Ph.D.'s

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  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    JD here (Juris Doctorate). I'm considering going back for a Masters in Accounting, which would put me at 9 years of college.

    Someone earlier said JD is the equivalent of a PhD in law, but that's not quite right; it is a doctoral degree, but it isn't the advanced degree for law. The advanced degree is LLM or "Master of Laws," and requires a specialization. E.g. LLM Tax, LLM Litigation, LLM Intellectual Property, etc.

    Clearly, I also mastered in unsolicited assvice. :bigsmile:

    Thanks for the clarification! I just assumed that the J.D. students at Starbucks at 3am at the table next to us were in it for the same long haul. LOL

    a JD is a pretty long haul! An LLM is just one extra year. I have a friend who is going for his PHD and it seems endless. I dont' get why it takes so long. He's not even in class anymore. He teaches and he is sort of endlessly working on his dissertation. I don't think an LLM would drag on like that either. But a JD can do an independent study (I did) which I think is probably somewhat like a dissertation (You come up with your own class, teach yourself, write a paper, and defend it if the prof gives you a bad grade ;)

    In science, the Ph.D. dissertation is usually an original piece of research. Normally, you should publish at least 3-4 times out of that dissertation so you're talking about at least a good 2 full years of work to produce one of appropriate quality. People who have to do field or lab work usually take even longer because experiments have a habit of going awry. People like me who do theoretical work or computer-based modeling usually complete on time more often than our lab-dwelling counterparts.

    It took me a full 4 years just to complete coursework and my qualifying exams.
  • Bloomsday
    Bloomsday Posts: 66 Member
    I'm tired of *marking* exams.... That's an exercise in soul destruction, that is....

    This made me laugh out loud. You want soul destruction, come visit my freshman writing classes ...
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I'm tired of *marking* exams.... That's an exercise in soul destruction, that is....

    This made me laugh out loud. You want soul destruction, come visit my freshman writing classes ...

    Oh my goodness! I remember having to read other students' work in my Freshman writing class. It was appalling.
  • sophie_wr
    sophie_wr Posts: 194 Member
    Good luck to every PhD or PhD student for research & losing weight !!!
  • EpiGaiaRepens
    EpiGaiaRepens Posts: 824 Member

    In science, the Ph.D. dissertation is usually an original piece of research. Normally, you should publish at least 3-4 times out of that dissertation so you're talking about at least a good 2 full years of work to produce one of appropriate quality. People who have to do field or lab work usually take even longer because experiments have a habit of going awry. People like me who do theoretical work or computer-based modeling usually complete on time more often than our lab-dwelling counterparts.

    It took me a full 4 years just to complete coursework and my qualifying exams.

    Ok. Its definitely more work than a JD! My independent study was original research, though. In terms of it being an original concept and a publishable paper. But four publications! Dang!!! That's impressive.
  • ccmccoy09
    ccmccoy09 Posts: 284 Member
    JD here (Juris Doctorate). I'm considering going back for a Masters in Accounting, which would put me at 9 years of college.

    Someone earlier said JD is the equivalent of a PhD in law, but that's not quite right; it is a doctoral degree, but it isn't the advanced degree for law. The advanced degree is LLM or "Master of Laws," and requires a specialization. E.g. LLM Tax, LLM Litigation, LLM Intellectual Property, etc.

    Clearly, I also mastered in unsolicited assvice. :bigsmile:

    Thanks for the clarification! I just assumed that the J.D. students at Starbucks at 3am at the table next to us were in it for the same long haul. LOL

    It's still 3 years of torture, then another 12 weeks to X years (however long it takes to pass the bar) of endless emotional and psychological pain. It doesn't go on years and years like a PhD, but it's a lot crammed into a very short period of time.

    Not to say that either one is harder than the other, they're just different. Both incredibly mentally and physically challenging, may change who you are as a person, and will change your life when complete.
  • sophie_wr
    sophie_wr Posts: 194 Member
    PhD in Molecular genetics (done in my homeland, France) and postdoc for 3 years in the best city (San diego CA).
    Actually looking for a new one because my lab is running soon of monney :((((

    PhD in biology is not the best idea for getting a nice stable job (I'm even not talking about salaries !)

    ans always looking for MFP friends !

    Good luck to you hon! Biology is a tight field now. NSF budget cuts have eliminated a lot of jobs in biology and science in the last 4 years. Keep looking for positions. :smile: Have you looked internationally (Europe, Canada, Asia?

    Well, united states is international for me, I'm from France.
    And I got to say, 3 years after leaving everything (friends, family and hometown) to come here (which I never regret, and I love California (not the famous gloome june)) .... I would like to stay a bit more in San diego.
    Ofcourse without a job, I have to leave the US.

    But this is crazy, I thought that was no-limit monney for research in the US when I was in Europe...
    I'm working in a very big research institute with mostyl NIH unding, and all the labs are like that, firing and getting very low with monney....

    But thanks for the support !
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Well, united states is international for me, I'm from France.
    And I got to say, 3 years after leaving everything (friends, family and hometown) to come here (which I never regret, and I love California (not the famous gloome june)) .... I would like to stay a bit more in San diego.
    Ofcourse without a job, I have to leave the US.

    But this is crazy, I thought that was no-limit monney for research in the US when I was in Europe...
    I'm working in a very big research institute with mostyl NIH unding, and all the labs are like that, firing and getting very low with monney....

    But thanks for the support !

    It's sad what is happening to a lot of science jobs. My fellowship program normally takes 30 students per year. They could only afford to do 8 this year because of budget cuts, and even those were a lower stipend than normal, which is even more pathetic than the already pathetic grad student salary.
  • alecta337
    alecta337 Posts: 622 Member
    About to graduate from undergrad at Georgia Tech in Dec, then to get my PhD in bioengineering. Yay, fun stuff!!
  • kdilly
    kdilly Posts: 12
    I have my Master's in mass communication and media studies. I need to get my butt in gear and apply to the Ph.D program. I keep threatening to, but get way laid!
  • alc06
    alc06 Posts: 10 Member
    I just finished my second year toward my doctorate in Psychology (School with cognate in Counseling). I have at least 3 more years until I earn my Ph.D.
  • next_bold_move
    next_bold_move Posts: 15 Member
    I have my JD!
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    JD here (Juris Doctorate). I'm considering going back for a Masters in Accounting, which would put me at 9 years of college.

    Someone earlier said JD is the equivalent of a PhD in law, but that's not quite right; it is a doctoral degree, but it isn't the advanced degree for law. The advanced degree is LLM or "Master of Laws," and requires a specialization. E.g. LLM Tax, LLM Litigation, LLM Intellectual Property, etc.

    Clearly, I also mastered in unsolicited assvice. :bigsmile:

    Thanks for the clarification! I just assumed that the J.D. students at Starbucks at 3am at the table next to us were in it for the same long haul. LOL

    It's still 3 years of torture, then another 12 weeks to X years (however long it takes to pass the bar) of endless emotional and psychological pain. It doesn't go on years and years like a PhD, but it's a lot crammed into a very short period of time.

    Not to say that either one is harder than the other, they're just different. Both incredibly mentally and physically challenging, may change who you are as a person, and will change your life when complete.

    Very true (referring to comment in bold). I'm not the same person I was when I started my Ph.D. 4 years ago. I can see your point about the time and workload being comparable. I don't know anyone personally with a J.D. so my experience with that type of program is limited.
  • PaniStasia
    PaniStasia Posts: 4
    Doctor of Pharmacy over here - graduated from my program 1 month ago!
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
    PhD dropout here, but pushed my husband to finish his when he later enrolled in a program.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    About to graduate from undergrad at Georgia Tech in Dec, then to get my PhD in bioengineering. Yay, fun stuff!!

    Congrats! I was a December grad too. It was nice have a few months "off"
  • ccmccoy09
    ccmccoy09 Posts: 284 Member
    Very true. I can see your point about the time and workload being comparable. I don't know anyone personally with a J.D. so my experience with that type of program is limited.

    And I only know a few people with PhDs and they're all in humanities, so they all had a steady cycle of research-write-teach-travel, and were able to publish within a year of finishing their coursework. I know it's different in the sciences. I don't envy you guys at all.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Very true. I can see your point about the time and workload being comparable. I don't know anyone personally with a J.D. so my experience with that type of program is limited.

    And I only know a few people with PhDs and they're all in humanities, so they all had a steady cycle of research-write-teach-travel, and were able to publish within a year of finishing their coursework. I know it's different in the sciences. I don't envy you guys at all.

    It took me a full 4 years to finish my coursework (full time load every single semester and summer), plus I had to take 4 qualifying exams. The first was a 9 hour exam over my entire first year's course content. Second and Third were 3 hour exams (subject specific), and the last was a 16 hour exam over everything I learned in the previous 4 years. NOW, I get to spend the next two years publishing, finishing my dissertation, and trying not to go any more prematurely grey.

    I am looking forward to the next two years though. I get to finally do my own research and start working with my colleagues more.
  • alli_baba
    alli_baba Posts: 232 Member
    PhD in Molecular genetics (done in my homeland, France) and postdoc for 3 years in the best city (San diego CA).
    Actually looking for a new one because my lab is running soon of monney :((((

    PhD in biology is not the best idea for getting a nice stable job (I'm even not talking about salaries !)

    ans always looking for MFP friends !

    Good luck to you hon! Biology is a tight field now. NSF budget cuts have eliminated a lot of jobs in biology and science in the last 4 years. Keep looking for positions. :smile: Have you looked internationally (Europe, Canada, Asia?

    Well, united states is international for me, I'm from France.
    And I got to say, 3 years after leaving everything (friends, family and hometown) to come here (which I never regret, and I love California (not the famous gloome june)) .... I would like to stay a bit more in San diego.
    Ofcourse without a job, I have to leave the US.

    But this is crazy, I thought that was no-limit monney for research in the US when I was in Europe...
    I'm working in a very big research institute with mostyl NIH unding, and all the labs are like that, firing and getting very low with monney....

    But thanks for the support !

    My sister-in-law has her PhD in Biology (she's a U.S. citizen and her degree is from a U.S. university) and she has only worked abroad (first in France and now in Canada). She said the work is more interesting outside the U.S. and the money is better.

    My PhD is in Economics, and although I frequently travel abroad for work, my employers have always been U.S. based (Wall Street firms -- money is never an issue for them).

    Good luck!
  • zenJes
    zenJes Posts: 198 Member
    Im in my third year of my PhD, one more year to go but at that annoying stage where science is working and I need to start writing journal articles lol!! Took me 3 weeks just to sit down and write my first paragraph :D
    I did a 4 years honours degree in biochemistry and then went straight to PhD and loving it.. Of course I did have that obligatory 6 months where easy experiments refused to work but I hung in there and got through it! Good luck to all that are studying!!

    Publishing gets much easier as you move forward. First publication is the hardest.

    Hehe thanks for that, hopefully the just sitting down and starting is the hardest part, good to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel!!
  • brooke432
    brooke432 Posts: 17
    Have my M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy and have two more years until I complete my Doctorate of Psychology, with an emphasis in MFT. Odd hours, tons of work, and stress eating is how I gained 45lbs. Glad to know I'm not alone :)
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Im in my third year of my PhD, one more year to go but at that annoying stage where science is working and I need to start writing journal articles lol!! Took me 3 weeks just to sit down and write my first paragraph :D
    I did a 4 years honours degree in biochemistry and then went straight to PhD and loving it.. Of course I did have that obligatory 6 months where easy experiments refused to work but I hung in there and got through it! Good luck to all that are studying!!

    Publishing gets much easier as you move forward. First publication is the hardest.

    Hehe thanks for that, hopefully the just sitting down and starting is the hardest part, good to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel!!

    There is. You get better the more you do it, so just use your advisers for help and push through it. :) Be prepared for nasty reviewers though. Those guys can be mean, but don't take it personally.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Have my M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy and have two more years until I complete my Doctorate of Psychology, with an emphasis in MFT. Odd hours, tons of work, and stress eating is how I gained 45lbs. Glad to know I'm not alone :)

    Definitely not alone. I gained about 50 lbs in my first 3 years of grad school for the same reasons: stress eating, convenience foods, laziness, but I've managed to drop most of that gain in about 2 years and make more time for myself in there. It CAN be done.
  • superpapa16
    superpapa16 Posts: 244 Member
    You are all such inspirations!!

    I started college after high school but decided it wasnt for me.

    After I had my son I started back up again! I just now started working on my bachelors in Sociology with a major in Psychology. I wont receive my degree until january of 2016!! I will be 30 years old! I also plan on stayin in school and pursuing my Masters. I toy with the idea of getting my PH.D but only time will tell. :o)

    I'm in the same boat. I'm currently working towards my Associates. Then I plan on a BA and maybe a J.D. I'll be 35 when I complete the Associates degree so we'll see what happens...
  • k8lyn_235
    k8lyn_235 Posts: 507 Member
    what about pharm.d.'s?
  • hbunting86
    hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
    Doing my PhD in human health and nutrition psychology - would love some adds of other doctoral candidates :)
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 866 Member
    My husband has his PhD and his a University professor. The dissertation was tough, but we were so happy when he was done!!! Good luck and congratulations on your hard work so far!
  • Anomalia
    Anomalia Posts: 506 Member
    On the road to my D.D.S. *high five* for higher education.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Ph.D. here!

    4.5 years, finished in 2000.
  • 1972Megan
    1972Megan Posts: 1
    I have loved reading this board! I'm new to myfitnesspal, and I'm actually a full professor with a Ph.D. in history. So I can write books, but I have a serious issue with a sweet tooth. BTW, anyone who ever wanted to yell at a professor in college feel free to friend me and give me all sorts of trouble when I don't "do the work!" And to those of you contemplating going back to college, I'll reiterate what a few folks have said already--we LOVE students who return to school after working for a while! :smile:

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