Hey,

Just thought its worth mentioning that from your supervisors point of view its in their very best interests to do whatever they can for you. Some supervisors can be very difficult but they dont want you to fail, remember ultimately when it comes to your progress the buck stops with them.

Also remember their is a reason that they have a PhD and you dont. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm being harse or unsympathtic but like alot of students I've learned to just 'do what your told' when it comes to supervisors, over time you'll probably find your supervisor will start to trust you more and eventually you'll get the freedom to make more decisions regarding your progress.

It does sound like your not having a good time though which is regrettable, my advice really is just to 'pay your dues' do what he says and see how it goes. I'd much rather the world was not like this but in acedemia at least i've never found it to be any different.

Cheers for your input pink_numbers, yeah my university is currently in transition. We got a new hardline dean at the start of my 3rd year who baddly wants to clamp down on students staying after their 3rd year so I get the hint she wants to make abit of a example out of me. We have alot of students who worked in the lab well into there 4th year but fell just outside of her duristriction.

I've had a chat with my sup and hes indicated that the deans coming down rather hard on him about my poor performance so I think I'll have to lay my cards on the table with it, either let me work till I get a publication or fail me now. I honestly think I'll make it by the end of my 4 year and be out the door if i'm given a few extra months to get my lab work in order.

thank you eskimo_sue, your input has indeed made me feel a little better about things. I've not being off ill or had any personal crisis that I couldnt deal...although my love of caffine and nicotine has got significantly worse.

I just feel rather threatened by my department demanding that I finish as soon as possible, the issues a tough one; I've never complained, had arguments with my supervisor, ignored lab protocol, dodged work, lacked commitment or lied about my progress. Quite simply the reason i'm in a mess is because scientifically we didnt get what we expected and ended up with a big fat dead end.

It reasures me that other guys have had similar nightmares. I think universities (especially lesser quality ones) dont relise how tough it is to make scientific progress. Rather than quality they go for quantity....pack as many students in as possible and get shot of them as quick as possible.

I'm interested to know how long its actually taken alot of people to obtain a PhD?

I ask because as I mentioned in a earlier post I'm considering quitting mine, the reason being that I am being pressured to write up despite having no where near the amount of data required for a pass. I'm coming up to the end of my 3rd year in October, my PhD has being a total disaster due to a variety of reasons and I dont mind working in the lab for a few extra months while writing up being unpaid...you gotta do what you gotta do right?

Is more than 3 years totally unacceptible or is it just unfortunate but happens with some difficult projects which seems to be the trend i've seen.

I should mention that my institute has a reputation for students not completing at all/failing and we have a few students still carrying out experiments despite being almost at 4 years.

Firstly, to all whom reply - Thank you for your input

I'll try and keep this brief (turkey)

I'm nearly 3 years into a Molecular Biology pHD and frankly the whole things been a disaster. I was poor in my first year, resources have frequently run out, my collaborators promised me things that never materialised, 2 years of my work turned into a dead end scientifically. You name it, its happened.

My supervisor isnt terrible, hes made mistakes with the planning of my PhD but so have I so I accept that its just one of those things. Issue I now have is that the powers that be are desperate to get students out the door (i'm at a old poly tech with a poor reputation), research/data wise I have nothing. Seriously I've got nothing I could even attempt to publish.

I've always been very frank with my supervisor, i'll do whatever it takes to get the data I need, if it means I have to work unpaid in my lab for 6 months after my 3 years is up i'll do it. However the powers that be are putting presure on me to get sorted and out the door, this is despite many previous students just scraping the 4 year submission mark (we have a brand new dean that doesnt like this). If i'm forced to write up without the data I need i'll fail or get a Mphil if i'm lucky, which is unacceptible to me (I already have a MSc) so i'm refusing to write up unless I can publish at least one paper or short communication etc.

Worst case for me is to work unpaid for several months, write up, fail and carry massive financial debt. I think it will be best now to just accept that it just didnt work out, cut my losses and leave now. Im thinking I want to work as a lab tech for a few years then have another go at a PhD. I dont think i'm a horrendous student nor do I especially blame anyone else for the failure of the project, it just didnt work out.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? or doesnt anyone have any advice as to how I can approach this to my supervisor (we dont have a difficult relationship or anything and i've expressed my concerns before).

Any comments will be greatly appreciated, thanks for reading. (up)

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thread delated by user

Check my post on the other similar thread i'm posting. Your not the only one thats getting forced out by supervisors for the SOLE reason that your experiment doesnt work.

The others guys gave really good advice for me, its NOT your responsibility to get experiments to work if you conduct a experiment exactly to what your supervisor requests its not your fault it doesnt work. Your job is to execute experiments and come up with ideas for new/improved ones its up to them to implement them.

Thanks alot guys! its nice to know others are feeling like I feel.
Its molecular cloning that I'm having trouble with but I'm patient i expected experiments not to work its the attitude of my supervisors that depressing me so much. Its not just me either out of 4 students in my research team one has taken time out with depression and the other ones having a nervous breakdown and doesnt come in much anymore. I dont know hows i've lasted as long as this I really dont!

I've arranged to meet a independent dean of another school in my university to discuss my options. Will let you guys know what happens.

Cheers for the responses guys!

I started a life sciences pHD in Nov and its basically turned into hell. I like my project but the problem is that one particular experiment will not work...i've tried and i've tried and it just doesnt.
On average I work 60hrs a week (and have done so since day one) generally repeating the experiment over and over again. I'm treated as a idiot even though I know exactly what i'm doing and creatively think of solutions all the time (which are rubbished and ignored).

ANY excuse to give me more abuse and its done. I feel so depressed because i'm not a rubbish student I obtained a Bsc and a MSc from two universities with a far better reputation then the one i'm at.

I'm completely unsupported, totally overworked and undermassive pressure, my supervisors have already said they want rid of me JUST because I cant get it to work and continually threaten me.
Even the post-doc has tried and she couldnt get it to work.

I dont want to leave, what the hell would I do? I still like my project but my supervisors want rid of me and everyones against me what choice have I got?