======= Date Modified 02 29 2010 19:29:02 =======
======= Date Modified 17 02 2010 12:02:51 =======
Dear All, Is it nearly an endemic that PhD students are treated as guinea pigs by senior staff in the universities?
I was in a similar situation where my Supervisor was not willing for some reason to give me charge of my project and delayed the assessment procedures and a final proposal to work on which I think was because of the pressure up in the ladder and due to universities not earning enough money as they were earlier due to lack of funding from gov.
I think this is the main reason why so many PhD students get dis hearted and withdraw due to lack of Self Esteem. There could be many human factors why this happens which is close to bullying. One could be that senior staff have not appropriate knowledge of their field and a fear factor is involved.
I was wondering if you ever experience a similar experience and have ever tried to change this culture.

sorry lil mistake should have been 'is it' rather than 'it is' . I could not understand your answer nor in anyway it successfully justifies how mistreatment and bullying at work place is a rather normal experience in your view. The whole reason of posting this is to correct my understanding of how it should work taking into consideration other's view? rather than demanding a lecture on psychology. If you not understand the question don't post plz..

hi Dispatcher
You sound upset?

If you post a msg here you will receive all sorts of responses, just be cool about it, go easy and enjoy the responses;
they may actually be helpful to you.

I'm sorry to hear that you did have a rough time; but in my humble opinion phd students are not treated as guinea pigs (or rabbits or mice) by senior staff; if it were to happen, ok but definitely not endemic (agreeing with DanB) and phd students get dishearted and withdraw due to several other factors; not only the guinea-pig-bullying issue that you have shared with us.

Anyway you managed to overturn your PhD to MPhil incident back to PhD.

Whatever you do, the whole world isn't always against you; it is always there and up to you to find whatever it is you are looking for.

I am now in my 2nd year and I have never been bullied or guinea-pigged. I have encountered senior staff who could not help me but there was no conflict whatsoever. I also made several mistakes (with my results, methods etc.); in fact the senior staff at my uni have been most helpful and supportive. Sometimes my supervisor asks me questions that I may not be able to answer; or makes lots of comments on whatever I have written (!) and I am asked to write-re-write-redraft-do again etc.etc. But its part of the learning process. Also I find, if I am humble, I learn faster. If I dont find fault with people, I learn more.

Good luck to you for the rest of your phd.

satchi