Poor mental health in higher education settings is a worrying issue prompting the need to investigate the organisational and personal factors that impact mental health and wellbeing. Such information is integral to building a comprehensive picture of the doctoral learner. Drawing on prior research identifying what novice researchers perceive as important to their wellbeing, the Importance to Doctoral Wellbeing Questionnaire (IDWQ) was developed. Seven dimensions were identified in a pilot phase: 'Work-Life Balance', 'Social-Collegial', 'Personal Research Confidence', 'Future', 'Researcher Identity', 'Supervisor', and 'University'. The questionnaire was then administered nationally to a larger more diverse cohort of research candidates prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings clarify potential candidate vulnerabilities. The IDWQ can be used to focus institutional appraisal of programmes and policies to assist novice researchers to identify key concerns and manage learning contingencies.