Mélanie Op, PhD - Apprentice Teacher

Mélanie Op, PhD - Apprentice Teacher at La Haute école pédagogique du canton de Vaud (HEP Vaud)

Could you start by telling me what your PhD was about and what motivated you to pursue it in the first place?

I completed my PhD in biology, specifically working on a type of cancer cell called Multiple Myeloma. In these cells, I studied a protein involved in a signalling pathway responsible for degrading defective proteins. The goal was to determine whether this protein could be a good therapeutic target for this type of cancer. I was extremely motivated to work on this subject because of a personal experience I had with cancer. I also really enjoyed lab work, and I had already completed my Master’s in the lab that offered this project, so in a way it was also a comfortable choice for me.

How did you feel when you finally completed your PhD?

At that time, I was happy and proud because we managed to show that this protein was indeed a very good therapeutic target for Multiple Myeloma, and we even published our work in a highly regarded journal. I wasn’t thinking too much about what would come next. I was simply enjoying the moment.

What kind of career path did you imagine for yourself after earning your doctorate?

I loved lab work, so I couldn’t really imagine doing anything other than bench work. I would have liked to do a postdoc, but during the pandemic I realised that being far from my family would be too difficult. So I didn’t want to look for positions outside Switzerland, even though I knew it would close many doors.

Were you confident about finding a job, or did you already sense that it might be challenging?

I wanted to be optimistic, but deep down I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I knew I had skills, but I also knew I wasn’t good at selling them, and that I wasn’t the only one who had them. So I had to deal with competition and issues with self-esteem, which already made things complicated.

After finishing your PhD, how did your job search begin?

I looked at job postings on various Swiss websites. For the ones where I didn’t feel very confident, I would send a CV “for the quota”, and for those where I had more qualifications, I adapted my CV and cover letter to maximise my chances. I mainly applied to small Swiss pharma companies or start-ups, as well as some academic lab positions. I received very few replies and even fewer interviews.

Did you ever doubt your choice to pursue a PhD during that time?

Even though I knew that having a PhD might be a drawback for certain jobs, I never regretted doing it. Without those five years, maybe I would have had a job sooner, but I wouldn’t be the person I am now. Everything I learned during those years—whether theoretical knowledge, soft skills, or the people I met—is too precious for me to regret.

Were there any turning points or realisations that made you reconsider your career path?

When I reached the end of my unemployment benefits after a year and a half, I had a major moment of self-questioning. I had applied for hundreds of positions, received barely ten replies, and had very few interviews. I wondered: Am I the problem? Or am I simply not looking in the right place? It was a tough period.

When and how did the idea of becoming a teacher first come to you?

After my unemployment benefits ended, I kept looking for work while holding a small side job that suited me. One day, I got a call asking if I could tutor. It was volunteer work, but I thought, why not? And to my surprise, I really enjoyed it.

What attracted you to education?

When I help a student solve a problem, I feel useful—what I’m doing has meaning. And when a student comes to me after an exam, proud and saying: “Miss, I succeeded, it’s thanks to you because you explained so well,” it’s incredibly rewarding—almost addictive. That’s when I told myself that I wanted to do this for more than just one or two students. I wanted my own class. I wanted to be a teacher.

Was starting another degree (after a PhD) an easy or difficult decision?

It was extremely difficult. Being over thirty and going back to studying was not an easy decision. Honestly, if my husband and my parents hadn’t supported me, I would never have done it.

What were your first impressions when you started at HEP?

“Oh no, I have to go back to a lecture hall and listen to lectures for hours…” But the dread quickly gave way to curiosity. I’ve always loved learning new things, and this was another opportunity to do so.

How does studying at the HEP compare to your PhD experience, and how long will your new training last?

I spread out the program so I could have time for other things. I’ll finish in three years. It’s very different from the PhD. During the PhD, I was completely free. At the HEP, I attend courses, and the instructors expect very specific things for certification. Even during the internship, I have some freedom, but I’m still guided by my mentor teacher. It’s much more school-like, but that’s expected in a Master’s compared to a PhD.

Has your academic background helped you in your teaching studies, or has it been more of a challenge?

For the courses, it helps a lot. Most of my classmates are young and mostly focused on passing their exams. After all the seminars I attended during my PhD, I find that I listen much more and take far fewer compulsive notes, which in my opinion makes learning more effective and concrete.

What have you learned about yourself through this second Master’s?

That I’m capable of adapting, but that I still don’t like working in teams—and that it’s probably what I need to work on the most. Also, I’m still capable of learning new things and applying them.

Now that you’ve started teaching, how is it going and how do you organise yourself (lesson planning, relationship with your mentor teacher, etc.)?

Having my own classes is both exciting and frightening. Standing in front of a dozen students and having to teach them is very intimidating the first time. I still find it just as rewarding when a student answers correctly or succeeds on an exam, but unlike tutoring, where I only manage one or two students, managing an entire class is the most challenging part for me. It’s the aspect I work on the most with my mentor teacher. I’m very lucky to have a great mentor who gives me complete freedom in the lessons I teach while offering valuable advice to improve my practice. For lesson planning, I prepare them at most 3–4 days in advance, and he gives feedback if anything needs to be improved. I really feel like I’m progressing from one lesson to the next, thanks to him and the science didactics courses at the HEP.

What aspects of teaching appeal to you most now that you’ve started training?

Being able to pass on knowledge that I fully master to students who have no idea what they’re about to learn. It’s very stimulating—and difficult. At the HEP, we talk about “Specialist Amnesia”. For me, thinking of a cell naturally involves visualising all its organelles, and I forget the years of learning that led to that. When I first explained to students what cytoplasm is, many imagined the cell was full of air. I had to help them understand that it’s actually more like a liquid full of nutrients. It was a difficulty I didn’t expect, but it’s fascinating, and I love this process.

Do you think your experience as a PhD graduate will influence the way you teach or relate to your students?

I do think my way of teaching is different—less school-like. Also, my planning is always very precise in terms of timing, probably because during my PhD I had to plan every experiment in advance to make everything fit in a week.

But it’s still too early to say how much it affects the way I behave with students, since many interactions are still guided by my mentor’s advice. However, if students asked me whether I’d advise them to pursue long studies, I would tell them that it depends on their motivation and what they imagine themselves doing. I wouldn’t discourage them. To help them find their own path, we would think it through together.

If you could go back in time, would you do anything differently?

Regarding the PhD, no. But I think I wouldn’t waste time applying for jobs I couldn’t really picture myself doing, and I would have started the process of becoming a teacher earlier.

What advice would you give to someone finishing a PhD today and feeling uncertain about their future?

I would tell them that doubt isn’t a bad thing, that they have the right to try things and make mistakes, but that they shouldn’t hesitate to try. For a long time, I thought the normal paths after a PhD were either research or industry, but that’s not true at all. The possibilities are endless, you just have to go for it. You can’t know that something won’t work without trying.

Mélanie’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-op/