Laying Down the truth, sorry, not sorry

[alpraz]

This is neither a new phenomenon, or one unique to biomedical sciences. 

http://www.chronicle.com/article/The-Great-Shame-of-Our/239148?cid=trend_right_a

[LoveMysterious]

2 hours ago, PhD_RPs said:

All I'm focused on now is building up the best network I can for a good Post-doc, becoming a PI will be the next step out and is at least 10 years away for me realistically. 

Insulting and offending people doesn't build you a good network. I mean this with sincerity: you really should work on your interpersonal skills. Talking to people the way you have on this forum will get you nowhere. 

[PhD_RPs]

56 minutes ago, LoveMysterious said:

Insulting and offending people doesn't build you a good network. I mean this with sincerity: you really should work on your interpersonal skills. Talking to people the way you have on this forum will get you nowhere. 

thanks, you are right. 

[.letmeinplz//]

14 hours ago, PhD_RPs said:

Does it bother anyone else that schools like to start out the career path options presentations without mentioning going for a career in academia?

Why the heck would you go to grad school for your PhD if that is not your goal. I'm sick and tired of that shit, you don't need a PhD for consulting, you don't need a PhD to become a science writer, you don't need a PhD for an industry job..

I'm not bio (but this drama seems fun, maybe I'll do a minor in it), but for my field industry performs research on par with or even better than the top schools (MIT, Stanford) and even raids top schools to steal their professors (the CMU -> Uber raid). I don't really look into bio companies but I'd imagine the same occurs. Some people want to do work that impacts millions, if not billions of people AND get paid well in the process. Also a job at Microsoft Research or Research at Google or etc does require a PhD for their industry jobs so I'm confused by you judging people who are getting a degree that is required by the top labs they might want to work at.

Also between this guy, YWEANG, and Musick I'm having a really good time this year on gradcafe FeelsBadMan

Edited March 8, 2017 by .letmeinplz//

[MoreInformation]

15 hours ago, PhD_RPs said:

Does it bother anyone else that schools like to start out the career path options presentations without mentioning going for a career in academia?

Why the heck would you go to grad school for your PhD if that is not your goal. I'm sick and tired of that shit, you don't need a PhD for consulting, you don't need a PhD to become a science writer, you don't need a PhD for an industry job..

Schools are letting in too many people, at every interview I've been to, I've met tons of smart people, alternatively, I've also met people that make me think "Why are you here?". I hear stuff like: "I'll be picking a mentor and doing rotations with people whose personalities mesh with mine" are you kidding me? -- I'll be doing rotations with people who are going to challenge me and push me to the edge - I'll be going with my gut feelings on who I choose to work with and it will purely be based off of their science. 

There are TOO many PhD's awarded, have you seen the statistics on PhDs on welfare (not just Biology PhDs to be fair but all in the USA) something like 30 percent on welfare. 50 years ago there were about 600,000 Bio researchers, now there are 6-7 million, it's not sustainable.

Schools need to clean up their acts, Masters degrees need to be funded not paid for by students - that can solve two problems: replicability as MS degrees can be focused on reproducing data and not novel data generation; it can also give an avenue for all the people who want to do what I would call "soft" stuff with their degrees. PhDs should only be given and encouraged for those who have raw talent and can become peers with professors not every person who applies.

If science does not keep you awake a night and doesn't wake you up in the morning... good luck.

When I'm a PI one day, I will not even let a student who does not want to become a SCIENTIST anywhere near my lab, not even for a rotation. Some of the people on this website and IRL just make me cringe, somebody needs to scientifically slap them with the truth.

What are your thoughts? Are you getting your PhD without the intent of at least trying to become a PI or Lecturer? Why? 

Which mediocre school are you headed to next year?