Phd regret reddit. The #1 social media platform for MCAT advice.
Phd regret reddit. Be a philosophy professor of course, haha. The advice I got from many smart people was that a PhD for some career benefits’ sake is probably not worth it. I would have been at a better position in my career, with a lot more financial security. I’m publishing but that no longer feels sufficient. Once you have completed a masters, you should have a good idea how much you enjoy research, and whether you’d like to make a career out of it (for me, the primary benefit of getting my PhD is it opens doors to academia and gov’t research positions that are only available to PhDs). I had a kid during my master's. 60 votes, 91 comments. She simply hated patient care. However, I’m having trouble now with the regrets of what I did/did not do during the cycle and obsessions over rank of school. My regret is where I did my PhD. Every IP firm I know is hiring EE PhDs at the moment. A PhD is VERY demanding and academia is ROUGH. Your supervisor is the biggest factor in whether or not you enjoy your PhD and honestly, whether or not you finish it With a PhD in EE, you can pretty much take your pick. Safe to say my earning potential has decreased. Then you waltz into a PhD program, poop out a paper every 6 months in a top journal (because you already worked on it for a few years) and graduate in 1. Oct 20, 2021 · I'm currently half way through a partially-funded PhD program in clinical psych, and starting to feel regretful for getting this degree. Most jobs PhD graduates end up doing do not require a PhD, while the "dream jobs" often don't pay much more than just having those 4-6 years of work experience in a decent field and strategically moving between companies/positions. I have met a single MD/PhD that regretted the MD (she researched something non-clinical at my undergrad). All you need is the PhD. The only reason I don’t regret my PhD is that I worked full time during it so I didn’t lose the income or years of time (though I also would not recommend this approach for mental health reasons). However in my case I gave up and started a new project in the same program. (I don't regret getting a PhD straight after an MSc, but I work in academia). I don’t do work directly related to my thesis. The year kind of mislead me since at my institute if you are in your 5th year it means that you are finalizing some extra experiments for your thesis, your publication is accepted, and you are finalizing your thesis chapters, since you cannot extend more after the 5 years and if you must go for a 6th year, then you would have to restart again with a new I don't regret the PhD, but this was somewhere that paid PhD students a pretty normal salary rather than taking money from them, and a field in which you're really still half-baked just with an MSc. In reality, the PhD won't really open that many more doors than a Masters, and at first will potentially work against you since you will potentially be competing with more experienced people for a PhD who MS’d out here- dont do a PhD if you arent passionate about the material. my program happens to be a gilded hollow shell but i developed a network outside of it that supports me to where i only need my admins to sign my paychecks each month. If you care a lot about maximizing your financial gains, then yeah, a PhD is a huge time and money suck (if you think about it in terms of lost income as the difference between making virtually none in the 4-5 years you do a PhD and having a 'real' job). If I had the chance to go back and do everything differently, I wouldn't. Although I found the idea of doing a PhD abroad appealing at the time, I was clueless and simply didn’t put any time into understanding the process of applying for one. The #1 social media platform for MCAT advice. Personally, I don’t regret my PhD at all, because I wanted to become an academic and now I am one. But to be honest, I don't regret my PhD in the slightest. I don't regret my choice by any means, but every now and then I still think if I should be in touch with someone at CEU just so I could spend some time there. I don't regret getting a PhD. I abandoned my PhD project after 4 years, as I had just started to write my thesis. If you dont care about finances and just want to level up in a specific area of expertise that youre interested in, a PhD isnt a bad idea. NIH could have just paid 2 PHD's at that rate. Which, hurts way more than having/not having any degree ever will edit: I want to go back and edit this based on what u/radiatorcheese said. reddit's new API changes kill third party apps that offer accessibility features, mod tools, and other features not found in the first party app. While I recognize that I am at the tail end of this “investment in myself and my career” and have received virtually zero tangible rewards for this so called investment, I continue to feel completely demoralized, lost, frustrated, burnt out and simply put angry Adding on to some points made but the protected time to do the PhD can be both a blessing and a curse. Alright, I'm sorry to trigger you. program due to health concerns, and she is now working with her masters. Going through the PhD has made me not want to be a PI (I just don't think I have it in me), but I am so appreciative of the protected time to just be a grad I enrolled into an MA program in order to move on to a PhD after (I'm finishing my dissertation for the MA, I haven't decided which offer to accept for PhD). I so regret my PhD at the moment. But especially with the PhD, it's not about set milestones; there's too much variation between the research for it to mean anything. I think I could have learned similar technical skills to what I am learning now and supplement it with 1-2 years in research following a targeted bachelor's and end up getting to my career goals in a faster way if I knew what I wanted ~8 years ago. I went straight to my PhD and I regret being in my PhD program with a kid. Mar 30, 2013 · I know one person who quit an experimental program because they "****ing hated it" and switched to a counseling psych program, and are now happy. I'm still proud of myself but that doesn't erase/mitigate the regret. The PhD experience, especially the past 2-3 years, was shitty and I'm coming out of it psychologically and physically exhausted and with a sense of loss, despite the fact that I did receive the degree. The stuff you feel you missed out on is a very idealized idea of your twenties that many don’t actually experience, and even if you did you might have other regrets (possibly even regretting not doing your PhD). I went straight from undergrad to PhD (US based), and I kind of regret it - not because I needed a break (although that might have helped), but because I came to the realization during my PhD that I don't want to be in academia forever but I actually have no idea how to go about looking for / marketing myself in a non-academic setting for Pivoted to university administration and now make much much more than the chair of my PhD did, and he was once the most published person in our humanities field (three decades before he was my advisor). 10 years post graduating with a PhD. , but on the flip side, my oral presentation skills are pretty good. Still love that I went through the program, but don’t regret getting out when I did. Not applying for a PhD abroad. AMA if you like. It's rare, but not unheard of, to go straight into the PhD. I’m definitely a neurotic person (extremely strict/high expectation parents), somet Apr 21, 2022 · Pre-PhD Regrets 1. She's about as hands off as one can be and as soon as she got tenure she gave up on just about everything. But I do regret how I did my PhD. 36 votes, 28 comments. I would say roughly half of them regret the PhD portion because the MD is actually the more lifestyle-friendly degree. I started a PhD in theoretical physics and a month in got a job offer which I took. I think my committee and advisors lied to me, and for that reason, I am a much weaker chemist. Have regretted not doing the PhD now that I’m in my late 30’s, and it seems extremely difficult to go back and do it now. The firm will hire you as a tech specialist and pay you between 90-130k starting salary, pay for you to take the patent bar, and pay your tuition if you go to law school in the evenings. But regret tends to be a very poor and toxic motivator. Initially, my plan was to be in academia. Looking back, I wish I’d spent some time seriously looking at overseas PhD programmes. Be prepared to receive some “overqualified discrimination” when applying for jobs. If I would have stuck to working all the years I gave to the PhD. Whether or not you will regret your PhD will most likely boil down to whether or not you like School and theoretical examination of your subject. I've been browsing job boards for the last 6 months and the positions requiring a PhD are virtually nonexistent. Some MD/PhD's directors at T10-T20 schools themselves have forgone clinical training/residency so yeah they basically got 4 years of med school paid but aren't using their MD training. I don't regret my PhD but i do regret choosing the adviser i chose. I don't regret doing the PhD because it was an amazing experience (albeit often extremely hard) but I do regret a lot not doing something more practical or leaving academia earlier, as I am in a somewhat junior position now, trying to catch up, and the only way I found an entry point to the data world was through a startup, which required a lot I don’t regret my STEM PhD a single ounce. Got a bs in bme, PhD in neuroscience regret leaving engineering Was frustrated with my main options being hospital tech or sales rep so switch from bme to neuroscience for graduate school. /r/MCAT is a place for MCAT practice, questions, discussion, advice, social networking, news, study tips and more. I'm struggling now so hard in so many areas of my life. Financially its not worth it. many in program are more screwed though and i do feel sorrybfor The examples where IMO MD/PhDs are consistently better positioned than their "either/or" counterparts are in niche or orphaned diseases, where clinicians don't see them frequently enough to be comfortable managing them, and researchers may lack easy access to patient samples and model systems to be able to gain funding. If you don’t, don’t bother with a PhD. Given that, even though it wasn't great in many ways it was fundamentally a pretty swanky period in which I got paid to do research and learn a lot i regret my school choice but not the PhD. There’s really no right answer to this question, it’s highly dependent on your field and personal situation. My grant applications have been receiving terrible scores. I have a job lined up for me once I wrap things up. I'm MD w/o PhD but do a lot of basic/translational research and am surrounded by MD/PhDs. D. That would be my biggest hang-up when it comes to PhD vs. Academia very often exacerbates mental health struggles exponentially and I have seen several suicide attempts in my lab not to mention the people that have become temporary or permanently disabled due to massive mental health issues. I regret who I chose as my supervisor, as I experienced exploitation of my work and light bullying. Faculty positions are few and far between and then you'll have to worry about getting funds/tenure. It's definitely not for everyone. I so much regret joining a PhD program now. Which leaves entering a PhD with industry in mind. Nowadays, you basically start at the bottom of the rug, even if you have a stellar PhD. I also don't like how a PhD isn't really viewed as work history so the benefit (from a career perspective) is more or less 0 if you don't actually finish it. I was too worried I would regret not going until the end and graduating so I started a new project knowing it would be around 2 more years. I also know another person who dropped out of a Ph. No new grants since I've joined, one publication every couple years, and i basically run the lab all by myself. Ofc stupid people doing a PhD will eventually be discarded during the process simply bc they cannot. Even with all that, I couldn't find a tt faculty job. I regret doing it the way I did it. A PhD in chemistry is a tough, but probably not for the reasons anyone might expect. I did it in Europe at a prestigious institution, but the problem is that the degree is basically worthless on the job market in America and Canada (I'm Canadian). I did not do well in my PhD. But, I find myself resentful of academia and regretting having done a PhD in the first place. I think they are right, this post will result Many graduate students realize that a PhD is not really a guaranteed ticket to a higher salary. Regarding getting a Phd though, I don't regret that either as the team I work with is completely phd level. But the reverse is NOT true! PhD students of reddit: do you regret it? Recently, I learned that a good friend's wife, who is "ABD" (all but dissertation) at a major California university in political science, is something like $160,000 in debt because she took out loans. But at the same time, I feel like I would probably be paid more had I gone a different route. I regret striking out too early and struggling with independence and I regret not doing the big things that I wanted earlier. I regret doing science and all the madness of nih grant chasing instead of going into industry. The PhD gives you credibility, as well as a demonstrated opportunity to show you can tackle long term projects, coordinate complicated relationships and convince a committee of scientists that you know your shit. true. If you are miserable in your PhD program, especially if you want to transition to industry afterward, there are more options than suffering through. Honestly as long as I can keep teaching, even part-time, I would be extremely happy. I'm more than halfway done with my PhD (and thus the MD/PhD) and I don't regret it. I’ve thought about it, and have other regrets about doing MD/PhD: It would’ve been nice to just chill a little in that summer between M1 and M2 (and hell, the summer before M1 too), instead of worrying about impressing ppl in lab rotations I did apply for my MA there once I graduated, got accepted, and declined it since I got a PhD offer at a more well-known university in the US. I don't know whether it's something you'd want to try and rethink, or if it works well to drive you. I’ve seen PhD folks still working as RA’s or teaching at community colleges making just 30k per year. I wouldn’t have had that, in this industry doing the work I’m doing, without it. There are not enough PostDocs for everyone, Industry is often saturated and many employers don’t see the value of a PhD for non academic roles. Maybe that's just because they're in the middle of it and they're exhausted. MD and PhD in 8 years, potentially even less. But I do think I could've been equally happy with my career path and my current job if I had stopped after a master's (or even a bachelor's), and I'd probably be further ahead in my career with 4-6 more years of work experience under my belt. i knew exactly what i wanted from my phd going in and how to get it. Dec 7, 2019 · After spending two years in Masters and six years in getting a PhD degree, I am lost at what I can do with my life. At least with PhD programs, you can get multiple offers and go where your research interest is. I can relate. A PhD is worth only if you are really interested in doing research otherwise you'll waste 4-5 years (then another 3-4 years doing a postdoc). From what you described, you seem to regret not pursuing an idealised version of a PhD and have a bit of FOMO. CSCareerQuestions protests in solidarity with the developers who made third party reddit apps. I did my PhD in machine learning, but then in my career realized I prefer data engineering so am doing that instead! Overall, leaving my PhD program was the best thing I ever did. I'm not saying that I want to switch career now, that would be a reckless decision given how much I've already invested at this point. I dont regret getting a PhD. I have my dream job and my PhD helped me get there. Stipended med school is a W and opens doors for future career options that a straight-PhD in engineering wouldn't. If I had done the degree in the US, my job prospects would have been better. Ok, the truth is whether a PhD works or not does not actually depend a lot on how brilliant the person is, it is LUCK! Now I'm not saying you can succeed even if you're truly stupid. The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is offered by the AAMC and is a required exam for admission to medical schools in the USA and Canada. The only thing embarking on a PhD really guarantees is a massive financial loss in the short term, which some (but probably not most) are able to make up in the long term. I don't regret my kid, I regret my decision starting my program when I had a under 1 year old. Posted by u/[Deleted Account] - 4 votes and 9 comments Life Science PhD's of Reddit, do you regret doing your PhD? I've read a lot of information on job prospects after a PhD, and I'm interested in a PhD (in immunology, focusing on cancer bio) because unlike in some other disciplines, a PhD in science does open up more doors, in the biotech industry. I am 28M, 2nd Year Phd Student and have been facing emotional turmoil for a good part of the last year. I know we can never know the counterfactual, but most likely, If I had got a private sector job right after my masters at 26, I would have gained 6 years of private sector experience, had some savings, and enjoyed my 20s with a steady monthly income. I graduated last summer and had to wait for 6 months before administration got sorted and I could start my new position as a research engineer, which stressed me out massively on top of everything else (pandemic, I’m looking at you). Pursued the degree to become an English prof and did very well as a grad student, amassing publications, awards, teaching experience, fellowships. I love chemistry and I am totally happy with my experience, and my future. Though I love doing research, I don't see that as a possibility anymore. However, after a few years after obtaining successful employment (being vague for obvious reasons, but it was the position I desired and originally got a PhD to pursue) I’m already experiencing some serious burn out and regret. It’s crazy that you can work hard to get into med school, work hard to get through it, and then get screwed over at the end when it comes residency. I 100% regret my phd in English lit. I’ve always felt a disconnect with ‘conventional’ (I use that term lightly) ways of reading, researching, taking field notes, etc. At the end of this cycle, with 2 As and 3 WL, I feel extremely grateful that I will be an MD/PhD at a T50, MSTP school. Do a PhD if you want to do that work for the sake of the work and the learning. 2. I’ve got a great industry job, a great career trajectory, and no ceiling above me. That's interesting, Canadian here with a PhD and most people I know here with a PhD got an MSc (or MMath) first. Sure, I guess it depends on your values then. I love it and I don’t regret a second. I (25/f) recently found out that I have adhd and I’m heading into my final year of my PhD. I fell deeply in love with another PhD of similar age and while it really looked like it's going somewhere, unfortunately she doesn't want to be in relationship during her PhD, fair enough and we ended. And send every other PhD student in crippling depression because they will compare themselves to you and think that you're the norm and they are stupid. All fields, all schools: Engineering PhD students and recent graduates, do you regret doing your PhD? Every engineering PhD student I've asked has told me they would not choose to do it again. No company will prefer an inexperienced PhD over a industry-wise applicant who happens to just have a BSc, because companies favor skills over credentials. I love research and writing. 5 years making a record of some sort. Seems like a lot of effort for minimal gains The reason I bring this up is, a lot of advice that PhD candidates have does not translate well across the Atlantic, and given this site is predominately filled with Americans, much of the PhD advice you get is fairly off base. MD. Straight PhD in my engineering major is already 6-7 years and I knew I wanted to do a PhD anyways. I mean ordering, animal maintenance, all experiments, you I regret being 8 years older finishing my postdoc than I would have been ceteris paribus. I think it's possible I may feel differently in 6 months, a year, 10 years. Honestly, they e both been huge helps. Nope I have regrets about what I did before that made my current decision to do a PhD seem necessary. (2) What do you truly want to be doing. My anxiety is gone, my depression is manageable, and I'm not dreading going into lab every day anymore. She is doing well and has a private practice. . I’m a current clinical psychology postdoc about to finish my fellowship. 5 years later I graduated. Besides that, I actually hate my job. It's not pretty. He actual PhD is good, but the experience of it was invaluable. jiuag dqjzdm gfiot caecb mmhiwj fuepa kwsqo rosd lzbog osw