Ubiquitous > unique. One of the most isolating thoughts as a PhD student is the idea that your struggles are unique to you. They rarely are. From mental health challenges, to strained relationships with advisors, fickle committees, dysfunctional departments, and prolonged timelines, the difficulties appear rather ubiquitous. Most (if not all) PhD students face them. For many, these issues lead to burnout or failure to reach completion: Attrition rates for PhD programs in the United States range from 36-51%. Further, women are less likely than men to graduate, particularly from STEM fields, and Black M.D.-Ph.D. students are 83% more likely than White students to leave medical school early, making them 50% more likely to graduate with the M.D. only. Despite the pervasiveness of nonconstructive PhD burdens, and the dire consequences that follow, the dialogue around student-advisor relationships lacks heart. Why? Fear and disempowerment are two likely reasons. In most cases, a student's advisor is their ticket to degree completion, which is deemed necessary for their future success. Speaking out against one's advisor may result in a lack of opportunity or respect within the field due to persistent power dynamics. In many instances, problems are plentiful, but viable solutions are few, leaving students to suffer in silence.
The struggles are systemic. The underlying reason PhD students are struggling goes far deeper than irritable advisors or uncomfortable working conditions. The fact of the matter is, professors are underpaid and expected to take on countless responsibilities, many of which result in little to no acknowledgement. Independent of their true calling, they are forced to subscribe to the publish or perish mindset given its inevitable hold on their livelihood. Chronic frustration resulting from these external pressures results in a multitude of mental, physical, and interpersonal challenges for many education providers. Unfortunately, this same dynamic finds itself in their relationships with graduate students, and the cycle repeats itself. In a similar way that generational trauma is passed on from parent to child, so too is that from advisor to student. The struggles are systemic: The system will require conscious, collective shifts to achieve true change. Normalizing transparent dialogue about these seemingly inevitable struggles is one step toward encouraging positive change.
"In a similar way that generational trauma is passed on from parent to child, so too is that from advisor to student."
We can do better. In 2021, doctoral students needed over seven years on average to complete their degree. This statistic falls contrary to the five year expectation perpetuated in many doctoral departments throughout the US. Even after completion, struggles persist. A quick web search on, "struggles after completing a PhD" results in a rather comprehensive list of challenges: identity shift, career uncertainty, social disconnect, burnout and stress, financial concerns, and adapting to a different pace all make the list. These experiences also underscore a glaring reality: We can do better. PhD students pursue graduate degrees largely due to their intrinsic passion and desire to contribute to something bigger than themselves. They are aware of the sacrifices they are making (though this realization may grow over the course of earning their degree), and they choose it anyway. Why should this choice result in poor health outcomes, economic insecurity, and a sense of hopelessness upon completion? After three years sharing content about the PhD experience, one conclusion is glaringly apparent to me. Something must change for academia as we know it to persist.
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