Rethinking Research: Reflections from Graduate School and Beyond
During graduate school, I was deeply immersed in research, pushing myself to publish as much as possible. Now, nearly a year removed from academia, my perspective on the importance of research has shifted. In this post, I reflect on my journey, the value of research, and the gaps between academia and real-world application. How much does publication quantity truly matter, and what does it take to create meaningful change?
Ananya Muralidharan
2/28/20252 min read
I learned a lot during my two years of graduate school, from gaining confidence in my identity as a music therapist to deepening my understanding of myself as an Indian-American woman. One of the unique aspects of attending graduate school as a music therapist is that people usually pursue it for one of two reasons: either to become a teacher or because they enjoy research. I chose to return to school largely for the latter.
As an undergraduate student, I published one study. In graduate school, I had three publications, with one still in progress. Some might see that and think I have a strong passion for research, while others might find it impressive. I used to be one of those people. Throughout my two years in grad school, I pushed myself to publish as much as possible. I remember my husband, a PhD student himself, commenting on how little he cared about publications. At the time, I thought they were everything, and I felt a dopamine rush each time a paper materialized into a publication or a conference presentation.
Looking back, when I reread my list of publications, I don’t feel boastful about it. While I recognize the effort it takes and still see value in research, my perspective has shifted since leaving academia about nine months ago. I no longer see research as the all-important pursuit I once did. Don’t get me wrong—I still think about my thesis and see its themes reflected in stories from friends in academia or in workplace power dynamics. But I’ve come to believe that real change in the world requires much more than just research.
That said, who knows? I might end up as a professor one day, producing research and encouraging students to engage in it. I do see value in research, and I’m proud of the work I’ve contributed. However, I also recognize a significant gap between research in academic settings and its implementation in clinical spaces. These two worlds often feel disconnected, which limits their ability to influence each other in meaningful ways. Additionally, I no longer believe that the number of publications defines a researcher’s impact. Someone who has published just one study isn’t necessarily much less influential than someone with 30 publications. The true measure of research lies in its effect on the field, not in its quantity.
Recently, a study I co-authored was published in a well-regarded journal, which led me to reflect on these topics—hence this blog post. I wonder how my perspective on research will continue to evolve in the next five or ten years!