Need advice about transferring/switching fields in the middle of a PhD

[Valdyr]

I'm at the end of my rope with my situation and would appreciate any insight/opinions.

I graduated from a top-20 institution a few years ago with a bachelor's in chemical engineering. Unfortunately, due to a combination of personal factors I failed to graduate with a decent GPA. I did have some research experience and 3 pretty shining rec letters from profs/a boss, though, so I applied to graduate school despite my less-than-stellar application.  

I ended up being accepted to a tier-2 research institution for a bioengineering PhD program. I started working in a lab my first semester, started research I was interested and overall had a very positive outlook on my situation. 

After a few weeks, though, things started to get weird. First, my PI became verbally and emotionally abusive. At first I thought it was just me, but after a few more weeks I discovered that they had a reputation in the department (and beyond) and had even been known to become physically aggressive. That wasn't a dealbreaker, I was miserable but I got to a point where I could manage my interactions with them in the first few months. Then my advisor started to constantly change goals and directions with my project. I started to see a pattern of this happening with other people's projects too. Things that should've taken a few weeks were dragged out over months. Potential publications were sat on or stonewalled. They switched people around on projects so no one made significant progress on any one thing. Master's students were rotated in and out to do work PhD students would normally do without pay. They constantly held funding over everyone's heads. I saw upwards of 10 PhD students leave in my first year and a half and countless masters students. I found out that my PI hadn't graduated anyone in years. I hoped that my PI would finally let me progress in my research after I passed my first qual with the highest possible score, but things have only gotten worse. I could list many other reasons that the situation in the lab has become untenable.

At this point I've pulled myself together since undergrad, have a 4.0, several scholarships and fellowships, and am an officer for a prominent honor society. My experience with my advisor has really poisoned this field for me, but not my desire to do research. 

I really want to go back to the broader field of chemical engineering. I know the schools I would want to apply to, but I know transferring isn't something you can really do as a PhD student, especially since I doubt I'd be able to have a rational conversation about this with my advisor. I've thought about applying somewhere as a new applicant for Fall 2017, but I'm afraid that even though I would be switching fields no program would want to take me. I'm afraid that my prospects to get my PhD are ruined.

I've considered sticking it out for a master's at my current program, but I would have to almost double my student loan debt just to pay for tuition and I don't even know if a master's in biomedical engineering would even help me to get into a chemical engineering PhD program.

Does anyone have any advice? Should I contact someone from the graduate offices at the programs I'm interested in? If so, who? Would it be worth it to stay for a master's in a program and field I now hate? Should I try to get a job? If I did get a job now, could I apply to other programs in the future with less of the stigma I might see now?

TL;DR:

1. I have a mediocre undergrad GPA at a good school in ChemE and am now 2 years deep in a biomedical engineering PhD with a 4.0/research experience

2. My situation with my advisor has become unsustainable and I have been barred from making progress toward my dissertation

3. I want to go back to ChemE but don't know if I have any chances of being accepted if I apply to a program, especially without my advisor's support

4. Should I contact someone from the graduate offices at the programs I'm interested in? If so, who? Would it be worth it to stay for a master's in a program and field I now hate? Should I try to get a job? If I did get a job now, could I apply to other programs in the future with less of the stigma I might see now?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice; my lease is up in August and I really need to make a decision.

[fuzzylogician]

Is there anyone else in your program who could serve as an advisor? Is there anyone who'd be willing to write you a strong LOR if you left? Is there anyone who can corroborate the stories you are telling about your advisor (or, would it be common knowledge and no one would wonder why you left if you came from that particular lab and reapplied)? 

[Valdyr]

Thanks for the reply. Our department is small (~4 active research labs) and every other lab is pretty saturated/lacks funding for more students, so I don't think another lab would be an option. I've never heard of anyone switching labs within the department; the other PhD students who have left my lab have gone to other universities.

I know I could get strong letters of rec from a professor in my department I've worked with/for who I've confided in in the past and understands my situation, the advisor for the honor society I'm a chair in, any of several professors and the VP and/or CEO of a company I do consulting work for.

 

At this point, I'm just afraid that none of that will matter without a letter from my advisor. I'd like to contact someone at the programs I'm interested in, but I don't know who (Someone in admissions? Potential PIs?).

[St Andrews Lynx]

Could this Dept ally help you out? They might be willing go bat for you and contact colleagues at other universities on your behalf. It's not guaranteed that they could/would do this...but it doesn't hurt to ask them for advice. 

What did the other people who left do? You could ask them how they managed the escape. 

My instinct is that it is best to approach potential PIs rather than graduate admin. It's always easier to accept somebody into a PhD program if there is an advisor inside the department who has stated a willingness to take you on. I think you need help from within your current Dept, though.