Thriving in Multidisciplinary Research: Advice for New Bioinformatics Students

The sciences have seen a large increase in demand for students in bioinformaticsand multidisciplinary fields in general. Many new educational programs have beencreated to satisfy this demand, but navigating these programs requires anon-traditional outlook and emphasizes working in teams of individuals withdistinct yet complementary skill sets. Written from the perspective of a currentbioinformatics student, this article seeks to offer advice to prospective andcurrent students in bioinformatics regarding what to expect in their educationalprogram, how multidisciplinary fields differ from more traditional paths, anddecisions that they will face on the road to becoming successful, productivebioinformaticists.