Haha - I did know that, but I can't be that picky. Anyway, I'd be more likely to get into a poor team as I didn't really get into it much at my old uni. I need a sport which makes use of my heftiness - no gymnastics for me!

If it's a guy, how about a dirty mag and a box of tissues, along with a note jettisoning him.

For a girl, just the tissues to cry into.

Would that be Loughborough then fifi?

I remember playing a bit of sport for a few weeks once, and I always ended up working far more efficiently than if I'd spent the equivalent time in front of the TV or in the pub in the evening. Surely there must be time on Weds afternoons, although would a supervisor then think that you're arranging work around other areas of your life.

Yeah Jewel, that's what I'd imagined. A shame, but hey. I remember there was almost mass student action at my old uni when some science departments decided to use Weds afternoons for practical classes, which does seem a shame when there are four other afternoons which could be used, although I guess it depends on how much space there is. As for sport during PhD - it'd be great to do something, but I woulnd't want to get on the wrong side of my supervisor!

Wow, a pro eh? It's American football I'm interested in, but I play golf sometimes - I have a very nasty slice though, but I blame it on my clubs being too short hehe.

I was just wondering how many PhD students are able to get involved with university sport. I am hoping to do a PhD in neuropharmacology or a related lab-based topic, but there's a sport I want to play but haven't really had chance to (I started as an undergrad but labs were on practice afternoons). So do many PhDs get to do sport, especially considering that most practices tend to be Weds afternoons?

I contacted him, and he said he might know in February or March as to whether he'll have funding. However, there are other researchers in the department who I'm interested in, and I contacted the PG admissions tutor for the dept, who recommended making a prospective application.

Unfortunately I don't see what you can do, although the supervisor hasn't been great, clearly! Maybe the first thing is to ascertain WHEN funding will be available...

Yeah Roopa, applying to start in September this year. I hope.

I think Oxbridge is just a contraction of the two oldest and (debateably) best universities in the country, which are similar to each other in the way they work, and different enough from other universities to be regarded as an almost separate entity. It's just easier than saying "Oxford and Cambridge" all the time. A bit like the term Russell group is a catch-all for certain good red-brick universities.

I'm looking at neuropharmacology, although from a non-clinical standpoint. I still haven't seen if they have any funding yet though, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

I'm looking to do one in Brum too - what is your area Roopa?

From discussions with academics, the general consensus appears to be that it is far better, during your PhD, to have one paper in Science compared to twenty in something like the Tajikistani Journal of Complementary Medicine.

I know this is an exaggeration, but you get what I mean.

Haha. Well after my degree I did 9 months as a research technician. Now I'm just hoping I can get a PhD to start in September.