- #1
jeebs
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"More lives ruined by physics PhD than heroin" - how true is this?
I've been looking into going for some sort of physics PhD since I will graduate my undergraduate physics degree in 2011. However, one of the first things that comes up on google when you search is this link:
http://wuphys.wustl.edu/~katz/scientist.html
It talks about it being a disastrous choice to study physics further, and I wondered if anyone who knows what they are talking about agrees with this. I notice that this article is from 1999 and is in the USA, whereas I am from present day England, so am I right in hoping that what it says does not apply to me?
I keep getting emails from universities advertising that they have physics PhD courses. Is this a sign that it is actually worth pursuing?
Or is it that people are aware of it being a bad decision so they need to advertise as there is less demand for places?
Also, are some areas of physics more exclusive or hard to succeed in than others (I'm thinking of trying to go the nuclear fusion or particle physics route by the way)?
Do you regret any physics PhD decision you made?
Do you think, even if it will be tough for me, I should go for the PhD anyway because I have no interest in having any career outside of physics?
I've been looking into going for some sort of physics PhD since I will graduate my undergraduate physics degree in 2011. However, one of the first things that comes up on google when you search is this link:
http://wuphys.wustl.edu/~katz/scientist.html
It talks about it being a disastrous choice to study physics further, and I wondered if anyone who knows what they are talking about agrees with this. I notice that this article is from 1999 and is in the USA, whereas I am from present day England, so am I right in hoping that what it says does not apply to me?
I keep getting emails from universities advertising that they have physics PhD courses. Is this a sign that it is actually worth pursuing?
Or is it that people are aware of it being a bad decision so they need to advertise as there is less demand for places?
Also, are some areas of physics more exclusive or hard to succeed in than others (I'm thinking of trying to go the nuclear fusion or particle physics route by the way)?
Do you regret any physics PhD decision you made?
Do you think, even if it will be tough for me, I should go for the PhD anyway because I have no interest in having any career outside of physics?
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