Hey guys!

I'm just at the end of my first year of a fully funded 4 yr PhD and am having serious doubts about continuing on to 2nd yr. i guess i'm just looking for advice from people who would have been in a similar situation as me previously and whether they stuck it out or left to pursue other things.

my PhD is in the same area as my undergrad degree which is science based, i've been struggling to get to grips with my project and find it hard to see the interesting side to it. the lab work i have done to date isn't really working out for me which i know can happen but i'm just finding that i don't get any help from my postdoc or my supervisor on how to solve the problem, my supervisor even suggested i read the manual to one of the machines to figure out why it wasn't working!! is this normal? i'm not an engineer i don't know how machines work!!

at the moment i am supposed to be writing up my 1 year review report and i just cant motivate myself to do it, it's not like i have alot to write about as my lab work isn't really working out, couple of days hard work would get it sorted but i just cant do it i sit at my desk for hours just staring at the screen.

I feel like i want to leave but in the current economic climate the likely hood of getting a job is slim and i also worry what possible employers would think of me having a 'failed' phd on my CV but at the same time the thought of staying here another 3 years (possibly longer) really does not appeal to me either.

I really don't know what to do and i certainly don't want to sound ungrateful for the oppertunity i've gotten by being given this PhD as i know other people who kill for the opportunity but surely if i don't like it should leave....right? i did this PhD because i previously worked in R&D in industry and loved it and thought a research PhD would be similar but the two are so different, in industry there is always people to help and offer advice doing a PhD you are left on your own.

I was never really that smart at school or college i always did alright a PhD was never in my future plans and it just came along so i applied for it never thinking i would get it and now i just feel a bit out of my depth here and wondering should i leave before i get more involved in this project and it gets harder to leave?

has anyone else felt like this? did you stay or did you go???

Hello, Cherryblossom, and welcome to PGF. With my limited experience, I'll try and deal with your uncertainties on a point-by-point basis.


"I'm just at the end of my first year of a fully funded 4 yr PhD and am having serious doubts about continuing on to 2nd yr. i guess i'm just looking for advice from people who would have been in a similar situation as me previously and whether they stuck it out or left to pursue other things."

A couple of years ago, I was in exactly this position. The first year can be a 'baptism of fire' because you go from knowing very little about your subject area to knowing a little bit more but being very uncertain of everything. This is very normal. Many people would be liars if they said they didn't think about dropping out after the first year. I decided to carry on and I'm more or less glad I did. You have 4 years of funding, plenty of time to make mistakes and slow progress, so I'd recommend seeing how you get on in the second year.

"I feel like i want to leave but in the current economic climate the likely hood of getting a job is slim and i also worry what possible employers would think of me having a 'failed' phd on my CV but at the same time the thought of staying here another 3 years (possibly longer) really does not appeal to me either"

It is a compelling reason to stick with your PhD. Hopefully, when you emerge in 3 years time, things will have sorted themselves out. Plus, you don't really know what directions your research may take months from now. Excitement in a PhD waxes and wanes, I find. Sometimes, it's ace. Other times, it's just a grind. Ultimately, it's up to you, but it may be worth seeing how it goes.

"my PhD is in the same area as my undergrad degree which is science based, i've been struggling to get to grips with my project and find it hard to see the interesting side to it. the lab work i have done to date isn't really working out for me which i know can happen but i'm just finding that i don't get any help from my postdoc or my supervisor on how to solve the problem, my supervisor even suggested i read the manual to one of the machines to figure out why it wasn't working!! is this normal? i'm not an engineer i don't know how machines work!! "

Hmm, this can be a problem. I've been in the same situation. My supervisors are lovely, but they don't know very much about my research area. To get around this, what I did was network like mad. Find experts and e-mail them with my questions and problems. My research wouldn't have been possible without their help. So, why not try networking? Also, I have a lot of books about a lot of different things (I'm not saying I understand a lot of different things!) - so if you're having problems with GLC or MS, then send me a PM and I'll doubtless have a book on it. In addition, it might be worth telling your supervisor about the difficulties you are currently facing.


"at the moment i am supposed to be writing up my 1 year review report and i just cant motivate myself to do it, it's not like i have alot to write about as my lab work isn't really working out, couple of days hard work would get it sorted but i just cant do it i sit at my desk for hours just staring at the screen."

I could have written that! I'm supposed to be writing up, but the going is slow. Try breaking it down into little tasks and also consider the Pomodoro (sp?) technique, via my tomatoes. Many forumites on hear swear by it.

"I really don't know what to do and i certainly don't want to sound ungrateful for the oppertunity i've gotten by being given this PhD as i know other people who kill for the opportunity but surely if i don't like it should leave....right? i did this PhD because i previously worked in R&D in industry and loved it and thought a research PhD would be similar but the t