Red Flags You Can't Ignore - When you should change your PhD supervisor

[@jackw4794]

I wish I watched a video like this 3 years ago. I had a supervisor who was arrogant, made up arbitrary rules without telling anyone, and would lock me out of the lab without prior notice for breaking them. Would prioritise other projects and had little expertice in my field even though he had all the papers and accolades (the salesman blagged his way to success). His lab was physically unsafe, and I'm glad to have left it.

[@HanhNguyen-ce4gs]

The personality clash is so important! Some people are just meant not to work together.

[@twm7154]

After my first year, I changed my supervisor from one that created a toxic work environment to one that is unresponsive. I consider it an improvement, but I can't say I'm happy. I am now fed up with academia as a whole, and my university in particular. Luckily, I'm close to finishing, and then I'll kiss that dysfunctional place goodbye.

[@ThomasDaniya]

It is difficult for international students to navigate when faced with these situations; often they tend to be the victims of so many forms of supervisory exploitation and neglect, with very little information on the possibilities of changing supervisors and navigating different cultures. Often the system will protect a high revenue-generating supervisor over the students, you will be amazed at the forms of exploitation international students put up with.

[@engwiki]

Early in my Ph.D. I had an advisor who was a bigshot in her field, and she was eager to recruit me at first, despite my slightly different research interests. But did not really mentor new grad students, and her lab manager at the time was a goofball who also wasn't helpful. I strugged as a newbie in an environment where I didn't know what do do, for which she became increasingly upset with me. After much stress and vexation, I left and found a different advisor - a new prof in the department, who was far more professional and supportive, and I was able to finish well.

[@katyabandow712]

i’m about to start my phd. through my undergrad and honours and a few research assistant paid jobs i was with one supervisor, and i’m really thankful for the help he’s given me to kick start my career. but in the last year i’ve noticed how he treats some of his phd students (aligning with some of the red flags you mention) and so i have decided to go to another supervisor at the same uni. I told him that i was really thankful for him and the opportunities that he gave me but i’m moving on (and doing a project that really excites me). he stopped talking to me. i feel like i may have dodged a bullet…..

[@boredscientist5756]

Good job!

[@jpa_fasty3997]

Sounds like a child, good decision

[@vtheb1299]

Definitely. Also how they treat one person does not mean that you will be treated the same. I've seen so many profs having overt favorites and anti-favorites... It's just human nature I guess

[@sanjayraman8337]

I would add "making arbitrary rules" (that overrides university procedure) when there are clear guidelines by the university. The guidelines are there on record for a reason. Both supervisor and supervisee should adhere to them.

[@annewrites...8385]

I think I discovered the red flags... after being chased by 4 supervisors (high GPA), choosing one and chatting in preparation for several months... Whoopsy! she says the rules have changed and I need to do (another) Masters first. After watching your videos, I have decided I am not heart broken. Time for yoga, craft, sunshine and friends! Thanks for your videos. Knowing the game has been very grounding. Best wishes xx

[@hughmenoid]

I wish I could have changed my supervisor so often throughout the past 4 years but I did not really have that option as an international student. I think I spoke to my secondary supervisor once in the last 2 years. I actually handed in my PhD thesis this week (yay!) although without any technical feedback from my supervisors despite 100's of emails and involving uni administration without any success. Luckily, I had published half my work already so I couldnt care to wait any longer for their feedback that never arrived anyway, for me it is almost over now. For anyone who is "suffering", make sure you change as early as possible, the longer you wait the more you are stuck.

[@dr.emilyacevedo812]

I recevied my PhD last October but while I was in the beginning of writing my dissertation I had a supervisor that I requested. We worked together and had a wonderful relationship as student and professor. She didn't work out and I had to change her. She didn't return any feedback on the work I submitted and took a lot of time off. I had no choice but to request a change and it turned out for the best. My former supervisior was great and we created an amazing working relationship and up today we are still in contact.

[@vartikasingh3458]

All the reasons you mentioned are all very valid! Here are a few more- if your supervisor ignores problematic behaviors from his post docs like sexually inappropriate behavior, or ignores students sabotaging their labmate's experiments, or promoting a gatekeeping culture by promoting unhealthy competition.

[@embracinglogic1744]

I wish I knew this eight years ago during my PhD. Thank you, Andy, for providing the advice that no one else would.

[@HereWeGoAgainses]

I wish some supervisors would realise that it's perfectly normal in the professional world to say "sorry I'm at capacity so I cannot commit to any more projects." Instead of agreeing to supervise you against their better judgement and then doing a terrible job at it. We're all professionals and we should all be treated as such. It's basic respect.

[@xinxinding3708]

I did my PhD at a top University (R1) in the US, and one year the grad school organized a kickoff seminar named "how to thrive in grad school Hunger Games". I was like "so you know how brutal it is". The sad truth is that the University system encourages all the bad qualities. In my experience, not always but a lot of the time, the more exploitation a supervisor did, the more successful academically they are because there is no repercussions for them, only rewards.

[@embracinglogic1744]

In my opinion, the unprofessional attitudes of some supervisors should not be tolerated. Universities should reprimand these supervisors BUT, we all know that universities couldn't care less about the low-tier PhD students.

[@ArcherZER0]

Hey Andy, another great video! Seeing how science is becoming very interdisciplinary these days, I think there has emerged a real risk that a PI becomes a lot more superficial in their research than they ideally should be. I wonder if its possible to talk about how to differentiate between known when a supervisor is really just being a sales person in your field of interest (and therefore should be avoided), versus just being a really arrogant know it all graduate student. I struggled a lot with that in my first few years of PhD and was consistently accused of being too prideful until I finally found multiple other faculty and post docs who had voiced the same concerns about my previous supervisor.

[@danieljackson654]

Excellent. A much needed discussion.

[@donharris8846]

Andy must have been reading my mind. This video is SO on time. Please choose your Advisor/Chair/Supervisor very carefully. Your PhD is ultimately in their hands. If the prefer X and you prefer Y, chances are you’ll be focused on X, period.

[@TheGregXP]

I ignored all those signs. Now I`m paying the price.

[@llbodlearning8591]

My supervisor made feel why I even exist.

[@ashwinragupathi7247]

I actually did this a few months ago and it was the best choice I have ever made.

[@ashwinragupathi7247]

PI was mircomanaging too an extreme and it was getting in the way of my work. He told me he needs at least 6 months to trust me after my rotation. He made me weigh everything in front of him before using a centrifuge.... Decided it was better to find a new mentor and have been so much happier and productive ever since.

[@karinachalenko3347]

That would not be possible for me, only if I quit and find a new position in different lab We don’t have other supervisor or co supervisor in the lab And also I am doing my phd project which is funded by particular grant I don’t know how common is to have a chance to change a supervisor

[@Kakirachan]

Please do a video on how to efficiently blaze through textbooks, articles, etc. !

[@takiyaazrin7562]

Great video

[@fdias3798]

This video is spot on

[@roxanne4820]

Not a PhD but my MA diss supervisor was awful. Unresponsive and seemed completely uninterested in offering advice. It's very frustrating, and disconcerting trying to plan and complete a dissertation with a supervisor like that. I pretty much did that whole dissertation on my own. It does feel quite intimidating to try and change a supervisor, which is partly why I didn't seek to. I felt it would be very awkward , and when I mentioned these issues to my personal tutor or course leaders, they would just defend my supervisor.

[@cicciobaciccio2177]

My students kick me out of my own Lab because I'm annoying to them 😂😂

[@fdggfgdfgd251]

-haven't been paid for months (since sept) -haven't been paid for experiment equipment purchased Have had 1 meeting in 6 months Ridiculous. Once I'm done I'm closing the book on academia. No more.

[@hyprs]

I moved on from a supervisor with seemingly impossible but interesting projects (which is also in the field I was very familiar with and understand best) to another supervisor who asked me for supplies' money and doing a project I don't really understand, but seemingly kind until I found out we have a looooot of personality clash. 😂 This is torturous. I wanna quit the program every minute.

[@SijuMarkose]

Andy is it possible to communicate with you directly?

[@bernardronitsebastine6022]

Except the money, everything else happened to me and dispite all that things are still worse

[@shafiksunderani4230]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 @ "i wanna bring you the money" "yum yum yum i love the money"

[@nicky_bee]

Recently, my relationship with my first supervisor has turned sour. She moved to another university right at the beginning of my PhD and I speak to her maybe once or twice a year. She is unresponsive to emails, sometimes up to several months, and then complains (indirectly, through the program leader) that I am falling short and that it is my own fault for not reaching out more. What the f should I do?

[@erickgomez7775]

Work without wage? This is s very American academia experience.

[@navdeepkaur8721]

Hi Ande I want to apply another university should i tell me professor? But i believe he wont understand..i tried to communicate him but he wont understand my problem and manipulate me. What should i do?

[@Shamayal12]

How to get NOC from previous supervisor?

[@minhazulislam9131]

I wish I saw this video 2 years ago.

[@dilibap425]

please do video for those ones trying to pursue PhD in English literature. There are differences..