...But neither option is right or wrong - it is entirely dependant on what YOU need. There's no rush for a PhD (though it's admittedly harder once you have a family/mortgage etc.) - do it if & when it feels right. Also, remember, if you do have a funded PhD position, there is a 1 year get-out clause – so if you don’t like it then you can pull out within a year, and it doesn’t reflect badly on the university & you could get a masters out of it so you don’t have a 1 year empty space in your cv. If you’re really doubtful – don’t do it.

Hi, ok - well I've been on both sides of the fence - I did my first degree and went into well paid jobs, and enjoyed it mostly because I really liked the people I worked with, and I had a life outside work. But I wasn't inspired by my work. Now, for me, it wasn't enough - but for most people, they are perfectly happy working 9-5 in a well paid job, with job security, a steady wage... yes, a lot of people aren't inspired by what they do, but their free time & good salaries makes up for it. For others, like me, it wasn't enough - I gave it all up to retrain and do a PhD. I now have no money, I'm in debt, I have no job security, and it's so stressful I spend a lot of time crying. Which may make you wonder why I'd do it - but despite the stress etc., I do actually love what I do, I love the freedom it gives you to explore ideas, and I wouldn't change my decision for anything.

Hi, a number of universities do distance learning - though I don't know about your particular subject - biochemistry sounds like it would be difficult to do at a distance because of the amount of lab work involved. Personally I can thoroughly recomment the Open University - I did Biology with them, on top of a job (with residential courses for the practical side). I have found that showing that degree of commitment usually counts for you in a huge way - and the Open University is highly respected. I got on a masters program & subsequent PhD on the back of my OU studies. But check out other universities too, I think it is becoming more common for universities to offer distance learning now.

Wow! just found this thread & read it avidly - great discussion! I don't have much to add except to say that I agree that women should have children when the timing is right for them. Being a female PhD student approaching 35, I will have children when it's right for me, not when it suits other people. And incidentally, a lot of women, like me, don't meet the right guy until their 30s - so you just have to adapt life to what it throws at you! People like PinkNeuron are inspiring, and we need more women like her! All the women I know who have kids before or during a PhD are usually the most determined and successful women I know, and a lot more organised and efficient than I am! Just my few cents worth.

I spend more time trying to work than actually working... despite working from when I surface and wake up properly (after emails etc.) around 10am and working till some time before midnight (can't work later than that or the week goes to pot- that is except when I'm on a writing flow which means I have to keep going until the words run out because it takes so much time to get going). I recently calculated I still only managed 50 hours proper quality PhD working time (discounting emails, tea breaks, dinner, chatting etc.). I'm in the final 4 months of write up... so imagine it could get a lot worse. But I don't feel I can work much harder continuously (maybe the last push at the end I'll cram in more hours before dying in a heap). Earlier in PhD hours working was much less - I enjoyed taking long coffee breaks comparing phd woes with friends ;o)

Getting put on as named post-doc doesn't mean you have control of the money or the project - but it does mean at least you can get some input on how your bit of the project is run & written into the proposal. It's an advantage to the PI and co-PI because it saves the hassle of having to advertise - you instantly have someone ready to start as soon as the money is available. It's a great inside track on getting a post-doc. For me it makes it easier to get funding because I don't yet have all the publications you need to get a fellowship. Let people know you're looking for a post-doc, and these opportunities may crop up (at least in science).

...Don't put in too many animations (if using powerpoint), stay clear of sounds or video if you can (it always goes wrong). If you do need to use sound or video - practice it on the conference computer in the breaks, and be prepared to bluff it if it doesn't work (I saw one guy mime, and another hum when it didn't work - they got big applause). But for me the key advice is to practice it on colleagues first - it instills the confidence you need to get up there & present. Good luck!

Hey congratulations! Getting talks isn't easy, so you've done brilliantly already to get a talk :o) Don't panic - it's a GREAT way of getting feedback and getting people to know your face. The most important is to make sure you stick to time. So find out how much time you've got, and practice the talk on people before you go to make sure it's not too long. Try to keep it simple (set it to the lowest level that will be at the conference) - don't assume knowledge (within reason!). Generally when I do a talk, I write down everything I want to say (being a scientist I divide it into Aim-methods-results-discussion-conclusion), and then put together the talk, practice it & chop all the 'waffle' bits that don't contribute to the story and that cut it down to time. Make it a nice story - introduce what the aim of the talk is, and then make sure you wrap it up at the end according to how you introduced it.

Hi coastman, yes you're right - it's a very small world, so if I'm not honest, it's quite possible the other party would find out even if I didn't tell them (e.g. in the proposal reviewing process or just chatting to each other). I prefer the honesty route anyway, it's more comfortable (otherwise I get racked with guilt). But I do know others that juggle opportunities, in the end one party is left pretty disgruntled & you can't really afford to get enemies when it's a small field. Thanks for the words of wisdom! It's difficult to find a solution sometimes when you're in the midst of it.

Hmm you're right that it's unfair if I'm depriving someone else. They both could not get funded, or maybe one will and the other not. If both get funded and I'm written into both, then the one I turn down would get advertised (though inevitably this would mean that the start of the project would be delayed) - letting someone else make the most of the opportunity (I wrote a substantial part of the proposal in the first place so it's not an easy task to turn down if we're lucky enough to get funded). What happens if I'm written into one already, but prefer the new opportunity? It's too late to drop out of the first. I admit, the second post-doc opportunity is at a pretty amazing centre of research - I'm lucky to be asked to be included in their proposals. It'd difficult to turn down and would be a great career opportunity. Dilemma!

...for the proposal I'm already written into, I've been working with the lead P.I. on it for over a year, like them a lot, and would feel very bad if we got the funding and I decided to turn it down. Should I (1) be honest with both parties, and make it clear that I want a post-doc and since the funding is uncertain I'm trying other options? or (2) not admit it and allow to be included as named post-doc for both and deal with the consequences afterwards? or (3) not be included as named post-doc for the new opportunity (even though its a great opportunity)? Any advice gratefully recieved!

Hi, I'm looking for some advice. I'm in the fortunate position of being written into a proposal for a post-doc. Our first two funding applications failed, but we're about to put in our third bid which we have a much higher chance of getting. However, I recently gave a talk and was lucky enough to be asked by another group if I would like to be included in as named post-doc for a proposal they're putting in on a slightly different topic (told that they stand a good chance of it being funded). I really like the sound of this latter post-doc, but not sure over the ethics of being included on two proposals as named post-doc, or how honest I should be with either party...

Hi! Well in my field you're doing well if you get any publications out before you submit! I know it helps pass your PhD to have them, and it helps with finding jobs - but it doesn't mean you won't get a PhD! I tried to cram in a publication, but it's taken 4 years just to do the PhD never mind write a publication (you could call me inefficient though), but if I have enough energy I might try to submit a paper after I submit but before the viva. Some subjects or results are difficult to publish (in science if you get a negative result), but it doesn't mean it's not worth a PhD. I wouldn't worry too much

Oops brain gone away, I replied to doc2008's message without seeing there was another page of replies ;o) What am I doing here on a Sunday anyway?!!!
Quick addition (assuming I've not missed more posts) - funding is annually paid dependant on full or part time, with fees being around £3000 (tuition) per year for the first 3 years (for EU students not overseas), but following years are much cheaper, you just pay a continuation fee - which for my 4th year at my uni was £400. The university fights with you to finish within 4 years, so I don't know what happens to fees if you go over this deadline (am hoping I don't have to find out!). Think I should go home now... Sunday in the office... gahhhh.

Hi doc2008. In the UK you don't do any taught courses as part of your PhD you go straight into research. Generally here you get 3 years to do your whole reserch project (i.e. in sciences, do all the experimental/fieldwork, process the data, analyse it and write it up as a thesis) - generally it takes more than 3 years. So if people say they're in their 3rd year of their PhD then it's the 3rd year of research, and hopefully nearing the end (though i was nowhere near getting close to the end in my 3rd year!). Hope that makes it clearer. I know in the US you start by taking courses and have to pass them to go onto the research part - we don't have to do that, we just get thrown into the deep end!!! (Though it's a little less tough if you do a masters course first or have worked in research in the field previously as a lot of us do now... at least then you have some vague idea what you're letting yourself in for!)