PhD...

Hi everyone, I need some advice. I have been very kindly informed of a PhD position at my university, studing the synthesis of anti-hypertensive compounds. The lecturer who approched me was very flattering, saying that she would like someone who is actually decent at chemistry to work with.

I've got some background reading, and it sounds extremely interesting, and will involve lots of lovely organic chemistry. The position means I will get paid around £14k per year, and the PhD will last for 3 years. I could earn up to £11 an hour helping out in undergraduate practical sessions aswell.

It sounds excellent, and I'll be working with lecturers I know in an environment which isnt new to me (so I'll be relaxed and can get on with it easily). Thing is....is it the right thing to do? Its not a great deal of money compared to what I could earn in my first job as a graduate (upwards of £18,000, probably more than that as I'll have an integrated masters degree), and it means 3 more years in academia. I feel torn; I love researching stuff, and would love to find out something and get a few papers published and everything. But on the other hand, I want to get on with my life, make a good career out of chemistry, get a house with Maria. I'm not overly certain its possible if I jump into a PhD.

On the other hand, in 3 years, when I get the PhD, I'll be Dr Matt Tucknott, and thats going to make it easy to get the sorts of jobs that look interesting to me.

Has anyone here done a PhD?

Matt

[SoulKiss]

Cant comment on the academia stuff, but can on the cash.

its paying £14k

you could get another job now @ £20k (guess)

In 3 years you will have a PhD - whats that likely to be worth ?

If you can walk into a £30k job with a PhD then in 2 years you would have caught up again.

Look long term

And, if doing research there is the chance of a discovery that nets you LOADS of cash.

Matt,

Just a quick one, I work for a chemicals company - Huntsman - and we employ chemists in a number of areas - catalyst/process development, product development, materials science etc. Now I've noticed whenever we look to employ graduate chemists as "scientists" the normal requirement is for them to have a PhD (even if it's not directly in the discpline/area they'll be working in), I've noticed this in general with chemists involved in chemistry/science within industry. I'm not sure why it has ended up like this as engineers like myself tend to go into industry tend to go straight from Uni.

So personally if you want to carry on in core science and develop a long term career as a chemist/scientist I'd say do your PhD. However if you want to go into another area (finance/accountancy/the city/some form of management/teaching/...?) not having a PhD is unlikely to limit your career. I've also friends who did PhD's in chemistry who have then gone into city IT, so it is unlikely to limit you if you change your career direction after finising it all.

Only advice, there are no hard and fast rules to making decisions in life

Tim

Cheers chaps. Tim, your right - I see PhD requirements all the time for jobs like that (which is the kinda cool stuff I'm up for doing). Soulkiss, you make a good point too, I can catch up the "lost money" as it where. But I'm so eager to get a place with maria, so we can have our life together and not have to contend with mine and her families for stuff, especialy precious time alone.

Will those PhD wages, combined with maria's wages (i'll have to get permission from her to disclose that info to you guys, she dosnt like saying how much she earns), which arnt unsubstantial, be enough to afford a home?

I'll send in the application form anyway, I can always decline at a later time

Matt

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

But I'm so eager to get a place with maria, so we can have our life together and not have to contend with mine and her families for stuff, especialy precious time alone.

hehe. You two still living at home then? You could easily rent somehwere for just the two of you on similar wages.

Often Uni's have subsidised accommodation for PhDers to rent, my mate and his girlfriend had a ridiculously cheap place at Oxford, so with yours and Maria's wages it may be affordable if you look into it.

I think you'll have to put off buying until you're in full time employment I'm afraid.

If you want to stay working in Chemistry, go for the Ph.D. I was offered a Ph.D. place in the early 90's, after I finished my M.Sc. I didn't accept, but was only wondering this lunchtime what would have happened if I had done it.

You can always drop out of it if you later decide that it's not for you.

Originally Posted by Tim in Belgium

Often Uni's have subsidised accommodation for PhDers to rent, my mate and his girlfriend had a ridiculously cheap place at Oxford, so with yours and Maria's wages it may be affordable if you look into it.

I think you'll have to put off buying until you're in full time employment I'm afraid.

This is what baph is telling me on MSN; i'll be having a big discussion with Maria i think! Is it really so hard to get a place of our own? (thats another discussion all together I guess)

Matt

Dr. Alpinestarhero...sort of has a ring to it. Whatever you decide, good luck. Personally, if I had the opportunity to do something I was as passionate about as you, I would go for it, there's a lot of future ahead and long term it sounds as though it would help getting a PhD.

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

I'm so eager to get a place with maria, so we can have our life together and not have to contend with mine and her families for stuff, especialy precious time alone.

Will those PhD wages, combined with maria's wages (i'll have to get permission from her to disclose that info to you guys, she dosnt like saying how much she earns), which arnt unsubstantial, be enough to afford a home?

As I said in MSN really Matt (just posting here to open the debate a little):

If you want to get a house together, you need an income as well as her income. By not accepting the PhD, you're by no means guranteed any income, regardless of the amount of money.

Seems conclusive to me, but if you want an income, take up the PhD. You can always quit it when you find better work (or a better PhD offer).