Finding your PhD feet

In this week’s show we’re chatting about those very early stages of a PhD.

Those first few months, when you have taken the leap from following a Masters / Grad school fairly rigid format, to the new and often uncertain place of PhD Study. Adam Smith hosts the show, and is joined by four PhD Students who are all in their first year.

They discuss the excitement of starting, transition to PhD learning, supervisors, pressure and mental health, good work habits and much more. If you’re in the first year, we are sure there will be aspects you recognise from this discussion, and the reassurance that you are not alone – with a few tips along the way.

This week’s guests are:

Chloe Tulip, from Swansea University, researching sleep and dementia.

Tiffeny James, from University College London, investigating equity in service provision for people with dementia and their families

Brendan Commane from the Royal College of Art, studying care home environments and art.

Felicity Slocombe from Loughborough University studying Identity in dementia
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Doctoral students show high levels of stress in comparison to other students, and ongoing uncertainty in terms of graduate career outcomes can make matters worse.

A recent report from The Conversation updated that before the pandemic, one in five research students were expected to disengage from their PhD. Disengagement included taking extended leave, suspending their studies or dropping out entirely.

COVID-19 has made those statistics far worse. In a recent study, 45% of PhD students surveyed reported they expected to be disengaged from their research within six months, due to the financial effects of the pandemic.

Many factors influence whether students complete their doctorate. They include supervision support (intellectual and pastoral), peer support (colleagues, friends and family), financial stability and good mental health.
Our panellists today discuss how they’re ensuring they are in the 55%.
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You can find out more about our panellists, and their work on our website:

http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk

A transcript of this podcast is also available here

http://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/podcast-finding-your-phd-feet
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This podcast is brought to you in association with Alzheimer's Research UK and Alzheimer's Society, who we thank for their ongoing support.