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After having obtained my BSc in Psychology from the University of Münster, Germany, I joined the department of Psychiatry and started my MPhil in Medical Science (Psychiatry) in October 2018. My thesis focused on the assessment of childhood adversity and the interplay of resilience enhancing factors.
During my first time at Cambridge University, I advanced my knowledge of earlier research on this topic and kept up to date with the current literature. Furthermore, I was able to acquire many practical skills to build the foundation for many of my current projects. Above all, I was fascinated by the intense, valuable, and constructive supervision. In weekly meetings, I had in-depth discussions about my progress with my supervisors Dr. Paul Wilkinson and Dr. Jessica Fritz. It was then when I learned of the immense departmental support and unconditional help. In this year at Cambridge University, I made long-lasting memories. For instance, the departmental postgraduate symposium, turned out to be an outstanding opportunity to learn more about others’ research projects in the department.
In addition to what I could gain through my academic experiences, living in Cambridge was a unique experience, too. College life, formal dinners, and above all winning new friends, some of them for life, made this year unforgettable. Therefore, I did not hesitate when I got the opportunity to start my PhD at the Department of Psychiatry, after I had returned to Münster University for a general MSc in Psychology.
Together with my supervisor team (Dr. Sharon Neufeld, Professor Tamsin Ford, and Dr. Paul Wilkinson), I am examining depressive symptom trajectories from young childhood into emerging adulthood. I am particularly interested in statistical methods that allow conclusive longitudinal analyses in the context of informed developmental theories. Despite restrictions imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19, I get unconditional support and the research group meets regularly in online calls. While I am looking forward to having in-person meetings again, I am grateful for all the effort the department takes to provide the best education to PhD students during these difficult times.
Pascal Schechter (April 2021)