David Wei graduated from UNC in 2014 with a Ph.D. in Toxicology. He was interviewed by Michaela Copp on December 16, 2020 when he was a Toxicologist at the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Can you tell me a bit about your career path and how you found your current position?
I did my PhD at UNC in the Department of Toxicology. After I graduated, I went to the National Cancer Institute as a post-doc in Neurological Toxicology. I spent five years at NCI, and after that, I transitioned over to the FDA as a toxicologist.
How did GBCC help you launch your career?
One of the things that I found helpful was the case interviews. When you give a case interview, you have to give a structured answer. One of the reasons for giving a structured answer is to be viewed as more intelligent. Practicing case interviews helped me learn how to give a clear and concise answer. What I took from those case interviews was how to think beyond the science of things and consider the business. Companies are ultimately developed from business decisions, not scientific decisions.
What skills, abilities, and personal attributes are essential to success in your job/field?
Communication is the biggest deal, and one should definitely endeavor to be better at communication. This was heavily emphasized in my interview with the FDA, both verbal and written communication. I would highly recommend GBCC members improve their communication skills by seeking more opportunities to give talks and to write.
I was an introverted person when I started graduate school and scared of public speaking. My advisor was kind (or mean) enough to realize this was an issue, so he made sure to give me a talk at every possible moment. The first time I crashed and burned, but it made me determined never to do that again. I worked hard at my presentation skills and found a peer group that was willing to grill me during practice talks. Having gone through this process allowed me to be confident in my communication, and when you feel confident, it shows when you speak.
What is the best way to network?
In the last several years of graduate school, I learned that networking is more building relationships than finding a nice job. Approach people with curiosity and seek to build a relationship. A common mistake when networking is approaching with the mindset, “If you can’t talk to me, I don’t have time to talk to you.” Finding a career is typically not about finding that first connection, it is about the second and third connection. A person you have networked with will know someone better suited to help you and can connect you, and more importantly, validate you to their network. I have landed my positions at the NIH and the FDA through referrals. Networking should be reworded to “building a relationship and friendship”.
What advice would you offer to GBCC members?
Probably the best advice is to be curious. Don’t assume you know everything. Ask questions even when the answer seems obvious because the response is typically never as simple as you think. Other pieces of advice are to improve communication skills, take care of yourself (financially by putting money into a Roth IRA and physically), and try to build as many valuable relationships as you can.
Thanks to David for spending time with us to learn more about his experiences! If you’re interested in following his footsteps, you can visit the website of the GBCC or reach out to him via LinkedIn.