Hi Connor.

I'm currently four months into a PhD in the life sciences and constantly think about how I would like my career to pan out personally. I've been given some really good advice by people who have climbed right to the top in our field so will try to pass that advice on as best I can...

You're pretty much right about academia. Two to four post doc positions before you have a shot at a faculty position BUT those post-doctoral roles have to have yielded some really high impact publications. Otherwise forget it, you're going to be a research assistant and never really progress further than that. Career progression in academia is not great. However, if you're good enough/fortunate enough to get those good papers and you don't like the idea of a heavy teaching load but would still like to be a principal investigator then look at 'research institutes' rather than universities. Teaching isn't integral to them, research is. Whilst some staff will take on teaching work at associated universities, it very much takes a back seat. However, if you think you're going to be in the lab doing work at the bench if you aren't teaching as a principal investigator then you need to think again. As a PI most of your day to day tasks would be taken up by grant writing, managing budgets, managing your group, keeping up with the literature, sitting on various committees and all sorts of other tasks, as well as trying to direct the research of everyone in your group.

And this leads me on to industry nicely... if you want to be in a senior position in science, be it academia or industry, you need to give up on any idea of doing a lot of work at the bench. It just ain't gonna happen!

That said, doing a PhD has been the best decision I ever made, I love my work and no matter what happens in the future I'm glad I did it.

Hello all,

I'll be starting work toward my PhD in October, working on plant pathology. Aside from the occasional worry about me not being good enough (despite my undergraduate tutors constantly reassuring me I am for the past year, and then graduating with a first class degree) I'm feeling pretty good about starting, save for one thing:

I've been in a relationship with the most incredible girl for nearly three years now and absolutely will not throw it away. We're both agreed that we're going to make every effort to keep it going and want to try to see each other every two weeks (it's a five hour train journey between where I will be and where she is for the immediate future). At the moment, she's looking for graduate jobs but currently working in a bar, so won't be anywhere near as busy as I will be, and I can see that creating a problem. Also, we're used to seeing each other every day, it's going to be a big shock for both of us. I've known people keep longer distance relationships going for far more than four years but never with the pressure I'm told I'll be under, and that worries me a little.

I'd have her move in with me no problem but that isn't fair on her with no job and no friends where I'm moving to. She's aiming to find a job in London, though, and that's less than two hours train ride from me. So we have that to cling onto I suppose.

I'm just wondering if anyone on here has experience of being in a long distance relationship whilst doing a lab work intensive science PhD. If so, what advice would you give us both to make it work?

Oh, and Mackem_Beefy, not a word about this to anyone on the SMB, don't want them seeing my sensitive side.

,-)

Ok, so I'm just about to graduate from my BSc and have already been offered a PhD in Plant Sciences at the John Innes Centre.

In the interview, they really wanted to get to the heart of my current and past research experience. So expect a lot of questions on your final year project and any research placements you've done. They'll use them as platforms to ask questions about how you would go about tackling research questions, how well you understand the literature on your subject and how well you can put seemingly abstract concepts into a context where findings can be applied to technology.

They aren't going to expect you to have the entireity of your PhD planned out but expect them to ask what your understanding of the project is and what implications any potential results would have for the field.

Good luck!

Hi, so I'm starting a PhD this October in the field of Molecular Plant Pathology.

I've got a great offer so far from one of the two top places in the country for what I do and have accepted it on account of them needing an answer quickly. My problem is that I'm still in the running for the other best place in the country for what I want to do. If I were to receive an offer from them I'd really want to consider both side by side but don't want to burn bridges with the place I've accepted an offer from... I may want to work there in the future. If it comes to it, do I just have to be true to what I want to do or should I take into account my potential supervisors/research institutions as well?

Hi there, I'm also a new member.

Yes, it is possible and its certainly not a hindrance to later success either. The most successful researcher in my field (Plant Molecular Genetics) and someone I have worked for, a guy called Detlef Weigel, submitted his thesis after 2 years and 3 months. They guy is an absolute genius though. I'm not sure its remotely possible for mere mortals.

Charmless Man.