To continue with a PhD or leave and get work experience?

[VBD]

I went into a PhD program with no work experience outside of academia, mainly in microbiology labs since 2007. I went straight through my bachelors in biology and then my MPH and took a gap year (working restaurant jobs) and then entered my PhD program. Now, more than half-way through my PhD with a PI who is not that supportive in terms of funding (he doesn’t want me to apply to anything and just focus on research) or in terms of allowing me to do any outside activities which will affect research time, I am reconsidering my life choices. I feel I am at a crossroads.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I love public health and am still interested in infectious diseases. However, I am still harboring a love for community health work (something I did during my MPH) and am trying to figure out how I can combine the two interests. Additionally, when I did a quick search for public health jobs on search engines like indeed.com, most jobs seem to require the MPH and not a PhD. Now here are my questions:

 

1.) Will completing my PhD close doors to getting positions in public health? I can’t see places being willing to hire someone “overqualified” if they can get someone who has an MPH.

2.) Should I be concerned about my lack of non-academia work experience? If I continue with my PhD, how can I start to build that work experience?

3.) Is this a completely crazy option: Leave the program, count my years in my PhD as years of experience, and find a job utilizing my MPH?

4.) Are there other in-between options I am missing? I’m sure it doesn’t have to be a black and white decision of (A) Stay and suffer through a PhD with no work experience, or (B) Leave and get work experience, but it sure seems that way to me. I believe I lack the experience in the field of public health to see other options.

Thanks in advance! Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

[COGSCI]

1.) PhD would give you an option to work as a professor at an academic institution or as a senior scientist at research hospitals. 

2.) Is there a public health related facilities that you can work/intern over the summer? I am currently working at a different faculty (research) and I also work part-time at one of the local government agencies (practical). It is possible to work during the school year if you find a right position. 

3.) How many years do you have left? If you want to become an epidemiologist for example, you could count your PhD years as experience if you were involved in research projects related to statistical analyses. 

4.) You could apply and see if you can get a job offer without dropping out. You can really think about the possibility of leaving the program when you get the position that is suitable for you. I think my answer to your second question might be the best option.

 

If your supervisor is not supportive though, I don't know if that is more of a problem. If this person is telling you to focus on your research, he/she would urge you to continue with postdoc training and shift your focus on academia. Again, I do not know what your career goal is but I would be mindful of that.