Recent doctoral graduates worldwide are expressing a mix of anxiety and optimism as they navigate the job market, a situation shaped significantly by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey conducted by Nature, expanding on a previous study focused on North America, Israel, and the United Kingdom, now includes perspectives from PhD students in Australia, South Korea, Germany, South Africa, and China. The study aims to understand the global forces influencing the career decisions of these graduates.

The initial study, conducted last year, revealed anxieties among students regarding job prospects due to factors such as substantial cuts to US scientific funding, the war in Gaza, and ongoing delays to PhD projects caused by the pandemic. Despite these concerns, the students expressed a strong desire to remain in the scientific field. The expanded survey seeks to provide a broader understanding of how the pandemic continues to shape career paths.

Yunhee Kim, a PhD student at Seoul National University's Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, is finishing her research on why some tumors respond to immunotherapy better than others. Kim's experience reflects the challenges faced by many doctoral candidates whose research was disrupted by lockdowns and lab closures. These disruptions not only delayed project completion but also impacted opportunities for networking and collaboration, crucial for securing future employment.

The global context adds layers of complexity. In some countries, like South Korea, intense competition for academic positions was already a significant hurdle before the pandemic. The added uncertainty has heightened pressure on graduates to broaden their skill sets and consider alternative career paths outside of traditional academia. Similarly, in Germany, while research funding remains relatively stable, concerns exist about the long-term impact of the pandemic on international collaborations and access to research resources.

The situation in South Africa presents unique challenges, with graduates facing not only pandemic-related disruptions but also systemic issues such as limited funding and infrastructure in some research areas. This necessitates a greater emphasis on innovation and resourcefulness among young researchers.

Despite the anxieties, many PhD graduates remain optimistic. The pandemic has also fostered resilience and adaptability, with students developing new skills in data analysis, remote collaboration, and science communication. This generation of researchers is entering the workforce with a heightened awareness of global challenges and a commitment to using their expertise to address them. The long-term effects of the pandemic on the scientific landscape remain to be seen, but the experiences of these "pandemic PhDs" will undoubtedly shape the future of research and innovation.