Hi there
I am hoping some of you can offer me some advice. I am currently in my second year of a 1+3 biology PhD programme in the UK. Meaning that I completed a masters last year and am currently 8 months into my PhD. Thing is I hate it. I mean really hate it and I know I dont want to go into research when I am finished, I cant wait to get out of it. It isnt anything to do with my colleagues, my superviser or the department, they are all fantastic, I just dislike the work itself. I loved biology during my undergraduate degree in it and still do but hated research as soon as I started my masters. During my masters I had the opportunity to go to different labs and work in many areas so I am pretty convinced its not the subject I hate but the work itself.
I think I now know what I want to go into- science communication and public engagement in science. I have become invovled in this in the last few years on a voluntary basis and I love it so much. I would really love to do work in that field full time.
Thing is I would love to quit my PhD to pursue this but perhaps my career in this area would be benefited by having a PhD? Does anyone know anything about science communication and know how influential having a PhD would be? I know that being able to call yourself a Dr would be beneficial but will it make a big difference because if not I'm not sure its worth 3 more years of misery. I cry regularly about how miserable I am and am not sure if I can make myself do it anymore. However most people I talk to tell me I am stupid for even considering leaving, its an extremely good PhD (at Cambridge University) and pays very well. Another benefit of staying to do the PhD would be that I can get more experience in running outreach events and communicating the importance of science to the public voluntarily whilst doing my PhD. But I am finding it hard to balance the both as they both require lots of time.
I know I am not doing my best work during my PhD because my heart is not in it. I have achieved very little in term of results so far.
Sorry if this has turned into a bit of a rant! Basically I am after two bits of advice. Is it ever a good idea to quit your PhD? And do you think you can do one of your not passionate about it? And secondly if anyone has any experience with public engagement, would it be better to get a PhD or quit and get more experience in this field?

When you say hate it, do you mean you find it boring? Your heart's not in it so perhaps you're occupying a position that could be filled by someone who wants to be there.

That said, start to look for a job in your chosen field and quit your PhD only once you have a firm job offer. It is better that you have 'currently doing a Ph.D.' on your CV rather than 'unemployed'. Tell a prospective employer in interview that you find your potential career choice more fulfilling if they ask in interview why you're quitting.

The answer to the above is a no brainer if you don't want to be there this early into the Ph.D.

After all, look what you have to look forward to!!!

http://www.wearthesis.talktalk.net/phdgame.pdf

;-)

I can empathise with people who no longer want to continue their PhD -it's a big commitment. Not only is it a job, it's a way of life! If you no longer have the 'get up and go' to see it through, then fair enough. Like Beefy said, you could be occupying a position that someone else wants. However, I definitely wouldn't quit until I had something else lined up.
However, there is a bit of a Catch 22 with getting a job in science. A lot of scientific jobs require experience, and a PhD can be used in lieu of experience (with all those transferable skills and whatnot). Science is also full of academic snobbery, and not having a PhD may limit career progression. But ultimately it's a personal choice, and I certainly wouldn't do a PhD for the sake of it.
Good luck!

Thanks for the advice!
Beefy- yer I find it really boring, I struggle to find the energy to engage with it at all. Its not just that though I find that it doesn't really play to my strengths. Yes I am good at science but i'm really a people person and find research doesn't really involve this skill enough.
I have tried to research into alternative jobs and am still confused about whether it would be a good idea to leave and get direct experience or whether a PhD would be more beneficial. Baseline- I agree academia can be full of snobbery and this is what worries me about leaving.
Some days I feel like I could just about physically get through this and some days I fell like I cant last until tomorrow. Cant carry on like this tho- have to make a decision one way or the other!
To be honest I think I just need to be brave enough to leave (what with the usual lame background thoughts of letting my family down, being a disappointment etc etc!)
You guys have given me a lot more confidence though so thanks!

Findinglifehard - I would reckon that you should give yourself some time (maybe over the summer) to really research whether you can or cannot move into the area you want easily. Ring up people and maybe create a dossier of important links etc. If you are still paid and it is important to you, make the effort to meet a person in this area and ask them the questions that matter.

I would totally forget about any hold-ups about letting friends or family down - it is your life and intrinsically, most people don't care what you do so long as you are happy (and get the rounds in).

One thing is though be prepared for some level of regret no matter what decision, but if you have made up your mind and have some bit of a plan in place, it will pass and don't let this drag you down! Either situation has advantages and I think you are young enough and intelligent enough to be flexible to adapt if needed :-)

Hello, nice to read the experiences of a soulmate - I also have a doctorate from Cambridge University. I will be straightforward: judging from your reflections on the whole process so far, I think you'd better quit. Things will get more complicated soon, the research process will become very complex, and you will need to be steadfast to move ahead. Remember what the responsible supervisors tell to their first-year students: the moment will come when you will run out of the initial enthusiasm and motivation, and there will nothing else but a 'dark' feeling. At this moment, you will need to be very very very strong to stand on you feet and go on. Of course, supervisors are quite co-operative, but this does not mean they will 'show mercy' once you're psychologically weak. You will have to defend your arguments in regular seminars, and it is hard to do so if you have the slightest doubt about yourself. But there is something even worse: you claim you want to use your biology phd for doing science communication. Well, getting the phd is not actually your greatest accomplishment. Throughout your phd research you must show that you are determined enough to survive and respond to any challenges. Experienced supervisors are well aware of their students' situation, so what's the point in supporting a bewildered student, even if they are willing to give him/her the phd; all I'm saying is that getting the phd under the most unfavourable conditions for you as a person, does not lead you anywhere. If this happens, what you're doing is a waste of time, and it may even obstruct your future plans. Though my phd is in a different subject (it's a few years since I completed it, and finding a job, even a temporary one, was extremely difficult), I don't see how your phd in biology will help you in advancing youself in science communication - but you know this better, I guess. Sincerely.

Quitting a PhD is not the end of the world. If it's making you miserable then it doesn't sound like something you should be doing. But before you do, do think carefully about whether this feeling might pass when you start getting results etc. But if you know that you're never going to enjoy it then why carry on for the sake of it?

I suspect that not finishing a PhD won't be a barrier with respect to working in science communication. The important thing is marketing your transferable skills. You don't say which area of sci comm you want to get into - writing? Schools engagement? Different skill sets will be viewed as beneficial. If you quit and then can't find a sci comms job straight away consider that any kind of communications officer type role may enhance your CV, although recognise that there may be a lot of competition for these positions.

There are only a finite number of opportunities in that area so you need to make it clear that you are someone who wants to do it because they have a passion for it, rather than 'because it's not as bad as doing a PhD', which might be some people's motivation. Before quitting I would make sure you have a definite plan of what area you want to target, at least in the short term. And start putting together a 'portfolio' that supports this. You want to do science writing? Then start a blog and use Twitter to network with interesting science people. You want to work with the public? Then enhance your volunteering by actively taking the lead/making suggestions of new projects with the people you already volunteer with. You will need to stand out from the crowd, and experience may be more helpful than a PhD.

You might also want to read this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/13/wellcome-trust-science-writing-prize?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Good luck