Once again thanks a lot for your comments. As it stands now i am pulling the plug on my phd career( for the moment ). Sometime next week, i am meeting with my department head to explain the circumstances of my departure. A lot of the postgraduate students in my department have told me that i have a good case against my supervisor. i will present my department head with some facts and emphasis my willingness to pursue a phd at this university. I dont expect anything to come of this meeting, but i suppose it is courtesy to let him know my one of his students is leaving. If, on one the small chance, he takes my side and i'm given the opportunity to do a phd at this univeristy i will take it, otherwise i will go else where.....

LU,
thanks a lot for you comments. its nice to know that some else has changed project and been successful :)

I think ive learned a hell of a lot about research this year and I just hope im given an opportunity to prove my worth in future years. I understand now that the most important thing about a PhD is that a person has to have a passion for their subject. If they don’t, they are not likely to succeed..... I

One way or another ill pursue a career in research at this University or another

Ill be honest I have had my doubts about this project for a long time. Even from the very beginning. I don’t believe in what im doing. I made a poor choice of project. I effectively choose the position on the basis of the reputation of the university. i knew that could potentially be a foolish decision at the time, but it was worth the risk. But I do believe I have what it takes. I worked very hard as an undergraduate and came second out of a class of over 50 students at the top university in my Country. Ive had given very careful consideration to pursuing a career in research. I undertook two undergraduate research placements, one of which I had a paper published in an internationally peer reviewed journal. I was offered 3 PhD studentships as well as the one I am on now.

it is true that im not officially registered as a phd student until after first year. but i was told by a lecturer at this univeristy that my department will lose funding if i go.

Thanks a lot for your comments. i was told by my tutor, a number of months ago that it is possible to change phd projects and its not uncommon for that to happen. Im praying i can stil do this, but it may be too late. ill find out next week. ive been told that if i drop out or am kicked out it puts a black mark on the department which isnt looked upon very well by funding bodies. They lose the rest of my research funding

i think alarm should of gone off when i was told by the guy who replaced me that my supervisor's way of dealing with students is to give them enough rope to let them hang themselves

he has been in research less than twenty years now. he came from another university with lots of money and has been at this university for about four years now. from what ive been told, the opinion of him is not that high within my department.

the interesting thing is that i have never really asked my supervisor for feedback or advice all year. when i started i was told, he was not interested in answering peoples questions, unless they have got answers. During april last, i had a meeting with him and said he didnt think i was cut out for this university or to do a phd and that if i needed to be pushed along by him, this wasnt the place for me. i had a very good degree behind me when i started as well as a publication, so i have to believe that i am cut out for this. research is all ive ever really wanted to do.

it has always seemed to me that he is not interested in what his students do and as he nevered asked for a draft, i didnt submitt one. i was even accused of fabricating an sem image of one of my results! i am going to do what i can to improve my report for next friday, at which time, i will request a transfer to another project or else i am dropping out

had my first year viva yesterday. got torn apart limb from limb by my advisor and supervisor. i have a week to resubmitt my report and will have another review in three months. i had no feedback on my ropert before i handed it in. so i effectivley handed in what was a first draft. i was pretty much told that i was lucky not to be kick out of this university straight away. ive never had such a hurtful meeting in my entire life :(

Im very interested to hear from both current phds and postdocs on this. I am currently doing a phd in feild x. I dont like working in this field very much and my experience of phd research should be enough to turn anyone off. But im determined that im not going to let this get me down. im just wondering if anyone thinks that doing and mphil in a feild of interest can help gain employment in that field? even if i obtain a phd that is not very applicable to this feild of research. i know it depends on just how far apart the fields but, im a mechanical engineer by backround and the feild i am interested in is a feild of engineering. any thoughts would be much appreciated

Im very interested to hear from both current phds and postdocs on this. I am currently doing a phd in feild x. I dont like working in this field very much and my experience of phd research should be enough to turn anyone off. But im determined that im not going to let this get me down. im just wondering if anyone thinks that doing and mphil in a feild of interest can help gain employment in that field? even if i obtain a phd that is not very applicable to this feild of research. i know it depends on just how far apart the fields but, im a mechanical engineer by backround and the feild i am interested in is a feild of engineering. any thoughts would be much appreciated

cc. i think i understand completely where you are coming from. i appreciate the feedback and support you have given on this website to myself and other people, it helps. i have just finished first year and doing a phd has knocked my confidence so much. my first year viva is on friday. i should have been studying for it today. but could do no work. the pressure is really getting to me. even after my viva, i have to present at a conference in six weeks and dont have much to show myself.. i really enjoy research but 2-3 more years of this will suck the life out of me :(

as much as i love research. my phd has possibly been the most stressful thing ive ever done. im coing up the end of my first year have handed in my first year report and am waiting to be torn to shreds at my viva on friday. i think it does help knowing that other people have tough times during masters/phd. we are all only human afterall.

an undergraduate research placement or internship, is effectively work experience for students who may be interested in pursueing a career in research. i did a 10 week placement at a research institute in the summer after the third year of my degree. This gave me a valauble incite into the ins and outs of research. type in "undergraduate research placement" into google and you will get plenty of examples of these kind of posititons