I have finally realised i need a little help with my future. Im not sure of where to turn or the best thing to do. The biggest question is at the minute, "What will i get from this PhD". Im doing a PhD a(just started second yr) in a material science field and i have a first degree from a good uni. But im having many problems with communicating with my 'perfectionist' supervisor and its taking all enjoyment out of the field of interest. Is there anybody out there thats had these problems. Is it common that you supervisor is more concerned with conference/journal papers and wanting the impossible over his students thesis/welfare? Do i just give up now and look for something else (graudate based) or will this thing turn out good in the end? Just after some advice really. Cheers!

Have you looked on the newwave articles?
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_development/
There are articles on whether to stay in academia or not, you could go on GRADschool this year or next and see their articles. I would say gather as much information as you can and make an informed decision.

My supervisor doesn't seem to care less in students, only papers/conferences/funding. It is personality. Academia can be quite harsh though in general and I decided to finish my PhD and leave. I've hated it for the majority of my PhD. I want to do medical writing now and I'm waiting for my supervisor to read my thesis so I can submit (waited 2 months).
Is it constructive criticism designed to help you? Sometimes it comes across as very harsh/is put across badly and is meant to help you however misguided.

conference/journal papers are everything in research. I had a great supervisor but that doesn't mean he didn't tear my work apart through the entire process. A PhD is as much a test of character as a test of what research you can produce! What I didn't realise at the beginning was that I was training myself to be a researcher and little else, it can be quite depressing to realise that. Now I feel trapped in the academic world which I don't actually like . Having said that there is no way that achieving a PhD is something I will ever regret and it is up to me how I plan to extricate myself from academia

Many thanks for your replies. I suppose its very much a waiting game!

Hi... SUPERVISORS HAVE A LOT TO ANSWER FOR!!! Gosh I sympathise - I don't have perfectionist supervisors - I have one very lax supervisor who doesn't show a whole lot of interest, and another who just disagrees with bits he feels strongly about and not too bothered about the rest. I do know a perfectionist supervisor & their students, and it frustrates them no end - but despite the frustration they seem to have learnt a lot from the supervisor... my advice would be now you're a year in, is take their comments on board, mull them over & just act on the ones you agree with and not the others. You're going to be the specialist in your field - so believe in yourself - you'll sometimes be right when your supervisor is wrong, especially as the PhD progresses. Just try not to take their comments too much to heart, do what you know you need to for your own sanity! Good luck