======= Date Modified 13 Sep 2011 19:37:55 =======
======= Date Modified 13 Sep 2011 19:35:54 =======
Hi guys,
I know it's not necessarily good to compare to other PhD students and different projects... but even so I just wanted to know:
I'm 9 months into my PhD and start data collection in January. I've just got over the hurdle of Uni ethical approval for my project and will submit for NHS REC approval in the next couple of weeks.

During this time (i.e. waiting for Uni ethics) I've put together a discussion piece to be submitted for publication and am currently trying to get the motivation to start writing my Methodology & Methods section of my thesis. I've already got about 6000 words on my first chapter from the first 6 months of the PhD and getting into the literature.

Is this 'normal'? I mean... what did you have done after 9 months? I'm procrastinating pretty hard recently after a few weeks of nose to the grindstone to get my research protocol etc watertight and feeling pretty guilty right now!

Rachel

ETA: Just re-read this and it basically sounds like a 'please validate me' post.. which I guess it is, LOL, sorry about that :$ but any and all feedback gratefully received...

This is rather strange - minus the publication (however, I have probably written around 9,000 words) this sounds like you are describing me and my PhD! I am in the process of applying for NHS REC approval, just compiling the documents together. However, this is my first study, and I am planning to do at least two more. Are you only doing one?

Whilst my studies are running (starting Dec/Jan) I am planning to complete the literature review (20,000 words, fingers crossed) and as soon as the studies are over (running two in parallel) analyse and write them up. I'm 9 months in too.

How are you finding the NHS REC approval process? It is too tedious!

LOL strange! I'm planning on doing one large study, originally it was meant to be mixed methods (qualitative interviews and observations with a quantitative patient case note review) but we had some issues with the ethical approval for me to review case notes so I submitted a purely qualitative study with a view to applying for the quant part later on when the qual part is pretty much wrapped up.

The NHS REC approval process, I've found, is extremely tedious with many ridiculous nuances and things you don't necessarily know about until you come to submit... I'm quite lucky (? lol) in my Uni that we have quite a few members of staff who also sit on the NHS REC boards so I've been able to pick their brains a fair few times. I'm hoping to submit my documents for the October sitting in my region (NE).

After that I will be happy to never look at another NHS REC application again... don't think that'll happen though!!


On reflection, I've always had the impression of myself that I don't work hard enough... at many things. I didn't do well in my A-Levels (hated college) despite everyone telling me I could do very well. Did fairly well in my undergrad (2:1 with 1st in diss) and MSc (pass with 78% diss) and have managed to get this studentship at a well respected university, and I suppose I'm having the same problem that many students on this forum have from what I've read - feeling inadequate/lazy, and for it to threaten to become a self fulfilling prophecy!

======= Date Modified 13 Sep 2011 22:05:51 =======

I can relate to this! The IRAS system, though new, has been designed very poorly. Instructions are poorly laid and the whole process can be extremely frustrating. I tried to choose a study that wouldn't require NHS REC review but it in the end I had no choice.



Do you have any teaching duties, or do you work part-time? I was quite surprised to find that many PhD students in my department work part-time during the working week or have other duties such as teaching, and this is why those who work on the PhD full time, find that they are making too more progress (?). I've been told by my supervisor time and again to slow down ... :$

Nope, I'm full time... although will start a bit of teaching in the department in Jan. I think I'm just in a bit of a slump at the moment and finding it difficult to see the bigger picture.

Once I get going on a bit of writing it's not too bad but it's getting started that's the problem! Procrastination is far too easy when you mostly work from home (I have a desk in an open plan office at the Uni which is quite noisy as we share it with the department's secretaries as well as 4/5 other students :-/ - so it's even more difficult to work in there)

======= Date Modified 14 Sep 2011 12:31:00 =======
Writing your thesis as you go along is not strange- it's smart. Even if you wind up changing it massively as you go along (which you probably will) it is still better to write gradually than take time off experiments to writeup later. I'm just starting my third (and final) year and I started writing my thesis a year ago. I add in new papers to my intro as they're published and update the M&M section as I go along while having the outline of all three chapters written out makes it easier to see where I need to go. It makes you more confident in your PhD, takes a lot of stress off you, your thesis will almost certainly be much better written for it, you can see your figures in a polished form which is incredibly helpful for conferences and planning papers and most importantly you can spend the entire time your being paid researching. Good choice!

Edit: Congrats of the discussion piece too. :)

Hi Noctu,

I am very impressed to hear that you have started writing your thesis already! It is undoubtedly a wise move :-) I remember when I started my PhD my cousin who did her Masters dissertation in Oz was telling me to start writing since the beginning. I didn't actually understand why she was saying so and I didn't know how or where to start either without having much clue about the project.

I realize now as of how beneficial it would have been if I had started to write at an earlier stage. I have done quite a lot of work in the last three years but to be honest the amount of useful work is less than 60%. Of course, I had quite a lot of issues with my project tools itself which is another story. I would absolutely recommend anyone starting their PhD to write what they read/do since the beginning - writing helps to crystallise our thoughts and scientific writing is not that easy - it is a skill to develop slowly. It is ultimately the thesis, the magnum opus of each and every student which matters the most for the degree!

Don't worry about procrastinating now and then, it happens. All the best (up)

Hi Just wanted to say it's such a relief to hear people who are doing NHS REC stuff and finding it tedious too! I'm putting together my docs for REC at the moment and finding it so hard to pinpoint exactly what they want! I'm doing Qual too, hopefully starting in early Spring if access/REC/R&D stuff goes to plan...Noctu it sounds like you're doing pretty well considering you're already putting in your REC application - I wouldn't worry about having a bit of down-time - every single person I've spoken to about IRAS has said how relieved they were to get it behind them - reckon you deserve it!

Thank you guys so much for your replies. NHS REC is soooo frustrating. I was hoping to go through the proportionate review route but as my topic is on a sensitive subject (palliative care) they won't let me.
I'm going to be submitting my documents next week, I fully expect them to come back to me and say you've done something wrong!
I'll keep you updated, maybe we should even have a thread for NHS REC submission tips/tricks/woes ?? !
Rachel

Mine is in a sensitive area too (mental health) - I'd be really interested to hear how you get on! Good luck with it :-) (and the thread sounds like a good idea too)

======= Date Modified 15 Sep 2011 18:40:39 =======

Ooh what's your project about? I have a health psychology background, but am based in the School of Medicine & Health (Durham Uni) so I'm in a predominantly medical environment... although we do have a mental health research group here.

Basically - it's a study on how community mental health services have implemented certain controversial aspects of the 2007 Mental Health Act. I come from a social policy/work background and am particularly interested in seeing how national policy is being translated into practice on the ground in teams - so I'll be taking an ethnographic approach...I think because I'm not from a health/medical background its taken me a while to get to grips with how things work in the NHS! Although am getting there slowly...I might be coming up your way as I'm targeting trusts in the north for access

Hi, I'm coming to the end of my 1st year and am currently waiting to hear back from the SCREC (Social Care REC) after the meeting reviewing my application, which I attended.

It seemed to take me ages to get the IRAS form completed, reviewed by my sups, amended, sent to uni sponsor for approval, getting REC reference number onto it, then getting to sups to sign it and finally uploading it to the REC with checklist and over 20 supporting documents!! As the deadline was fast approaching and my sups were on holiday it was really stressful. Thank goodness for electronic signatures and helpful sups!!!

Nevermind - it is in now - just waiting for the verdict and the inevitable amendments!! Or further hoops to jump through!

Fingers crossed for your applications - I hope it all goes smoothly and apparently getting through an IRAS application looks good on your CV ;-)

Really? I've never heard that before?

I thought it seemed an odd thing to put on your CV too, but my sups assurred me it would be good to add to it and they advised me to be "Chief Investgator" for the application too.

I haven't added it to my CV though - It does seem a bit odd - but maybe it could beneficial for some positions?

:-)