End of a scientific research career? - (May/21/2011 )

Hi

I recently got my MPhil degree, and with one manuscript submitted under review. I think i have do my best on it.

However, i fear to fly. Do u think this would be the end of my research career? If you are a P.I., will u hire someone like me for a phD work?

Cheers

barnacleman on Sat May 21 10:38:44 2011 said:

hey barnacleman,

First off, congratulations....and I think this fear matters more to you or would serve as a limitation than to anybody else and least of all to a prospective PI (you won't include this in your CV, right ). Are there places where you can apply to without having the need to fly? Where about are you anyhow? Anyways, have you ever considered counselling or some form of therapy bec it might really affect the choices that you have or will decide upon regarding your career....

Hi casandra,

Thanks for prompt reply. I agree that counselling/therapy could be a good choice, but i just have had terrible experiences and have nightmares sometimes about flying. I guess there is dim chances for me to fly. I have searched a few potential future labs. In theory i can take a long journey via train (half a month, maybe)

Apart from going there, i just worried mostly that i would miss many chances of conferences and workshops in places that can only be accessed via plane. and i think this sounds pretty bad to the potential P.I. as well.

casandra on Sat May 21 10:56:24 2011 said:

barnacleman on Sat May 21 11:25:27 2011 said:

Half a month journey, great...meanwhile you can write another manuscript while in transit (or get married and start a new family )..then you shld really consider therapy (or even taking meds, if worse comes to worst)). And attending conferences and stuff, it's more a problem for you than the PI bec a collaborator in your work can always go instead of you to present your lab's work...but would you want this? For post-doc training etc, you might also have to move again so you really need to figure out how to deal with this fear....it's not an impossible feat but you have to start from now.....and don't feel desperate or hopeless...there are many many people with all kinds of phobias and still have managed somehow...btw, aside from nightmares, have you had full blown anxiety or panic attacks while in flight?

Hi

Throughout my master i flied once (~3 hrs). At that flight I was full of anxiety..when encountering air turbulence, I just hold the handrails most of the time...

casandra on Sat May 21 12:13:25 2011 said:

barnacleman on Sat May 21 12:24:46 2011 said:

But was it the first time you ever flew? Because this fear would then be understandable and if there was a lot of air turbulence then the more so. Real phobias are a little bit more complicated than this...and what was it you were afraid of? heights? enclosed space? dying? Perhaps you need to do a replicate? It is still the safest way to travel...although nowadays, it's become less and less desirable..what with sucky airline service, super-cramped space, increased airport security etc but all these against half a month of journeying to get to another place? There's almost no way around it....

It depends on what PhD you do and where.

There are PhD projects out there that do not involve flying... But you need to be honest about it and make sure they know it otherwise they might send you off to somewhere.. with a plane..

It also depends on where you live.
In europe its easier to get to other countries, but if you are from the usa and you need to go to europe or travel in the usa itself.. distances are bigger..

Its perfectly possible to do a PhD that doesnt even require lots of traveling...
However, when you have the PhD... the question then is: can you do research in your field.. because then often you have meetings, presentations in other countries far away...

It will stop you from doing certain jobs, but in the end: its harder, but not impossible...

(try to find a PI that is scared of flying too , there are other people out there that are scared to flew too you know.. you are not the only one!)

I agree with everything that was said previously by Casandra and Pito.

Additionally you have to think that many qualified, good jobs require a lot of travel, so your fear will not only be an issue when you want to stay in science, but also in industry (and usually people there are less understanding if a job needs to be done).

So you should try to work on it, or think about a plan to combat your fear. One of my friends usually takes a sleeping pill after getting on the plane, so she is asleep for the whole flight and will not experience the turbulences etc. - of course this works only when fying longer distances.

I used to have flight-phobia too. it's gets better over the time. now I fly with a more expensive airline, but I feel safer.

Look at me..i was geek when I was infant with research now I believe I am transforming self for being master in this scientific world.Always do these things in life if u are seriously falling down..."DONT FEAR: Practice not to fear", Never hesitate to learn even from the lower people, Work hard. I know how much I have suffered and got the slaughter in my life, but I engulf every pain and so now I am being stronger and stronger. I hope I can be a good example for u.

With best wishes
Sam