Welcome to The Other Kind of Doctor, where we sprinkle a bit of fun on the brilliance of PhDs! Join our diverse group of PhD candidates as we navigate the maze of research, academia, and life, all with a healthy dose of humour.
In this podcast we don't wear stethoscopes and scrubs – we're the other kind of doctors! Here we celebrate the quirks and triumphs of the doctoral journey, sharing insightful conversations, compelling anecdotes, and lots of laughs. Whether you’re knee-deep in research or just curious about academia, our podcast offers a light-hearted take on the serious business of earning a PhD.
Expect thought-provoking discussions, candid interviews with experts, and a unique perspective on the ups and downs of the PhD experience. Subscribe to The Other Kind of Doctor, and let’s explore the fascinating, challenging, and downright absurd moments of the academic world together, because even the smartest minds can have their not-so-genius moments!
Series Three is hosted by Teale Failla and Soukaina Ben Abdellah.
Created by Gaia Giampietro and Gemma Rides
Sponsored by the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to The Other Kind of Doctor, where we sprinkle a bit of fun on the brilliance of PhDs! Join our diverse group of PhD candidates as we navigate the maze of research, academia, and life, all with a healthy dose of humour.
In this podcast we don't wear stethoscopes and scrubs – we're the other kind of doctors! Here we celebrate the quirks and triumphs of the doctoral journey, sharing insightful conversations, compelling anecdotes, and lots of laughs. Whether you’re knee-deep in research or just curious about academia, our podcast offers a light-hearted take on the serious business of earning a PhD.
Expect thought-provoking discussions, candid interviews with experts, and a unique perspective on the ups and downs of the PhD experience. Subscribe to The Other Kind of Doctor, and let’s explore the fascinating, challenging, and downright absurd moments of the academic world together, because even the smartest minds can have their not-so-genius moments!
Series Three is hosted by Teale Failla and Soukaina Ben Abdellah.
Created by Gaia Giampietro and Gemma Rides
Sponsored by the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to The Other Kind of Doctor, where we sprinkle a bit of fun and absurdity on the brilliance of PhDs! Join our diverse group of PhD candidates as we navigate the maze of research, academia, and life, all with a healthy dose of humour.
Sponsored by the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London, this podcast doesn't feature stethoscopes and scrubs – we’re the other kind of doctor! Here we celebrate the quirks and triumphs of the doctoral journey, sharing insightful conversations, compelling anecdotes, and lots of laughs. Whether you’re knee-deep in research or just curious about academia, our podcast offers a light-hearted take on the serious business of earning a PhD.
Expect thought-provoking discussions, candid interviews with experts, and a unique perspective on the ups and downs of the PhD experience. Upcoming topics this series include how to secure government funding, alternative sources of funding, creative and alternative format PhDs, digital wellbeing, storytelling in the PhD thesis, and how to pass your viva with no corrections!
Subscribe to The Other Kind of Doctor, and let’s explore the fascinating, challenging, and downright absurd moments of the academic world together. Because even the smartest minds can have their not-so-genius moments!
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Hosted by Royal Holloway PhD candidates Teale Failla and Soukaina Ben Abdellah.
For more information about our podcast and amazing team, please visit https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com
Thank you to the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London for sponsoring this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode, hosts Teale and Souki talk with Dr Luke Blaxill, founder of The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding, about how you can help fund your PhD, whether or not you received UKRI funding or you have already started your doctoral studies.
Then in Brain Bites, Spooky Souki and Terrifying Teale delve into the origins of Halloween, its history in the British Isles and influence on Guy Fawkes Night.
The Other Kind of Doctor is hosted by Teale Failla and Soukaina Ben Abdellah, PhD students at Royal Holloway University of London.
Thank you to the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London for sponsoring this podcast.
For further information about The Other Kind of Doctor podcast and team, please visit our website: https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our co-hosts, Teale and Reverie, are joined by Professor Dawn Watling. Dawn is Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Postgraduate Research) and Professor of Psychology at Royal Holloway University of London. In this episode, Dawn talks about UKRI funding for PhD students, discussing different research councils, the relationship between UKRI funding schemes and individual universities, and what level of funding is available. Lastly, she provides top tips for anyone who wants to pursue funding for a PhD in the UK.
Stay tuned until the end of the episode for this week’s Brain Bites: What IS a PhD?
Thank you to the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London for sponsoring this podcast.
For further information about The Other Kind of Doctor podcast and team, please visit our website: https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our hosts, Soukaina and Reverie, are joined by Zeyad Altholoth. Zeyad is a fellow PhD student at Royal Holloway, University of London, in the Department of Health Studies. In this episode, Zeyad shares his experiences of starting PhD study as a student with ADHD, discusses the importance of normalising conversations about neurodiversity, and explains how to access specialist support within the university. Lastly, he provides top tips on study environments and assistive technology for other ‘neuro-spicy’ students.
Stay tuned until the end of the episode for this week’s Brain Bites: Is multi-factor authentication counterproductive to data privacy?
Thank you to the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London for sponsoring this podcast.
For further information about The Other Kind of Doctor podcast and team, please visit our website: https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, the Series 3 opener introduces our new TOKD co-hosts: Soukaina Ben Abdellah, Reverie Black and Teale Failla, PhD students at Royal Holloway University of London. In this episode, the hosts discuss their backgrounds, what led each of them to their PhD, and what they are studying. They talk about their reasons for joining the podcast and provide top tips for first-year students beginning their PhD 'quests'.
Stay tuned until the end of the episode for this week’s Brain Bites: What are the best snacks for studying?
Thank you to the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London for sponsoring this podcast.
For further information about The Other Kind of Doctor podcast and team, please visit our website: https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Series 3 of The Other Kind of Doctor, where we sprinkle a bit of fun and absurdity on the brilliance of PhDs! Join our diverse group of PhD candidates as we navigate the maze of research, academia, and life, all with a healthy dose of humour.
Sponsored by the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London, this podcast doesn't feature stethoscopes and scrubs – we’re the other kind of doctor! Here we celebrate the quirks and triumphs of the doctoral journey, sharing insightful conversations, compelling anecdotes, and lots of laughs. Whether you’re knee-deep in research or just curious about academia, our podcast offers a light-hearted take on the serious business of earning a PhD.
Expect thought-provoking discussions, candid interviews with experts, and a unique perspective on the ups and downs of the PhD experience. Upcoming topics this series include how to secure government funding, alternative sources of funding, creative and alternative format PhDs, digital wellbeing, storytelling in the PhD thesis, and how to pass your viva with no corrections!
Subscribe to The Other Kind of Doctor, and let’s explore the fascinating, challenging, and downright absurd moments of the academic world together. Because even the smartest minds can have their not-so-genius moments!
-----------
Series 3 is hosted by Royal Holloway PhD candidates Teale Failla, Reverie Black and Soukaina Ben Abdellah.
For more information about our podcast and amazing team, please visit https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind-the-scenes footage.
Instagram: @tokd.official
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London for sponsoring this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to the last episode of Series 2 of The Other Kind of Doctor podcast! As Gemma and Gaia are graduating this year and stepping down as hosts, they spend this episode looking back over their PhD journeys and reflecting on things they have learnt along the way.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Why do we feel nostalgic for old media?
The Other Kind of Doctor podcast will be returning in Autumn 2025, with new hosts, new topics, and new guests!
For more information about our podcast, please visit https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Instagram: @tokd.official
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Ivan Reid, Royal Holloway Music Composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to the Doctoral School at Royal Holloway University of London for sponsoring this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Ryan are joined by Katherine Griffiths. Katherine is a PhD student at Royal Holloway. In this episode, Katherine talks about her experience in building a successful supervisor-student relationship, balancing being independent and needing help from your supervisor, and how to manage expectations. Finally, she provides her top tips for PhD students wanting to build a positive supervisory relationship.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - How long does it take for a house to feel like a home?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Emily Gow. Emily is a research impact manager at Royal Holloway. In this episode, Emily explains what impact is, why it is important, and how this differs from public engagement. Finally, she provides her top tips for PhD students wanting to maximise their research impact.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Do we prefer the countryside when we get older?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Prof Dawn Watling. Dawn is associate pro-vice-chancellor of postgraduate research at Royal Holloway. In this episode, Dawn shares why it is important to go out into nature as a PhD student, whether house plants count as nature, and what to do if you have limited access to natural spaces. Finally, she provides her top tips for making the most out of nature.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Is it true that opposites attract?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia discuss how to build a stronger PhD community. They discuss how a strong PhD community can help with managing loneliness, and provide tips on how to get things started.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - What is better, audiobooks or physical books?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Dr Tim Holmes. Tim earned a PhD in neuroscience at Royal Holloway, and later transitioned to industry, working with clients such as Coca-Cola, Apple, and Disney. In this episode, Tim shares his experience of transitioning to industry, what motivated him to make this change, and describes the differences between academic research and industry research. Lastly, he gives his top tips for PhD students looking to pursue a career in industry.
Find Tim's LinkedIn profile here.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Do daylight lamps actually work?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia discuss how to deal with perfectionism as a PhD student. They discuss why perfectionism is more common in academics, why this is not always helpful while studying for a PhD, and provide some tips for dealing with perfectionism.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - What are some of the most unusual research areas?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Brandon Wade. Brandon is a PhD student and lecturer in the Media Arts department at Royal Holloway. In this episode, Brandon shares his experience of studying for his creative PhD, discusses what the application process was like, and highlights some of the challenges he has experienced. Lastly, he gives his top tips for individuals wanting to pursue a creative PhD.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Why do we rewatch TV shows so much?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
**Please note: This episode contains discussions of mental health and suicide**
If you are experiencing distress, please contact Samaritans on 116 123, open 24/7, or call 999 (UK) in an emergency
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Simran Frontain. Simran is a PhD student in the Classics department at Royal Holloway, University of London. In this episode, Simran shares her experience in academia with chronic illnesses, and how this has influenced her education journey, as well as explaining what support supervisors need to give to students that have chronic illnesses. Lastly, she gives a key piece of advice that would help other individuals suffering from chronic illnesses embarking on their PhD journey.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Will a four-day work week actually work?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Ian Lacey. Ian is a PhD student in the Department of History at Royal Holloway, University of London. In this episode, Ian shares why PhD students should be networking/ going to conferences, how to get over the awkwardness of chatting to people you’ve never met, as well as discussing the importance of a strong online profile. Lastly, he gives his top tips for PhD students wanting wanting to network at conferences and events.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - How many people in the UK have a PhD?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Dr Vanita Chamdal. Vanita is a Teaching Fellow at Royal Holloway and a therapist. In this episode, Vanita shares why it is important to look after your wellbeing whilst also making sure you are still productive, and what support supervisors and universities should be providing to PhD students. Lastly, she gives his top tips for protecting your wellbeing when studying.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Do astrological signs influence personality?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Bluesky: @tokod.bsky.social
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Dr Jamie Moffatt. Jamie is a Post-doctoral Fellow. In this episode, Jamie shares his experience of securing a research post-doctoral position after his PhD, and discusses how to approach potential labs as well as how to know if a post-doc is right for you. Lastly, he gives his top tips for PhD students wanting to apply for a research post-doc
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - How do dog and cat people differ?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Dr Matthew Talbot. Matt is a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. In this episode, Matt shares his experience of taking an interruption during the PhD and how to get back into a routine after taking one, as well as discussing what universities and supervisors can do to support PhD students wanting to take an interruption. Lastly, he gives his top tips for PhD students wanting to take an interruption.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Can you become a morning person?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Gemma and Gaia are joined by Courtney Hooton. Courtney is a Psychology PhD student at Royal Holloway, and is also guest manager for The Other Kind of Doctor podcast! In this episode, Although they aren't relationship experts, Gaia, Gemma and Courtney share their experience of balancing a relationship while studying for a PhD, and discuss tips for supporting a partner that is studying for a PhD.
Stay tuned for the end of the episode for this week's 'Brain Bites' - Are naps a good thing to do?
For a full transcription of the episode, please visit our website (https://theotherkindofdoctor.wordpress.com/episodes/)
Check out our social media accounts for bonus content and behind the scene footage.
Twitter (X): @otherdoctor_pod
Instagram: @otherdoctor_pod
Thank you to Sophia Wilhelmi & Izzy Reid, Royal Holloway undergraduate music composition students, who composed our Season 2 jingle!
Thank you to Royal Holloway Doctoral School for funding this podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.