Conclusions
+I should have gone more for the project rather than the prestige of the university

+If you have little enthusiasm for the field and your work isn't inspiring you - seek help from your PG director and discuss your issues, this is better than keeping quiet (and can be done in confidence).

+Give the project and supervisors a little time to win you over, don't rush into an impulsive decision.

+The relationship you have with your supervisors is v.important, if it's poor then the situation is unlikely to get any better (this can affect your motivation, your work and your general well-being in the lab).

+Quitting isn't easy - I am still afraid of doing it but I'm most likely going to in the next month. If you fell the field is not right for you, don't try and force yourself to like it. A number of students in the past have quit for various resons and it hasn't been the end of the world.

+A PhD is HARD work, enthusiasm for your field complements your enthusiam for project and science in general, making the process a little easier.

Hope this helps,

JD

Just an update from me about my situation. I hope it helps someone. Taking the advice of the extremely helpful posters to my question (esp. Rjb203) I went to see the postgraduate director to discuss my situation. She told me that my work was a bit "boring" and sympathised with my predicament. I also told her things weren't working as they should and the help from my supervisors was minimal. A long story short she went to see met with my supervisors and explained the situation. The help from my supervisors became more structured with regular meeting and review of my work.

That was all good for a couple of months.

To date I am still doing what I was doing a long time ago, I still have a lack of enthusiasm for the field, the relationship with my second supervisor is poor. I had to present my project for 15mins at around the 6month stage. It went okay for me because it was a serious amount of work I was showing, however it was notably boring with one of the PI's who was running the event looking down with a grin on his face and not paying a lot of attention (as my work is not exciting and is basically showing the same trends for different compunds). So that reaction pretty much sums up my work and I am frustrated that that is mostly what all I have done for a year.

Right now I am STILL considering leaving my PhD. I have been told that if I progress past october and decide to quit then the institute will be fined £15,000, which has really given me a deadline. I just have to pluck up enough courage within myself to quit (not an easy thing at all!!) and try and find another position.

Many thanks for those that have helped and I will keep the board updated.

JD

Just an update from me about my situation. I hope it helps someone.
Taking the advice of the extremely helpful posters to my question (esp. Rjb203) I went to see the postgraduate director to discuss my situation. She told me that my work was a bit "boring" and sympathised with my predicament. I also told her things weren't working as they should and the help from my supervisors was minimal. A long story short she went to see my supervisors and explained the situation. The help from my supervisors became more structured with regular meeting.
That was all good for a couple of months.

To date I am still doing what I was doing a long time ago, I still have a lack of enthusiasm for the field, the relationship with my second supervisor is poor.
I had to present my project for 15mins at around the 6month stage. It went okay for me because it was a serious amount of work I was showing, however it was notably boring with one of the PI's who was running the event looking down with a grin on his face and not paying a lot of attention (as my work is not exciting and is basically showing the same trends for different compunds). So that reaction pretty much sums up my work and I am frustrated that that is mostly what all I have done for a year.
Right now I am STILL considering leaving my PhD. I have been told that if I progress past october and decide to quit then the institute will be fined £15,000, which has really given me a deadline. I just have to pluck up enough courage within myself to quit (not an easy thing at all!!) and try and find another position.

Many thanks for those that have helped and I will keep the board updated.

JD

Thanks for your replies, they are very much appreciated.

I'm of a mind to stick it out for a year and learn as much as I can while I'm there (coping with my supervisors as best I can). The MPhil would be nice but I'll take on board that it's a long time and most likely it would be better to just start afresh.


Changing project/supervisor but staying with the university? I had no idea that this was possible. This would be an attractive option and one that I'd like to find out a bit more about. Talking with my supervisors about this could possibly do more harm than good though I may see if the graduate service of my university could be of help.



I have a lot to think about but, I thank you for taking the time to help.

JD

My main concerns are:

1. If I leave will it be frowned upon (or a major draw back) when applying for another PhD?
2. Will it affect funding for a PhD?
3. Do I/Can I carry on to an MPhil instead of a PhD?

Hope someone can advise me.
Thanks,
JD

Hi all,
I hope you can help me.

I am having serious doubts about continuing my PhD. I have found that my enthusiasm for the field I have chosen to do my research in isn't what it should be, this has become apparent with the number of seminars (~3 per week) I've been to.

I only started my PhD in October and haven't got that much support from my supervisors, I have relied mainly upon the postdocs and myself uptil now.
My project has shifted focus a lot. The industrial collaborator wouldn't be too happy about this, as this was the basis of the original proposal for which funding was applied, and the reason for the partnership. But my main supervisor had little interest in that area and told me so.

If I stayed I don't feel I'd be getting the most out of the PhD as I could, 4 years is a long time and if my motivation is low right now, I dread to think hat it'd be like later on. Ultimatley it was a poor choice I made and I don't want to jeopardise my chances of achieveing a PhD, as it's really important to me.