I'm not currently doing a PhD, but I have worked in research, so I may as well answer. In England, a postdoc is a research project undertaken by a student who has recently obtained a PhD. The post-doc will involve research and publishing, but without a viva having to be written, or any of the associated "coursework" that a PhD student does. A post-doc may be involved with aiding PhD students in the lab, and also may have a certain amount of teaching to do if the postdoc is undertaken at a university. Postdoc contracts generally seem to last 2-4 years, and a student may complete between one and three of them before becoming a fully fledged lecturer. You don't get qualifications as such when you do a postdoc - it's more something to put on your CV, along with the puslications, which seem to be more frequent that when you do a PhD.

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To be honest, Juno, I think that people in these situations, once they've managed to overcome or at least reduce to effect of the problem, can become the hardest working and highest achievers. Unfortunately, it doesn't always happen that they can overcome it. I have been told by psychiatrists/psychologists that my problems can help me, and part of them are linked with doing well academically, so if I do a PhD, I guess I just have to accept them. It's worrying about the effect that they'll have which is the problem.

I remember an academic who, every three years, had a dire period of depression. He would take 3 months off each time, and then be fine until the next phase in three years time. It does seem more prevalent than average in academics though.

I know what you're saying tricky, and agree with it totally. The only problem comes with the question "Is it likely to happen again?", as I can't honest say "definitely not". While I'd hope it wouldn't, of course, it has happened one other time, and I'm worried about getting labelled as a quitter, even though there are good reasons for it. At the same time, my A-Levels and degree shows that I am capable of doing ok, so there's an upside I guess.

Juno, thanks for the reply. I'd love to work at my local uni, even on an unpaid basis. However, my local uni (I won't say which one in case anyone here goes there and is offended) is dire, and their science research facilities are almost zero in my area of knowledge. The nearest good uni for my area is Manchester, but it's a bit too far to go to travel every day, especially unpaid. I am still looking for science work, but it seems highly unlikely that any will arrive before September.

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1. Say nothing and hope the question doesn't come up.

2. Admit it all, be honest, but this would probably put me out of the running immediately..

3. Say nothing, but be prepared for a question about it if and when it is asked. The problem then is - what do I say?

I could be totally honest about it if asked.
I could say I was ill but give no more details.
I could say that I didn't find a PhD that I was interested in, although one supervisor I want to work with knows that I accepted one.

I want to strike the best medium between telling the truth and not ruling myself out of getting the place. So, any ideas?

For those of you who haven't read my posts in the past, here's a little summary of my situtation...

I got a BSc in Pharmacology in 2005. I then did worked as a research technician in a respiratory cell biology group from September 2005 to June 2006, in the lab in Sheffield where I did my final year research project.

I was offered a PhD in Bristol in January 2006, but rejected it. Then I was offered one in Sheffield in April 2006, and accepted. However, over last summer, I was somewhat ill (depression) and wasn't in any decent state to start the PhD in September. Therefore, I withdrew at rather late notice. I am now doing tem-p office work in my home town (I've applied for science jobs but they're either too far away or I'm "over-qualified").

I am now looking to apply for more PhDs, but am worried about what to say at interview concerning my move from science to temp work. I feel I have three options:

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I am 80% certain that the funding councils are not allowed to restrict to UK students, but have to allow for all EU students. However, it's different for other funding bodies.

Isn't the point that you learn by making your own mistakes?

Where's home Tricky? I did my undergrad in Sheffield and really like it - South and Noth Yorks are nice, but not too keen on West Yorks. The main issue (sad to admit it) is getting back home for football - it's the only thing I'm not really willing to give up. Not too readily, at least!

If it were me in this situation, I'd wait until i'd finished, and in the meantime, practice conceiving

Hey Pineapple, and anyone else this may apply to.

I'm a northerner (from Lancashire), but a lot of PhDs in the areas I'm interested in seem to be in London. What are your experiences of London? I have friends there doing PhDs, and they like the city, but it seems very expensive, unfriendly, a hassle because it's so big, and obviously it's not near home. Any comments?

Does psychopharmacology come under than bracket?

I would suggest, although may be wrong, that certainly in the sciences there are more pre-designated thesis titles rather than titles proposed by the student. In the arts/humanities, I am not so sure, although I am pretty certain that student proposals are more common in the arts/humanities.

I would presume that the requirement is to conduct research which is both original, and shows something which wasn't known before you started the project. Of course, there are different levels of originality, and different values of new knowledge, but considering that the percentage of PhD students who publish in a top-rated journal such as Science or Nature (or their equivalents), or more sepcific but still hightly-rated journals, is certainly not 100%, it is clear that you don;t have to make a ground-breaking discovery.

Indeed, the PhD is research training - if you were able to get published in superb journals all the time, there'd be no point doing a PhD and subsequent training, would there?

Seeing as you're an EU student, your best bet would probably be the research councils. NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) or BBSCR (BIology and Biotechnology Research Council) would probably be your best bet, depending on the specifics of the project. Failing that, are there any companiies or charitable organisations who do work in the area of your PhD, and who might fund a PhD student?