Advice From People Who Switched PhD Advisor
This is Part II of a blog series on switching PhD advisors; check out Part I: Switching PhD Advisor: The “good”, the bad, the ugly.
As I gathered the stories from over 30 individuals who switched advisor, I also collected the advice they would now give their past selves to share with the community. It goes without saying that due to the wide variety of experiences, the advice I gathered is just as diverse. But that’s okay! Take what will serve you best and leave the rest. In fact, here is a great quote from one of the people I talked to:
My favourite piece of advice I've gotten since is "ignore advice if it isn't right for you" […] I think I'd also append "don't beat yourself up if you don't follow advice and you turn out to have made the wrong choice" — Anonymous
To make it easier for you to find what you need, I’ve summarised and divided what I collected into a few sections:
Tips and tricks when you are choosing an advisor or PhD program
Things to consider if things are not going well
Advice for those going through the process of changing advisor
A few words to those considering leaving their PhD programs
Here is to hoping this serves some of you.
1) When choosing advisor
When you apply for your project, make sure you enquire about your prospective advisor. This is not novel or ground breaking but it is good to keep repeating it.
Talk to previous students to learn about their teaching style.
Ask the P.I. to verbalise their expectations.
Ensure that you will be able to receive the support you need: is the P.I. sufficiently familiar with the subject area and methodology? If not do they have a plan to get you the help you need?
Finding the right fit of personality and educational style should be high on your priority list when looking for a PhD project.
I always tell incoming students that who they choose to work with is ultimately more important than the project you have, since a bad advisor can make even the most exciting project awful. — Anonymous
A great way to gauge your prospective supervisor is to talk to their students - this will give you a great idea of what you’ll be going through:
How much they expect you to be in the lab / Working hours.
If you’ll be on duty out-of-hours.
How do they deliver feedback? Is it timely? Constructive?
Something to keep in mind, is that red flags may be subtle. As succinctly put by one person I talked to:
When you ask people for feedback about their supervisor, they're usually understating any issues to be diplomatic. — Anonymous
Something very important is to listen to people trying to warn you. It can be tempting, if the funding is good or the project fun, to tell yourself you’ll be the exception, but for your sake, don’t ignore red flags.
Other things to find out:
When are they going on sabatical or research leave next?
Are they considering changing institution in the next few years?
Has the P.I. supervised students to completion? If not yet (e.g. because too young) has the department got safeguards in place in case something doesn’t go according to plan?
2) You’re in, but things are not going so well.
So maybe you are already enrolled in a PhD program, and you might even have been a PhD student for a while. Frustration can grow if working styles turn out to not be compatible. As we said in Part I, there is only so much you can learn about someone before you start working with them - shit happens. But that doesn’t mean it cannot be resolved and figured out.
Sometimes you might not work well with them, with no fault on either sides. A bit of experimentation to find the right working environment and relationship is normal and okay. — Anonymous
Sometimes, unfortunately, this rupture cannot be mended; some students try their best, follow the advice of other students and advisors, and the relationship breaks down none-the-less.
I tried so many times to repair my relationship with my supervisor, hoping she would change, but it only got worse. And as a result my health deteriorated and deteriorated. — Anonymous
If the issue is to do with the level of support that you are getting, try to talk to other members of your group and see if you can leverage their advice. Scientific cultures vary widely (between sciences, sub-fields and institutions) and in some environments senior PhD students and post-docs help train younger members of the group. If done right, this can all be mutually beneficial, so don’t pass on the opportunity to get help from your colleagues. But sometimes that’s not the case, as someone brilliantly put it:
If you look around and no one in your program can relate to your work and there's no room for mentorship and collaboration, maybe this program isn't for you overall. — Anonymous
Regardless of the reason, you may have found yourself in an unfortunate partnership. Because grad school is difficult, you might be telling yourself that this is just the way it is, but be careful not to confuse a burden for a challenge. A PhD is hard - but it shouldn’t impact your health.
[…] it can be hard to differentiate the "normal" negative feelings we may have towards research/grad school from those that mean you should switch supervisors, but try not to gaslight yourself - if you keep dwelling on switching it's probably a real issue. — Anonymous
If you're constantly anxious and unhealthy as a result of trying to meet "PhD demands" that doesn't have to be the "normal". Plenty of people do PhDs in a balanced and healthy way. There's a difference between “this is difficult” and “this is destroying me as a person”. — Anonymous
Now, for some of you, things may be looking rather more clear cut. Maybe they’re even looking really bleak. As we saw in the first piece, some students unfortunately find themselves in programs that promote unhealthy working style; some may be faced with abusive advisors who knowingly or unknowingly bully them.
Maybe you’re thinking it’s too late, because you’re a few years in already. Maybe you’ve been gaslighted into thinking this is fine and it’s easier to suck it up and finish, but consider this advice from two people who have been through it:
Just because you've put a lot of time and energy into working with one PI, doesn't mean it's worth another few years of your personal health to see it through. — Anonymous
I would have told my past self to listen to the advice of people who care about me. And to go with my gut feeling on the situation and not what seems like the easy option at the time, which was to stay. — Anonymous
3) When you are switching
Switching supervisor is not always easy. In some cases where the decision was mutually understood, the previous advisor did help the student find and alternative. Unfortunately that is a rare occurrence.
To do this, you will need help and support. Some departments will provide it, some will not. That’s not right, but that is the reality for a lot of students and you have to surround yourself with a support network that can help you if that is unfortunately the case. Start building that network ASAP, even if you don’t think you’ll need to change supervisor.
Don't be afraid to try and make new connections outside your primary supervisory relationship and project .— Anonymous
A supportive environment is obviously not limited to the office. Friends and family may be crucial to help you navigate muddy waters and bad days. Surround yourself with people who love you.
Now, the process of switching advisor can be a big administrative task and, more than most admin tasks, it will require patience and tenacity. As a former PhD representative I know how hard it can be to find the right information and policy on university websites, but you should really familiarise yourself with your institute’s procedures.
Realise this is YOUR phd, take ownership of your science and your degree. You are the person who cares the most about it, even if it doesn’t feel like it on bad days. If you find yourself without appropriate supervision, you will have to pressure the management team of your department to provide new supervisory arrangements.
I needed to be the one who cared about my project because I was the only one who was going to get the work done. — Anonymous
Whatever the situation you have found yourself in:
Keep a written record
Don’t hesitate to ask for updates
Don’t be scared to give people timescales and bug them again if nothing has happened.
And don’t hesitate to ask for help, whether it be about the science or to navigate a, sometimes complex, political landscape!
And don’t be afraid to ask other academics for help. They won't all help but that's fine, even the few who do will be very helpful. — Anonymous
This is where your internal network can come to the rescue. And this is not limited to academics! Talk to the post-docs and more senior PhD students. Chances are there are people who can share skill and knowledge with you to help you through this.
[…] if your supervisors are not helpful in terms of training and support you need for your career then look at who will support you and make those networks. Don't let them isolate you. — Anonymous
Another important step is to investigate all the ways in which you can get support if your department fails to do so: Student’s Unions, private funders, mental health services, etc… Don’t be afraid to reach out to any organisation or individuals that can help you if you won’t be getting that help internally.
So, I would tell my past self to reach out beyond the institute as soon as I started having issues, and not to be worried about calling out behaviour that is affecting my mental and physical health- to find out early about support available from funders and the disability service (which I didn't know could offer me support until the late stages!) — Anonymous
4) You’re thinking about leaving your PhD
And you wouldn’t be the first. Depending on how much your situation is affecting your health and how much support you are given, this may be the healthiest solution.
Your well being comes first - it is your decision.
It's okay to leave. Make allies outwith the programme and market yourself in a discipline you want to work in five years down the line. — Anonymous
If you’ve come here because you are in a difficult or even toxic position with your supervisor I want you to know this: Whatever happens, this is not the end.
You will get past this and grow strong. All the people I talked to, even those with the worst of stories have found themselves in a better place, and I know that you can too.
With love,
Heloise
Thanks again to all the people who contributed these stories. Thanks for breaking the silence.
May this only be the beginning.
Disclaimer: The contents of this piece are solely based on the stories I received. This will not reflect the experience of all PhD students who change advisor.