Thanks you Tree of life. Just hoping that this nightmare will end.

I am going through the same thing, I finished another one of the disastrous committee meetings yesterday and instead of being supportive, I was ridiculed in front of the other members. I am just in shock because it feels like I am the one targeted in my lab. I have spoken and done everything I can. I feel like I need extra data to prove my worth. Death seems like a happy place than facing this every single day.

Hello all, I have wanted to get my PhD more than anything in the world. I am in 5th year starting, and have chnaged 2 projects and finally have something that is translational and something that seems to work. I was all excited to show that to my committee. Due to last minute expt changes in one of the aims, etc I was not able to explain some portions well in my presentation. The presentation by itself was great, but I was not able to answer questions. Committee gave me a satisfactory but prof called me and tells me that the committee thinks that I am not able to comprehend my project and answer questions. Also this project is really new and has started to work since the last 2 months. Having said all this, the worse was yet to come when my PI mentioned that the progress if such the committee has concerns about me graduating my PhD and that they would just give me a masters degree. I have been upset all day because they tell me this soo late in my PhD life and everything I have worked for, the last few years seems to go down the drain. Other friends in the department tell that these are tactics the profs use to push you to do your best. Seriously need some words of motivation so I can show them that I am good and I can do well and finish with my PhD. Seriously had a long and a tiring day today.

I am new to this forum. I am currently getting my PhD in biological sciences and I love what I do. But my PhD life is not going as well as I wanted it to. I have 3 co-authored papers but am waiting for a 1st author publication. I get depressed thinking I still do not have one. Having to change the project a couple of times things have been moving at a glacial pace. Also, I have a year to finish, I am starting my 5th year. I am at a point where I have mentally prepared myself to finish all my experiments this year, so I can start writing and finish by the same time next year.

I am not willing to be in academia 10 years down the line and I know for sure that I do not want to teach. Hence the dilemma if I should do a post doctorate or not? I am interested to finally live a life and start working. It has been 8 years since I moved to the US and I have a masters and will now finish my PhD, hopefully with a paper but, should I go in for a post doc or not? Can I not find other jobs in the industry? I feel I am ready to learn something new and different.

Please advise. Thank you