Aw, thanks guys!

Really? Well, obviously I'm only human and I did have typos in my thesis which I corrected for the final bound version but the examiners didn't stipulate any changes, hence it was considered a straight pass. I do remember the woman from our postgrad office saying she'd never seen a straight pass on an examiners report form before, lol!

Hehehe!!

Well done, great news!!

1) No 2 days are ever quite the same
2) The highs make up for the lows (most of the time, lol!)
3) It's nice to be doing something new and (hopefully) worthwhile
4) Some times, you get awarded grants to buy groovy new kit (and maybe your salary for the next year, woohooo!)

It depends on the individual e.g. how confident you are feeling, how long ago you submitted, whether in the interim you've been working on similar stuff. I had a 12 week gap between submission and viva. I actually had my thesis date brought forward by a month which was alarming! I reckon I did about 3 weeks intensive (i.e. very long days, weekends) 'revision' i.e. re-reading thesis, re-reading key references in full and making notes, reading abstracts only of less important papers, revising key pharmacological processes, mathematical theories etc. It actually didn't feel like I'd given myself long enough but clearly I did (passed no corrections) and I don't think I would ever have felt that I'd prepared enough. Definitely, I think that mock viva(s) are the very best way to prepare. Good luck!!!

Our LC-MS-MS is being installed today! Exciting but scary too!!!

To be an author on a scientific paper, you are supposed to have done 3 things; 1) been involved with creating the data, 2) been involved with interpreting the data and 3) been involved with writing the paper. Hence, it is not unreasonable to expect input from your supervisor (and others who are expected to co-author). If you are doing the bulk of the work, then it is reasonable that you are first author (with the descending list of authors reflecting their level of input, but head of group will usually go last). The above is a general guideline, best to chat to your supervisor about any worries. Good luck, paper writing is hard, especially at the beginning but this is where you want to take advantage of the experience of your supervisors who should be able (and hopefully very willing) to guide you through it.

One tip, don't go into your viva with a 'scared student versus scary panel' mindset. Try to think of it more as a meeting of peers. Of course, be respectful and not arrogant but have belief in yourself and your work (whilst acknowledging weaknesses, things that might have been done better another way as that shows that you have learnt from your PhD experience). Best of luck!

Certainly it is possible. I did my PhD as a Research Assistant. Many research assistant posts are basically just 'salaried' PhD students. The drawback is that you are a member of staff and usually have to have a 2nd external examiner for your viva but don't let that put you off!

Aw, thanks Wickid!!

Briefly (in academia/science anyway), a post-doc is like doing a PhD for hopefully more money (unless you are one of these lucky students getting 18K tax free in which case expect to get less money!). It's tougher than PhD in some respects because you are usually juggling multiple projects, writing multiple funding applications and teaching too. You can, of course, try to find a position prospectively by networking, sending out your CV to people you'd like to work with etc. Otherwise, like any job, check out the adverts in the relevant press and apply! Good luck!!

It's very convenient, isn't it, this blokes 'not believing in Valentines' thing? Grrr! I know it's a load of commercial hype and I think that if a man makes the odd romantic gesture at other times of the year then he may be excused Valentines...but when they don't and can't even be bothered to buy a card...sob!

Me neither Jen. Other than my Dad (a girl can always rely on her Dad) I've only been given flowers once - and that was from a male friend (but not a boyfriend) who felt sorry for me because I'd never been given flowers! Now that's tragic!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article1370214.ece

Finally, some sense!