Hi, I’m currently working as a research assistant doing various experiments at a university, but was thinking that PhD students here are doing similar things to me, albeit with a bit more stress, write-ups, reading, etc., and at the end they’ll get a PhD whereas I’ll still be at the same point although I’ll get just as much, if not more, experience. So I’m not sure if I should do a PhD or stick with what I’m doing.
Also, salary-wise a research assistant seems to only go up to £25K, then all research positions after that require a PhD.
I guess what I also want to know is whether you can only pursue research up to a certain point without a PhD as to get further, not just financially, you need to have a PhD?
Also if I do a PhD I won’t start until I’m 28 and so won’t finish until I’m in my early 30’s, is this too late? I thought that most people start and finish them in their mid-20’s. Will it be more difficult to get a post-doc research position if I’m older? I’m thinking that it shouldn’t be a problem but am not totally sure.

Yep your way too old. In fact life's passed you by completely. Shoot yourself now and get it over with. Trusting you realise where I'm heading with this.

I should also have said no. Also put up your 'area' and you may get some more specific advise re the job market and such like

My MSc was actually in microbiology, although my current research position is in biomedical research, in immunology. If I do a PhD then I'm not sure as yet which area, microbiology or immunology, I'd pursue it in.

the answer is a simple one:

do a part-time PhD and keep your RA job.

if you choose some overlap between the two, you'll be able to finish in under 4-5 years.

i would say the average age to start a PhD is around 28, so don't worry about your age.

PS. think carefully about doing a PhD - it is bloody hard and will drive you mad, will tie you up for 5 years, normal people will think you're weird, but you may get a few £K more salary.

It may get you a bit more salary...but I wouldn't count on it! I just discovered that the tech in the tech job I left to do my PhD is now earning about the same as me (after 4yrs on post-doc salary)...so if I'd stayed in that job and not done my PhD, I'd still be earning more or less the same (bit galling!).

ive seen RA posts advertised for 25K+ and post docs the same, some ask for PhD or say 5 years experience so i would not say a Phd is always necessary as by the time you would have done the PhD you would have gained the research experience in a job.do you want to stay in academia?

Just a thought, but is there any way your uni would let you be registered part time for a PhD in the current work that you're doing? It'd not uncommon for Research Assistants/Assocs to do this. You may be paid as an RA for the first couple of years, then finish off on a studentship (Obviously depends if money is available, but it would certainly mean that you would save time by not having to wait until you've finished your job before you start a PhD, as the work you're current doing would count towards it).

Hi there, blue sky. I don't know if this will help you at all, but I have been in a very similar pedicament, it was awful, and I had no support at the time which made the decision I had to take rather difficult.

I had a job, after I graduated with a first, purely because I was 'head hunted' by a 'friend' (ah ha) of my male supervisor. Result= she got a very keen PhD student for free (ie not funded by their already overspent grant)

To cut a long story short, my 'supervisor' did anything but meet that description, wasted 3 years of my young (keen sceintist) life and when I stood up to her insistance that my job suddenly involved doing nasty, painful and frankly non viable experiments on mice, she withered but then pestered my elderly parents by phone to et me to come back!!

..continued....but anyway, it's a lengthy saga not appropriate to now, but I definitely think you are better off as a PhD student. Finanancially your bursary is tax free, which i the ame as a reearch asistant alary which is taxe an then you are only doing your PhD part time. Please excue my evere dylexia and the fact that my daughter has poured ribena into the keyboard so most of the keys now stick even when I have spent ages working out which are the right ones

Thanks for your information everyone. I think I'm just at the point where I'm gathering as much information as I can to make a decision because I don’t want to just decide such a big thing without having thought it through.
I’m not sure about doing a part-time PhD as I would think that I would prefer not to drag it out over a longer period. Although, it’s good to have the option if needed though.

I guess my main worry was about wasting time working as a research technician for the next few years and then realizing that it would’ve been better financially and in terms of career progression to do a PhD. I know that some well paid research posts don’t require a PhD, however, after looking at many of them most of them actually do ask for one and I’m not really sure if that will be the trend for future positions as well.

‘Shelleyanne’ I don’t really see myself becoming a lecturer or anything like that, although I’m not sure what will happen, but I’m just happy working in research.

Oh sorry forgot to mention that I'm 10 years ahead of you, age isn't an issue (rightly so)- it's ability that always counts but you are still young and have ability too so you should really be fine.

Hi, I have a few friends who did RA jobs before getting a PhD - partly because the right PhDs weren't around, but also because they weren't sure what to do their PhD in (or if they really wanted to do one). One had a horrible time as RA (horrible boss) the other a fabby time and got her name on papers. They're both now starting the PhDs they wanted to do, and I have to say, a lot better prepared than I ever was going into my PhD with no research experience. The experience they've got will make the whole PhD much easier & they'll be a lot more focussed than I was starting mine (blindly flailing around for the first year). As to age, I know a lot of us who start PhD's later - I was 31 when I started mine. For post-doc funding some fellowships do stipulate that you have to be 35 years old (annoyed me!) but there is other funding out there that doesn't have this limit. Personally - go for a PhD when you feel you're ready and not for any other reason - it's tough!

I forgot to ask as well...does anyone know if its difficult to work in one area of research then to go into another, either as a phd student to a post-doc researcher or from one research assistant/technician role to another.
I was specifically interested in switching between micobiology, immunology and other molecular biology roles.

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