Hi all,
I am looking for some advice; I'm sure this is information I could get from professors at my school but don't want to ask, as I don't want them to know I'm thinking of dropping out. My first question is, if I take a Master's degree instead of the PhD I originally sought, does this (either officially or unofficially) bar me from re-applying to PhD programs later in my life? Also, has anyone done this and what are your experiences with finding jobs after "quitting" your program?
I'm currently a second year in a cell/molecular biology PhD program working full time in a lab, and I HATE it. I hate it so much and feel like this is the worst job for me, my lab-mates don't speak English, whereas I am very outgoing and love to laugh, and they will not help me but it is clearly expected of me that I will get help from them. I have tried telling my advisor but she is out of touch and busy. The result is that I flounder through expensive, time-consuming experiments which then don't work and the troubleshooting process is complex since I have so little grasp on what I'm doing to begin with.
Anyway I have tried to be patient, and have even gone on antidepressants to make sure I am feeling mentally sound before I make this big decision. I feel really good in my non-work life now that I'm on meds, but am utterly miserable in this lab. Further, in my past lab (where I worked for two years with awesome people and a better handle on my research), I still felt like I didn't enjoy the act of doing labwork. I like science more as an idea but the process of doing lab work is awful, I really hate it. It is what I'll be doing for at least ten more years if I stay in this field, doing a PhD and then post-doc(s).
Anyway sorry for the long post. Just looking for some advice, specifically about the way universities perceive someone who "quit" or finished with a Master's after applying for a PhD.
Thanks guys!
Lauren