I have recently completed my PhD (2 months ago) and had a meeting with my supervisors the other day to discuss my career options. They informed me that I was not intelligent enough to be an academic, and was ill prepared due my lack of preparation (i.e. too few publications, and not currently doing a post-doc) and that I should look into 'other' types of careers.They further went on to say that planning for an academic career should have begun before I even started my PhD.

Prior to my PhD, I was a clinician with no opportunities to participate in research. I also had a rough time of things at the beginning of my program, where I had to take some type of due to my disability acting up. When I returned to my studies, I was blacklisted and thrown off research projects that I was previously involved with (and performed competently). I approached my supervisors at various junctures to see if they would like put together some publications with me. Over and over, they expressed a lack of interest and lack of time, and told me to focus on my dissertation. Meanwhile they were grooming other students for academia.

I feel ripped off! I feel like my career options were pre-determined by them. Meanwhile, I put in all this time, money, and hard work and put together an amazing dissertation, and will probably not get an references from them in the end.

I am starting to think this PhD was a complete waste and a scam! What the heck do I do next?!

I am debating whether to attend my upcoming graduation. I absolutely hate my department, as they did everything they could to sabotage me during my studies due to my disability. Then today the department chair informed me that I was not smart enough for a faculty position and wouldn't get one anyways due to my lack of 'preparation' and should consider other things. In addition, I am in a slump right now, with few job prospects, and not feeling in a celebratory mood.

Your thoughts??

I am finishing up the results section of my dissertation, and I am completely frustrated! I feel like I am on a seesaw with my supervisor. She has little interest in my topic and says she has little time to read my items because she is too busy. I hand something in for her to review, she suggests changes, I make the suggested changes, then hand it back to her. She reviews it, and several weeks later she says she doesn't like the document and suggests more changes which I had made in my document in the first place. She has been doing this with her for the past few years, and when I ask if I will be finished my dissertation in a reasonable amount of time, she reacts if I asked her something inappropriate, and gives me some BS answer in response. Is this just par for the course with the PhD, or do I have a incompetent supervisor? How do I content with this, if I am going to finish my PhD and still have a penny to my name and some sanity left?

@bewildered: You make some good points! I worked in social services prior to doing my PhD, in some great places, but wanted to add research skills to my repertoire. I am doing research in social services and it is way different from my previous experiences. I am a very independent person and have not had difficulty doing the research, but I have a supervisor who is not interested in what I am doing, is always away, and rarely reads my stuff. Plus, I have dealt with every type of personality disorder in my department. I am about 4 months away from PhD completion. I guess at this point, it is time to suck it up and finish it up, then return to the social services sector. I think what makes me angry the most is that I spent 5-years doing this degree and feel like it has been a complete waste of time.

I have been looking at research institutes as well as Non-profit organizations. It is discouraging to hear that post-docs are another side of the same PhD coin.

I am towards the end of completing my PhD which has been a truly miserable experience! I have had little supervision, support and been bullied by faculties members and other students trying to sabotage my efforts. I experienced burnout so bad during the past year, I got sick, and had to take a medical leave, which is my second leave. I am debating what to do at this point, whether I should consider a postdoc or get the hell out and get an industry position. That being said, for those of you who have completed postdocs, has the postdoc experience been as disgusting as the PhD?

I chose to publish with this person because they are one of committee supervisors, plus works in my area of interest. Absolutely!! the person was going to be an author on the papers.

Several months past, I approached one of my dissertation committee members (who is not faculty in my department and a world renowned expert in my area of research) about publishing some papers with me and he agreed. I sent him a few drafts of some papers, which he said were well written and provided some good feedback. Then out of nowhere he emailed me and told me that I should publish within my own department and discipline, and essentially ditched me. What is up? Totally confused!!!

What is up with the BS deadlines we seem to get?! First, my supervisor tells me I will be finished by Christmas, then April, and now September with the possibility of going to December.

This is absurb!! I think these deadlines are given to us, so we don't get discouraged and keep moving forward as opposed to wallowing in despair.

Your thoughts?

I figured I would share a bit of my story, being I am moving toward the end of my dissertation, though it still seems far away.

To begin with, I started my PhD almost 5 years ago, and it has been rough from the start. You see, I have bipolar disorder, which means I have my ups and downs, which can be triggered by stress, which we get plenty of in a PhD program, along with an addiction that crept up on me. I had to take time off on a few occasions due to my episodes and addiction, which left me unable to do much of anything.

Following that, I failed the first section of my first comprehensive exam, but I passed the second portion of my exam with flying colors, which saved me from sudden PhD death!!

From there, I proceeded to my thesis which has been not been smooth sailing; slow data collection, lack of cooperation from research sites and from my advisory committee, which has delayed my progress significantly. Then, alas, another bipolar episode and more time off.

On several occasions I considered walking away, but I persevered, which I think was due to my stubbornness and probably lack of common sense.

Despite the fact, that I face a weak job market upon completion, I do not regret undertaking this feat. It has tested me on many levels, but I have also learned so much about my self.

That being said, for those of you currently struggling, you can pull this off!! You have made it this far and can make it the entire way. Believe in yourself, and consider this a long and winding journey, that not many individuals will have the privilege of undertaking. Things will work out in the end, no matter which career and life paths you choose.

I am in the midst of working on my thesis/viva in the area of Rehabilitation Science, and have realized I do not want a research position post PhD. What are some of the opportunities out there for Rehab Science grads?

I begin the writing portion of my comprehensive exam tomorrow. I have 3 weeks to prepare 3 essays, based on what I have read for the last 5 weeks.

The kicker is I don't get the questions until tomorrow!

Are there any strategies concerning how one should approach this exercise?

I have been reading in preparation for my comprehensive exam next week and I am terrified! Not only am I terrified on the essays I have to write (3 in 3 weeks) but because of my experience in my department with academic bullying. I don't think the powers that be are going to let me pass and move on.

I don't know whether I should just drop out now or see this through?

Despite the human rights complaint, against a faculty member of my department, which did not work in my favor, I decided to continue on in my program, being I have 2 years invested, much student loan money invested, and a crappy economy. In addition, I think this degree might open a few doors, even though I have lost my passion for it.

After I made this decision yesterday, I did not feel great. I had a panic attack (I have an anxiety disorder and other health issues).

Today I have this feeling of dread. I think my body's response is indicating that I might have made the wrong decision.

Your thoughts?

I have already wasted 50K on higher degree and I am as miserable as hell! I think its time to return to the real world to make some money and pay back this loan, which will take me eons to pay off.