PhD – how much are these three letters worth?

You are a graduate student who just finished writing the most annoying opus magnum also known as a thesis. At this point you are facing even more annoying question: what’s next? The job market might be more or less inviting for people with your education, but a lot of majors offer a shiny alternative: a doctorate. But should you even be tempted?

Before we start analyzing pros and cons of getting a PhD degree, let’s discuss some background. Despite of the fact that the number of doctoral degrees awarded increases by 5% annually [1,2], vast majority of doctorate holders (93%) does not have a problem with finding a job [2]. In the EU countries 56.3% of the full-time researchers works in the business sector, 31.9% in higher education, 11% in the government sector and 0.8% in the private non-profit organisations [3]. This obviously strongly depends on the field, however, many of the benefits and drawbacks are commonly experienced.

Advantages

Contribution to scientific developments: is going beyond the final frontier and exploring mysteries of the Universe your calling? Look no further: this should be the main aim of doctoral studies and a great source of satisfaction at the same time. Even if your project might seem insignificant, it is difficult to estimate how your findings will influence the field of your interest. Besides, such great discoveries like penicillin [4] and RNAi [5] were made completely by accident during very small projects.

Recognition: good quality research often precedes good reputation, and with a PhD degree you are immediately recognized as an expert in your field. An international survey commissioned by the market research company YouGov indicated that scientists belong to one of the most respected professions [6]. Another study by the Wellcome Global Monitor reported that people’s trust in scientists has increased in recent years [7], so you may have significant influence on public opinion. Use this power wisely.

Joy of learning: speaking of knowledge, there is one motivation almost universal for all scientists - curiosity. If you enjoy expanding your arsenal of competences and information related to your area of interest, a few years of doctoral studies will provide you with a lot of opportunities. This time should be utilized not only for making spectacular discoveries but also for developing a unique set of skills that will help your future career.

Adaptability: this is an example of such useful ability – during several years of your PhD things will evolve: from small details like rescheduling a meeting to a complete change of your research project and starting everything over (more on this grim scenario in the disadvantage section). Thus, you will gain a priceless potential to adapt to different situations. ?

Resilience: yet another trait that characterize doctorate holders. Both your everyday work and your final dissertation will be assessed and criticized by more experienced colleagues. Although it might be a hard pill to swallow, constructive comments will not only improve your outcomes, but also toughen you up. Additionally, facing the opposition can boost your self-confidence and argumentative skills.

Developing soft skills: apart from the abilities mentioned above, PhD candidates gain many other personal attributes which help them cooperate with people in social as well as in professional setting. These so-called soft skills are valued by employers and transferable across various industries [8,9], therefore will certainly contribute to the success in your career development. More on this topic can be found in the article by Cheeky Scientist [10].

Broad professional network: building lasting relationships with other experts requires before-mentioned soft skills and at the same time facilitates pursuing a dream career [9]. The researchers frequently interact during seminars, conferences and retreats what fosters information exchange and lays the foundations for collaboration [11,12]. For similar purposes many academic institutions invite representatives from relevant industries e.g. pharmaceutical companies. A broad, diverse network may also provide you with the insight about possible career paths and allow you to make a well-informed decision about the prospective career.

Higher job entry position: as mentioned before, doctorate holders are generally considered experts in their field. For this reason, the companies can offer more prestigious and usually better paid positions to people with higher level of education [13-15]. Moreover, a PhD degree is often required for executive jobs in the R&D sector (e.g. Lab Manager or Scientific Director positions).

Weathering a crisis in the job market: last and least, starting the next level of education is a way for many students to survive until the situation in the job market improves. Nevertheless, this strategy should remain the last resort, as without high dose of motivation its cost-benefit ratio is highly unfavorable.

Disadvantages

Stress, frustration, burnout and depression: these four horsemen of the apocalypse accompany many PhD candidates during their studies. Proportion of PhD students diagnosed with depression or anxiety symptoms is 4-6 times larger than in the general population [16,17]. The reasons can attributed to poor working conditions: long working hours [18-20], financial difficulties [19,20], bullying and mobbing [19,20]. So please be prepared that if you choose this path, the biggest challenge might not be finding a cure for cancer but rather maintaining your mental health.

Slim chances for financial benefits: have you imagined that when you start working in such a respectable profession as a scientist you will earn decent money? Think again – based on the data collected by Kirchner and Petzoldt 17 out of 20 U.S. PhD programs fails to provide minimum basic stipend equivalent to the cost of living [21]. In Germany the average salary of a doctoral student is about 1,260 Euros/month what amounts to 50-65% of a normal wage [22]. Depending on career chosen after graduation your financial situation can also look differently; for example, a postdoc position in academia implicates annual gross salary ranging from 15,600 (Eastern Europe) to about 45,000 Euros (U.S.) [23,24]. I hope you understand now that satisfying income should not be a crucial reason for pursuing a scientific career.

Uncertain future: a typical duration of PhD student contract in Europe is 3 or 4 years [25], but doctoral work frequently takes longer. The average time from matriculation to thesis defense is 3.5-4.5 years in Europe [26] and 6-10 years in U.S. [27]. Some countries like Germany [28] and France [29] introduced regulations limiting duration of doctoral studies, what can generate further problems as exemplified by researchers’ protest in Berlin in March 2023 [30]. If we add to this dependency on grant funding and risk of getting scooped by other scientists, your future, to put it mildly, will not be boring.

Limited job experience: as mentioned before, most of researchers sooner or later leaves academia, as only a small fraction of academic workers lands a permanent position and obtains a professorship [31,32]. However, recent studies reported on numerous obstacles hindering transition to non-academic jobs in the private sector. Industrial employers require from postgraduate applicants flexibility, interpersonal skills and other transferable abilities [8,9] which may not be included in the PhD curriculum. Lacking these crucial competences researchers are frequently forced to accept positions below their qualifications [8,33]. Experts also indicate that PhD holders lack an insight into the job market and alternative career paths [33].

Commonness of PhD graduates: Another problem that we touched upon earlier concerns constant increase in quantity of doctoral researchers. In 2000 154,000 people obtained PhD title in the OECD countries [1], whereas in year 2017 this number raised to 276,800 [34]. Such overproduction may result in job market saturation and reduced chances of finding a job matching PhD qualifications. Moreover, by inflation the doctoral title loses its significance and exclusive charm, hence a rhetorical question: is PhD new MSc?

Relevance of your research to the real world: technically every new discovery pushes the Science forward, but does it mean these discoveries are significant for humanity? Although in recent decades funding agencies insist on addressing important issues such as global warming, health and national security [35], not every finding leads to improvements in any of these fields. It is highly likely that despite the enormous effort invested in years of research, your achievements will be noticed only by a narrow circle of specialists.

Hopefully the list above gave you a general overview of the PhD life. Before you make a final decision, consider asking yourself the following questions:

• What are my motivations and goals for pursuing a PhD?
• What are the benefits and challenges of doing a PhD specific for my field of interest?
• How will I finance my PhD studies and living expenses?
• How will I balance my academic work, personal life and mental health during my PhD journey?
• How will I manage the uncertainty, stress and criticism that I encounter?
• How will my family or friends be affected?
• What are the career prospects and opportunities for PhD graduates in my field of interest?
• What are other alternative career paths in my field of interest worth exploring?

By answering these questions, you can (and should) consult senior peers who have chosen this career path. Their opinion should also be taken into account while selecting a suitable research topic, supervisor and institution for doctoral studies. Ideally, you should reach out to current and former students of potential supervisors and ask for feedback regarding the level of support, work-life balance, and overall satisfaction. Importance of making an informed decision based not only on your scientific interests but also on your values cannot be overstated.

In summary, decision about pursuing a PhD should be made considering all pros and cons: 4+ years of enormous stress and effort may pay off, if you make sure it aligns with your life goals and you come prepared for this experience. To those of you who choose to follow the PhD path, enjoy your remarkable journey. And remember: use this invaluable time to acquire new knowledge, grow personally and professionally in order to pave the way for a fulfilling and successful career.

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