I haven't even got a masters and I'm getting on fine with my PhD, gawd knows why you need two! I was probably a bit weak on stats at the beginning but that wasn't hard to catch up with. In hindsight I probably could've done with doing an MRes/MSc first but thats not how things panned out.

Personally I think two masters is a waste, especially two MRes. If I was a prospective supervisor I wouldn't think 'Oh my, what a diligent student we have here'. I'd think 'what a show-off, no thanks!'

And as hazyjane says, you can't just list the techniques you've mastered to get a thesis...else any old git could do a PhD.
You sure you know what a PhD is? I think you need a bit of a reality check to be honest.

Well I'm joining the Police. Should have done it years ago but never had the courage, instead got sucked into doing this. I've thought about a few other career paths for once I finish, but this is the one. I don't even care if they ignore my PhD, I just want to be a copper!!

My boss ain't gonna be happy!!

I completely sympathise spacey...I'm due to give a talk in a couple of days and I'm completely bricking it. Especially now my sup has insisted on a few last minute changes! Aaaarggh! I really don't want to go now, I was semi-confident this time yesterday, but now....uh-oh!

I will press on though, the only way to sort this out is to get on with it. Like others have said, audiences are far more friendly to PhD students, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Its just good ol' fashioned nerves!!

good luck!

The PhD will unfold into the depths of hell sweetheart, believe your auntie hamilton. Expect to be medicated quite heavily by the end.

Only messing...just be prepared for frustration but you'll be really pleased with yourself when you find a way round it and make it to the end!! Its character building so good luck!!

I know how you feel. This sort of stuff has been b*&%ing me for a while and it can really shake your confidence.
People will always talk themselves up in this way, or 'moan' that they are 'really busy' for example but somehow find hours to chat!
It's total attention-seeking rubbish and my advice is to just ignore them. You should not feel that you have to justify yourself, this is your journey, not theirs. No-one will understand your PhD better than you, so how can you compare yourself to the others?? I bet you are streaks ahead of them anyway!!

Hi everyone,
I'm in a bit of a dilemma at the moment and I just wondered what your thoughts are on the following...

Basically I'm just starting my third yr in a biological sciences PhD and I'm starting to think about future career plans etc. But this PhD malarky has been tough on me (as I think it has on you all by the sounds of it!) and I don't think I can face a career in academia. The politics/bulls**t/backstabbing does my head in! Plus I find it dull and uninspiring but that might just be the dept I'm in.

Now I've found a career that might be possible, that is in the business/banking world and looks really interesting! And would pay very generously!!

So after the waffle, do you think I would be an ungrateful, spoilt madame to waltz off to the banking world after completing the PhD, having used all those resources and not continuing with my research? Or is the PhD mine, and I don't owe anyone anything and I can do what I like with my career direction?

What do you think??! Thanks.

My 2 co-supervisors are a major source of support for me...don't know what I would do without them. It's my main supervisor I have to worry about! lol!

Motivation has always been a problem for me in this PhD, partly because of my supervisor, partly because of the project. I've tried everything to get 're-motivated' and nothing has particularly worked. In fact taking time out made me feel worse because I was worrying about things that I knew had to be done! So I ditched that plan. At the end of the day I've just found that I've had to force myself to get up everyday, get into work at a set time and basically just get my head down. I am pretty miserable at my place but in a funny way it's made me more determined to finish...I'm not going to let those gits grind me down!!
So in a weird way i think I'm a bit more motivated, I've just learnt to live with the misery. Because at the end of the day, doing a PhD is a miserable experience, saps you of everything but the rewards will be there when it's finished.
That's what I try to keep faith in anyway, I've come too far to give it up.

Well I'm miserable too...it's really horrible at the moment. My supervisor is actively sabotaging my project, is losing sponsors (I'm sponsored by industry) and to be quite honest I've lost all hope. I'm 18 months in but I absolutely hate doing this PhD and I want to quit sooooo badly but there's no where to go! Yikes!