Hi i'm looking to do a phd but i'm not sure and it's frustrating!! i took a year off to decide and it hasn't helped it a bit!!

firstly about supervisors... i've found a topic (clinical psychiatry) which i'm interested to do already, but i'm not sure about my supervisor. i've heard that you should ask around ppl who are already in the lab, but my supervisor just relocated from the States last year and is still setting up her lab here.. so... there's practically no one for me to ask about...

plus i'm still not sure of the whole thing! my grades were fine, i know i can do it, but just not sure about my career path... as much as i love research, it seems like a career where you might have to constantly relocate, and i'm more of a "stay-at-home girl"... any advice??? ><

Hi Karlala.

Well firstly, you're right, it's good to have a good relationship with your supervisor - it makes things a lot easier when the going gets rough to have someone supportive behind you. Having said that, the idea of the PhD is to become independent as a researcher and will invariably mean lots of work off your own back - you supervisor is there to guide so it's as important to have someone who is good at the area as well as the "personal" touch. Maybe exchange a few emails with this potential supervisor to get a "vibe" and ask any questions you feel are important.

Research indeed can be a hard gruel for those who want to move up so a degree of flexibility is certainly important. However, I'm not sure where you're based (I'm assuming UK as you mentioned someone relocating from the States?) which could mean that there are enough research centres within a reasonable commutable distance. You have to decide what it is that's most important to you. Nobody can do that for you unfortunately!

Hi thanks DanB!
I'm actually in Australia... not as many research centres as the US or the UK