Common PostDoc Regrets You Need To Hear

[@legatuslegionis9074]

I am defending my PhD thesis on cell biology in a couple of weeks. All I can say is that the academic environment is so corrupt that I rather quit science once and for all than doing a postdoc and questioning my existence for a single more minute after the defense.

[@ronron2312]

In what way is it corrupt?

[@ArcherZER0]

Starting the application early and networking throughout your PhD, especially in the last year or 2 years (if you do a long PhD in the US) helps prevent the scrambling for a post doc later. Many people dont realize that post docs are also a key resource to a lab functioning, so many PIs are actively recruiting all the time. There is always a high demand for such highly skilled labour. btw, thank you for all your videos. I stumbled upon them when I was being kicked out of my lab by an abusive PI and now I am on my way to graduating and starting a post doc position with a small grant in hand. Even if I already knew the concepts, your videos have helped me to put a lot of things into words.

[@Erintii]

Thank you for this channel. I am ex academic and this channel helped me to understand my past mistakes. Now I can do better

[@leonardoferraz2493]

Hey andy I just got accepted into a PhD program, your videos helped me a lot. Just wanted to say thank you.

[@DrAndyStapleton]

Congratulations! That is excellent. Good luck with your PhD.

[@erockromulan9329]

Awesome! What is your focus?

[@leonardoferraz2493]

@@erockromulan9329 Applied Economics, I intend to research about International Commerce.

[@gabrielasofia4816]

And that is the reason why I'm not longer pursuing a post-doc. With a PhD I had enough in my plate.

[@philshoward9340]

1- PhD will break you down to accept those positions out of desperation , in that moment after a PhD people will be likely to take advantage of what you’ve accomplished. this doesn’t apply to everyone but many people are willing to settle at this stage because of the fear a PhD has instilled in them 2- no one I repeat no one is going to tell you’re not maximising your potential. They don’t have the time. Especially out of a PhD I had the feeling people (eg my supervisors ) would redirect me if I am doing something wrong for my career , but THEY WONT. and it’s not that they don’t care they are so busy with grants and other things that your post doc progress (especially when they have multiple) isn’t their focus. It’s hard to get out of that mindset

[@ronron2312]

In the US there are postdoc and research associates. Postdocs can have independent funding or funded by principal investigator. On many campuses an individual can only be a postdoc for a limited number of years. When they reach their limit they are moved over to the research associate job title. There are often different levels of research associate. In the lower research associate tiers you cannot apply for grants as an independent investigator and can still fellowships and still must be supervised by member of the faculty. If you are appointed as a senior research associate you can apply for grants as an independent investigator and become a member of the graduate school and supervise graduate student. The biggest hurdle to becoming a senior research associate is finding lab space. I have known senior research associates that mentored graduate students, post doc and lower their research associates and have 50 years of independent funding. They stayed in the senior research associate position because they did not want to teach undergraduates.

[@Rainstorm121]

Thanks for this vid Andy. I watched all you vid on postdocs. But I think the key point somehow is still missing. It’s the reward or wages you receive from the university while doing the postdoc. No harm, to inform the audience how much a postdoc student is expected to receive, in Australia for instance. After all the reward ($$) matters more. Also, I encourage newly graduate PhD students to accept admin and project management roles. You need that experience if you wish to attract more funding /grant from funding agents or do collaboration with other researchers, if you wish to pursue career in academia, likewise if you prefer to work at government or non-govt organisations. You don’t skip admin and project management activities in your professional research career. At least that’s my experience. Thanks Andy.

[@pollybarto3718]

Amazingly useful videos, especially for postdocs - it is a rare diamond on KZbin! Thanks a lot! Looking forward to even more!

[@sunway1374]

My opinion about admin work differs somewhat from you. In my experience, people who are willing to do admin work succeed in academia, they are also favoured by the senior university administrators. You can say No to admin work, concentrate on your research and write a few good papers but advance no further. Or you do some admin work, help direct more junior researchers (you would get lots of coauthored papers), write a few average papers yourself, and be a darling of the university. I see it happens all the time. When there are big grants to apply, committees to join, VIPs to meet, networking events to attend, talking to reporters, etc, they are not going to call the researchers who keep their heads down and do their work, they ask the Yes people. Between a good researcher who shun admin work and social events, and an average researcher who perform the additional activities like a starlet, they always choose the latter.

[@whyisgamora4191]

After hearing all of these academia horror stories, I think the best thing for me to do is get a PhD and then leave for an industry job. Thank you for your videos! This info is hard to come by without connections that are already working in academia.

[@ronron2312]

The graduate program I was in once your committee determines you have enough data for their thesis, you are told to take time off to write for a postdoc fellowship. I ended up in a lab in which all the US postdocs were expected to have independent funding. He only supported select international postdocs on his grants and all returned to faculty positions in their home country.

[@xinxinding3708]

I think what roles a student or postdoc takes on in addition to research depends on the expectations of the PI and the strengths/weaknesses of your lab peers. I learned this the hard way. I worked as a technitian, project manager, and lab manager on top of being a senior grad student in my PhD lab because my PI was not capable of doing anything other than writing and giving some research suggestions. Because of this, I took 2 months to decide on my postdoc lab after getting 3 offers and I was able to make a more informed decision.

[@takiyaazrin7562]

Great info

[@SuperPasha16]

Hey andy. I am from india. I have completed my phd. I had a very toxic supervisor who always tried to control my personal life, which impacted my mental health, your videos have helped my complete my phd. Thank you. I am currently working in vaccine industry and want to find a job in a vaccine industry abroad US/canada/europe/Australia/New Zealand can you guide me how i can a get a job.

[@nachos4999]

Could you please talk about research assistant in future videos?

[@elmehditoufik7024]

I wish I knew of your channel very long ago!!

[@sharkmug1583]

Over time of watching the videos on this channel, seeing just how competitive and demanding the academic system actually is - it is just baffling.......

[@strayorion2031]

Incredible you can do proyect management and STILL dont get a faculty position after it

[@llbodlearning8591]

ChatGPT video was the best. Especially different styles of writing for persuasion. I want to write short scifi stories and publish them. Not comic type but "Martian" movie type.

[@gurunathhj6883]

Sir, Very good information in all angle, the out-put of any kind of research must be ,best and optimum use of factors of production besides positive impact to boost , individual income, Corporate income and national income too. Dr. Gurunath. H . J. Bangalore Karnataka Indian.

[@JMSouchak]

What about staff scientists? Don't they still get to do the research stuff?

[@4chill34s]

PostDoc positions in Greece frequently require to fulfill both Project Management and Researcher responsibilities 🤦‍♂

[@HaydenHatTrick]

First