Should You Do A PhD?

[@jayjohnson5384]

I found this video very motivating. It looks like a very challenging but fulfilling pursuit. P.S. I loved your videos back when I was still deciding what undergrad to do so it's great to see this channel back in action when I'm deciding on my next steps.

[@DrBenMiles]

Glad to hear it. Good luck with working out what comes next 👍

[@gerardtyson2274]

no, don't do a PhD. not worth the huge investment of time, money, health, and lost opportunity cost when you could have been earning a real income the entire time.

[@Mandragara]

I'm writing up my PhD in Medical Physics at the moment. I have several papers but they're in a scattershot of tangentially related areas (and they're also a bit crap if I'm honest, one got 8 citations at least...), so I don't really feel like the expert of some niche area like you suggest I might feel. I think the idea that you can commercialise your research shows that your PhD was in a more applied area, there is literally no way you could commercialise any aspect of my research, it's too 'pure', theoretical nanoscale radiation transport simulations etc. I do struggle with the extremely isolating social circumstances of the degree, I like working in a "team" but a PhD (at least for me) is 98% solo work. I think there are some additional employment opportunities my degree will make available to me, given my field is medical and medical always has some funding, however the job market will always be tough. I've decided my priority is to find work in my home city, as that's where my family, friends and hobbies are. I'm happy to step sideways or completely out of my field in order to do that, rather than prioritising staying in medical physics, even to take a paycut. Ironically a PhD has taught me how much I value my non-work social connections and personal outdoor hobbies over what I actually do at work. Still I'll be aiming for the world of medical physics at the start! I wonder if we will see a resurgence in local industry due to COVID. COVID has highlighted the weaknesses of a global economy, of outsourcing your industry to other countries. Hopefully there will be a bit of a local STEM employment boom in the next few years as a consequence of that! Plus there's always money in medical right? ;)

[@DrBenMiles]

While doing the PhD I definitely didn't feel like an expert also either. I think it comes from perspective after you work in a few fields and appreciate that the knowledge you have is pretty uncommon. Sounds like your priorities are in the right place though. I wish you the best of luck when it does come time to find what's next!

[@DeconvertedMan]

I have no idea where to start with it - and I could not afford the school anyway.

[@DrBenMiles]

In theory they pay you, at least if its a technical field. Though generally not very much.

[@DrBenMiles]

I feel like a said PhD 5000 times... But, what do you think? Is a PhD worth it?

[@DeconvertedMan]

I would just like some sort of degree in the thing I like, but school is just to costly.

[@DrBenMiles]

@@DeconvertedMan I can appreciate that, there's definitely an unfair economic barrier to education.

[@DeconvertedMan]

@@DrBenMiles I don't think it is unfair at all. People need to be paid to be educators, perhaps the system needs retooling however. Some classes one must take to get any degree make zero sense for that degree. I am just an amateur logican. I'd like to call myself a pro - but no one wants to pay me for analyzing arguments ;) heh. Anyway keep doing what you do because I (and others) enjoy learning science from you and people like you that do this sort of thing. Also learning how to learn - that is a whole thing isn't it? Heck a whole thing could be made about education and what it should be "for" or "about" - teach what skill sets we need to be an adult - don't just assume parents will do that. I do not think I've used hardly anything I learned in school in my adult life. Ah well. I think the song "dont stay in school" covers the problem somewhat. Okay long post of me waffling about things. Ah, I guess I will ask you to check out "deconverted band" my first/second album on my channel you might like "Logic Ate Me" the second song on the first album. Okay I have now been random and tangent filled, thanks for reading any of this woot. :D

[@DrBenMiles]

@@DeconvertedMan Awesome. I'll check it out 👍

[@DeconvertedMan]

@@DrBenMiles ^_^ thanks

[@maestrom.8742]

WELCOME BACK BEN I HAVE BEEN WAITING 6 YEARS.

[@DrBenMiles]

Hey! Glad to be back!

[@josephshaff5194]

🤣

[@JuliusUnique]

don't do it for the title, never do stuff for a title

[@ruuh_e_aasuuda]

I liked the essence of the video which I think was what and how you can do the various things after a PhD other than going into academia and what a doctorate will transform you into even if you don't like it. It was informative and I got to know more things about the process of getting a PhD which I absolutely needed. Thanks a lot Ben!🙏❤️

[@DrBenMiles]

Thanks Prakhar! 👍👍

[@fischX]

Positive: PhD looks great on a Starbucks name tag.

[@DrBenMiles]

Sad but true

[@michaelryd6737]

If your PhD is lousy (most are!) you should not waste time with such...

[@stronglytyped]

ayyyye you're back! was a huge fan of your early content

[@tomparkinvlog]

A great video. Thanks for making and sharing, but it would be great to hear about a non-scientific PhD experience!

[@CosmicCustodian]

I think the highest entry requirement is costs, not only do you need to fund the course for the PhD but all the courses you need to do before. As a poor person, aside from working 60 hours week at £10/hour, what would your advice be? Thanks Ben ❤️

[@Matt_Castle]

Also need capital to start a startup, and if you get funded by investors that funding will have strings attached.