I was just wondering how much experimental work science PhD students on here did in their first few months. My supervisor seems to expect me to have some data by the middle of January to present in a meeting, yet that leaves only 4 weeks (once Christmas is accounted for). I personally doubt that will happen. I have been working almost solidly in the lab for nearly 2 months and am not even near the data-collection stage. He also regularly mentions the 1st author Nature paper he expects me to have in a year or so. Talk about pressure!

Wow! I thought I was under pressure! I'm doing my fieldwork overseas so my next few months comprises the literature review and devising a methodology. This isn't much time and I'm already behind my self-imposed deadlines. Just had a sup meeting today, and I always feel a whole lot better about things after one of those. I suspect that may change as the PhD nears it's end.

ive acheived sod all. supposed to have a bunch of molecular markers by now...bearly started extracting DNA! i think when supervisors make plans, they assume things will work first time...the success rate of lab work is very low! and you can forget about beginner's luck too!

Ive been talkin to a few of the other first year lab-based students...its the same story.

I guess it depends on the nature of your work and how long it takes to get a set of results.

I'm hoping that your supervisor is just giving you something to aim at to keep you focused rather than giving you a genuine deadline of this must be done by such a date, as I personally think that is unfair.

Generally people don't first author a paper until late in their second year (so I'm lead to believe)

My supervisor reckons I'm going to discover a brilliant new drug target so he will be rich and famous! I've been in the lab solidly, my project is making a knock-out mouse, and I think I'll have the construct ready by xmas if everything goes smoothly. I think it depends on the project whether you'll have data, I think supervisors are very pie in the sky when it comes to these kind of things!

Come on, he must be just kidding about the Nature paper...you're extremely lucky to get published in Nature as an academic full-stop, let alone as a first author in the middle of their PhD! Seriously though, I would say he isn't actually expecting that from you, and would be surprised that you have taken it seriously. Talk to him about the pressure you're feeling. If the results aren't going to happen by Jan, I'd make sure he know's asap, rather than the day before the meeting!

I have had a similar thing Banus, I have to get a load of samples collected before xmas and then process them in January and have data to present in February.

I was only really supposed to spend time on my lit review in the first few months but my supervisor obviously realised I was going mad so let my start the experimental sooner.