word limit - mine was an exact 1,000 words.

I was exempt from the IELTS requirement as I had earned one of my undergraduate degrees from a recognized English-speaking country, Australia. Sometime after submitting these documents, I was notified that I was shortlisted for the second stage of the application, which is the interview.

Again, interviews tend to sound very intimidating and it is definitely easier said than done but do not get too stressed out about them. Treat them as a ‘formal conversation’ to ease yourself up.

My interview panel consisted of 3 academics directly involved with running the course. They are also PIs in the department and they conduct some exciting research in radiobiology. The interview mainly assessed me on 3 things: my research interests and career plans, knowledge of radiobiology, and laboratory skills. It was held online.

What support or resources did you find helpful during the application process?

I did not have to reach out for any external resources or support for my application as I found the process to be very straightforward. I relied heavily on my own sense of judgment to decide whether this course is for me or not by reading extensively about the course and the subject. 

What does an interview at Oxford look like? Can you describe a memorable question you were asked during your interview for the program and how you approached answering it?

The interview panel was extremely warm and friendly and it really did serve as a conversation to assess how good a fit I was for the program. 

I think one very memorable question was about my career plans. I mentioned I aim to do a PhD to which one of the panelists joked and said “Would you be satisfied with just one (PhD)?” before smiling. He said so because I had done a dual degree program for my undergraduate studies. This little joke was a reference to that. My approach to it was to give out a little smile as well but still maintain my demeanor as it was an interview, after all. 

How did you handle the demanding coursework and research expectations at Oxford? Any specific strategies or resources that helped you?

Coming to the real deal now…

Oxford is indeed incredibly challenging to survive in as the coursework is very demanding. You need to produce and maintain an extremely high quality of work. This is made bearable by the fact it is a student city so everywhere you look you’d find fellow students going through the same struggle. So, it helps to talk! You never know how similar yours and another friend’s situations might be.

To manage the coursework and my own sanity, I explored the extracurricular activities available at the wider university as well as my college. I found the ‘formal dinners’ tradition of particular interest and was fascinated by the many colleges we have at the university. Alongside, I made many friends from my college, my department, and the Indian and Indonesian societies. I spoke with my friends and identified those who were also interested in attending ‘formals’ and visiting colleges. We made a little group chat and just got on to it! I have visited 30 colleges as a result. I clubbed this with my interest in photography as I took my DSLR along to every college that I visited.

I also joined the ‘Richard Doll Society’ which is a student run society by my college, Green Templeton College for students studying medicine or related subjects as well as professionals in the field from our college. This society was great for networking.

Share a standout moment or experience at Oxford that significantly influenced your understanding of radiation biology or shaped your career aspirations.

The course comprised of lectures, practical sessions, and a few clinical visits. Each of these reinforced my interest and understanding of radiation biology. However, the particular standout moment for me was one of our clinical visits. Through this, I better understood the workflow between scientists and clinicians and saw the ‘bench to bedside’ process through my own eyes. I aspire to do research that is highly translational and has a direct clinical impact. So, this was that standout moment for me as it greatly influenced my understanding of radiation biology and confirmed my career aspiration of doing translational research.

How did your interactions with fellow students and faculty members contribute to your growth and learning at Oxford?

Every single person I met in Oxford was highly interested and passionate about all that they were doing, and this extends to my friends outside of class as well. I had a great time bonding and interacting with my fellow students. I noticed that they we are all very focused and passionate about the course which helped me gain motivation to get through the demanding coursework. We also had a very international class with everyone coming in from differing backgrounds. So, by interacting with them I got to grow on a personal level. The faculty members were incredibly accomplished in their respective fields and had good career advice to share which contributed greatly to my learning.

Can you share a memorable experience or event where you got to be part of the unique traditions at Oxford?

There are several unique traditions at Oxford! They all make the overall experience greatly enjoyable. My favorite Oxford tradition is that of ‘formal dinner’ or simply ‘formals’ as I mentioned earlier. I got on to quite a lot of formals in several different colleges actually. This was a great way to interact with new people and tour their colleges. Each college has something unique and interesting to offer and this is something I found to be memorable.

Thank you for sharing your experience, Shivanki. I know you’re in search of a Ph.D. position at the moment, so I wish you all the luck in that pursuit.

My fellow biologists, until next time.

Talk soon,

Kenan