PhD In The House

Postdoc in Infectious Diseases🧬, I study the pathogens that make children sick🦠, and create fun science gifts in my free time 🎁.

[Oded Rechavi @OdedRechavi]

The real story being every project that ends up being published

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

They say a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint. But guess what nobody tells you? The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race of exploring the right career path for yourself. #phdlife #phdjourney #CareerGoals #CareerOpportunity

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

When we depart from this world, God doesn't care if we were once Nobel laureates, professors, PhD students, researchers, or lab technicians. However, kindness towards our co-workers leaves a lasting legacy. #kindness #bekind #academia #research

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

Not to be dramatic but I'm starting to think my PhD didn't prepare me for the existential crisis of postdoc life. #phdlife #academia #scientist #research

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

Can't wait for Friday to end #weekend #phdlife #postdoc #research

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

Don't let your research job consume your life. If you can work more than 8 hours a day, you can surely spare 1 hour for yourself. Meet friends, cook a healthy meal, enjoy a nice dinner with loved ones, pursue hobbies, or learn a new skill. Balance is key! #WorkLifeBalance

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

@PhDVoice @PostdocVoice Yes, especially those reputable and well known ones that attracts top researchers. You can learn a lot from there.

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

It's baffling that some leaders still pay women less than men for the same job. Do they think women work less? #EqualRights #EqualPay #genderequity #AcademicTwitter #scientists #lablife #postdoc

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

Some may not realize this yet, but your family/loved ones are more important than your research, whether you are single, married, or with kids. #family #postdoc #phdlife #AcademicTwitter

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

@ThePhDPlace Spending time with your family is more important than your research.

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

Now Swifties can add a new skill to their CVs: 'I cry a lot but I'm so productive.' 😅🎶#ttpd #TaylorSwift #postdoc #phdlife #scientist #AcademicTwitter

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

Would love to hear what other postdocs are struggling with💜#postdoclife

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

The tortured postdoc department:

1. Uncertain career trajectory
2. Severe underpayment
3. Intense pressure to publish
4. Expectations of expertise in all areas
5. Lack of mentorship/guidance
6. Feelings of isolation

#postdoc #lablife #phdlife #academia #AcademicTwitter #STEM

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

I super need this before and after work #postdoc #phdlife #research #academia

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

Ever met a potential supervisor who confidently says, 'Talk to the lab members to learn about our lab culture'? Don't be fooled because nobody will openly voice concerns the first time meeting you. #lablife #phdlife #postdoc #AcademicTwitter

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

That feeling when you wake up at 3 am through 4am thinking about work, and you still have to be in the lab at 8am 😴⏰#researchlife #phdlife #postdoc #academia #scientists

[Andrew Akbashev @Andrew_Akbashev]

Faculties cannot find strong postdocs. Plus, new data shows a drop of postdoc applicants in the US.

For example, in biomedical sciences:
- Drop by 3% in total
- Drop by 10% in U.S. citizens and permanent residents

Unsurprisingly, this coincides with a boom in biotech.

▫️

Now, here are some examples published 1-2 years ago:

1. Postdoc position in computing at the University College London:
- Three rounds of recruiting and the PI is still struggling to find a postdoc.

2. Postdoc position targeting “mini brains” to understand neural development at the University of Cambridge:
- Only 36 applications! WAY less than typically expected.

3. Postdoc position at Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology
PI received only five applications, and none of them was “serious”.

▫️

What postdocs said:

1. Postdocs feel unappreciated. “It’s the way we’re treated by PIs, by senior management and by academia in general. People don’t feel valued by anyone in the system.”

2. Salary. In a molecular biology lab, it is £34,400 in the UK and €42,200 in Germany, $54,840 in the US. It’s far less than in industry. Sometimes TWICE as small.

3. Postdocs have a widespread anxiety and uncertainly about their job paths. Less than half would recommend a scientific career to their younger self.

▫️

📍 My opinion as an ex-postdoc:

PhD students often ask: “OK, let’s suppose we’ll do this postdoc. But what’s next? What will it give me?”

- Only few postdoc get faculty positions.

- Postdoc does NOT give advantage when applying to industry (unless it’s very specific direction in biotech).

- Postdoc pushes you into an academic track. People don’t see you as an industry person anymore.

- Salaries are very low. Supporting a family during postdoc requires real survival skills.

Unless you have an outstanding PhD profile and will surely land a faculty position where you want (or if you have immigration status to solve), postdoc position is hard to justify.

Especially when high-tech industry is booming.

▫️

✅ To change it, we in academia should make better ties with industry:

1. Postdoc positions should become an excellent stepping stone to industry.

Currently, industry is not so open to academic community and has little funding opportunities. This can be changed via governmental incentives.

▫️

2. Industry should be able to help increase postdoc salary.

Basic salary can come from regular funding. BUT extra 30-40% can come from a specific company while a postdoc could work in synergy between the academic lab and industry, this would be a blast.

Currently, this is considered ‘double funding’ and is rarely supported. We should move away from such a view.

▫️

There is a great disappointment with academia and a big outflow of strong researchers.

But it can be stopped with the right policies, salaries and career opportunities.

#AcademicTwitter #AcademicChatter #PhD

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

What motivates you as a scientist despite the modest pay? For me, it's the unwavering passion to bridge the gaps in medical knowledge🔬. #postdoc #phdlife #research #medicine #AcademicTwitter

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

Reflecting on all those years in university for this sad postdoc paycheck.. #phdlife #academia #AcademicTwitter

[PhD In The House @PhDInTheHouse]

I used to struggle with the complexity of Drosophila genetics, but now as a postdoc working on infectious diseases, trying to understand a doctor's report on a case study is an upgrade from 'complex' to 'complicated AF' #postdoc #Drosophila #Doctor #scientist