Research Assistant Scholar Manish Ghimire from Nepal Shares His Journey of Securing a Fully Funded PhD at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, United States

My name is Manish Ghimire, and I’m from Nepal. I’m currently a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. I decided to pursue a PhD because I wanted to do work that actually moves the needle, specifically using machine learning to solve real clinical problems. The gap between computational methods and clinical application is huge, and I wanted to be someone who bridges that.

Research Assistantship Details

Institution: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Scholarship amount: $103,636 per year
Scholarship type/source: Research Assistant

Educational Background

I completed my undergraduate degree with a 3.39 GPA. My undergraduate degree was in Biomedical Engineering. My background gave me a foundation in engineering and quantitative methods, which directly set me up for computational research in biomedical applications.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Wake Forest University School of Medicine?

The most important thing I did was cold email professors before applying. Reaching out and establishing that connection early made a real difference. When you finally apply, you’re not just a name in a pile, the professor already knows who you are. If there’s no genuine fit, it won’t work long-term anyway.

How Did You Find Information About the Research Assistantship and Wake Forest University School of Medicine?

A lot of it was online research- Reddit, university websites. Talking to people who had already gone through the process saved me a lot of time and helped me focus on programs that were actually a good fit rather than spray-and-praying applications everywhere.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

Yes, GRE (320) and TOEFL (108). Don’t underestimate the TOEFL, a lot of programs have hard cutoffs, so you need to clear those thresholds cleanly.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Research Assistantship?

I made sure my application clearly told a story, where I came from, what problem I want to solve, and why this specific program and PI were the right fit.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

Honestly, I think it was the research alignment and the fact that I had already established a relationship with my PI before applying.There was also an interview before receiving the scholarship, and I took that seriously. Having a genuine conversation about research rather than rehearsed answers made a difference.

Looking Back, Would You Have Done Anything Differently During Your Time in the Program?

I would have started reaching out to professors even earlier and been even more targeted. There’s a temptation to apply broadly and figure out the fit later, I’d push back on that. Depth over breadth. Find 5–6 programs where the PI fit is real, and put everything into those.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

Three things:

1. Cold email professors early and make it specific,reference their actual papers, say something intelligent about their work, and explain how your background connects.
2. Being in research before applying, even at an undergraduate level, is a massive advantage. It gives you credibility and something concrete to talk about.
3. Align your research interests genuinely with your PI’s work, not just on paper, but actually. You’ll be working with this person for 4–5 years. The fit has to be real.