As we knock on 2025's door, taking time to reflect on our progress, achievements, and hurdles is certainly a good idea. Such reflection helps us on not only our research journey, but also with our personal and professional development. This episode explores some simple frameworks that we can use to reflect on our doctoral journey thus far, and to help us plan for the upcoming year.

Ethics approvals can appear daunting, but they really are not. Ethics is always a 'negotiation on a continuum' and your application for ethics approval is part of that negotiation. Yes, you are likely to get feedback and need to make amendments, so ensure you plan your documentation and timelines accordingly. This episode briefly explores the steps in the process, so that you can start getting yourself ready! Don't leave it to the last minute, because you need this before your data collection!

Undergraduate and many masters level programmes are structured. The student is told what to read, and how to progress. The PhD is very self driven though; you are in the drivers seat, and that responsibility can be quite daunting at first. In this episode we look at some key challenges and strategies to ensure a smooth transition, and to ensure that you are mentally prepared for your PhD journey, and ready to take ownership of the project!