The PhD Paradox: A Nobel Prize Winner Somehow Survived the Academic Hunger Games. Will you?
A stark reality check about the true cost of pursuing a PhD slapped me across the face this week. A study on the psychological toll of doctoral programs painted a picture less “Good Will Hunting” and more “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” If education is akin to a “bicycle for our minds,” as Steve Jobs might have analogized, then pursuing a PhD seems to be peddling through a minefield.
The working paper from Lund University found that PhD students face a significantly higher risk of mental health problems compared to the general population and other highly educated individuals. The numbers are sobering. One in three graduate students is at risk of a common psychiatric disorder. Half experienced psychological distress, depression, and anxiety. It’s a full-blown mental health crisis disguised as an academic rite of passage.
But let’s refocus: We have hard data on the psychological impact of pursuing academia’s highest degree. This isn’t just anecdotal evidence from burnt-out post-docs at the campus coffee shop. It’s a wake-up call for universities, funding bodies, and aspiring academics alike. And you’re making a catastrophic mistake if you’re using “That’s nothing. Wait till I tell you about MY experiences as a graduate student” as an excuse to ignore these realities.
Don’t rationalize. I know academia needs to maintain its prestige and allure of intellectual pursuit. And as you’re likely not reading this from a cushy tenured position, your skepticism about the system is warranted. This study, when combined with an interview with a Nobel Prize winner who failed to obtain a tenure-track position, sent me reeling.
This week, I interviewed Nobel Prize winner Katalin Kariko. To say that she was supernaturally resilient in her academic career would be an understatement akin to saying Usain Bolt was a decent sprinter or that Einstein had some interesting thoughts about clocks.
Kariko’s journey was a Hunger Games-like masterclass in perseverance. For decades, her groundbreaking work on mRNA was met with skepticism, ridicule, and outright rejection. As a graduate student, she was spied on by the Hungarian Secret Police. As a postdoc, she was demoted, her funding was cut, and she was told repeatedly that she wasn’t “faculty quality.” Later, she was threatened with deportation by her postdoctoral mentor!
In 2013, her lab bench was upended, and she was summarily fired by UPenn, the same university that would later reap $1B plus from royalties from her mRNA inventions. Lesser scientists would have thrown in the towel and quit science altogether, but Kariko kept pushing. I couldn’t help thinking about survivor bias. Katalin Karikó’s success is celebrated, while the many who faced similar obstacles without recognition are overlooked. This bias skews our understanding, making it seem that resilience guarantees success when other uncontrollable factors also play a significant role.
Super Soldier Serum or Kryptonite?
For all the promises of a PhD — advancing human knowledge, personal intellectual growth, career opportunities — few are getting tangible ROI. Only 3% of PhD students end up as tenured professors. That sounds like a lot until you realize it’s about the same odds as making it to the NFL from college football. That is, the top 0.1% of all football players/academics still only have a 3% chance of making it to the next level! Yet, we reject 90% of applications before they even become graduate students.
Once you make it over that hurdle, you may be surprised to know that far more people may have started doctoral programs than make it through, and the number of those who do so without significant mental health challenges is dwindling. People “peace out,” realizing too late that a PhD isn’t a golden ticket to academic success but a grueling marathon with no guaranteed finish line.
The reason people make this mistake? Few have discovered the PhD’s dirty secret: it’s not just about being smart; it’s about endurance, political savvy, and often, sheer luck. And academics, especially in STEM fields, are absolutely allergic to luck!
I’ve personally talked to hundreds of PhD students and recent graduates. Most of them use their degree as a credential — a badge of intellectual honor that opens some doors but closes many others due to overspecialization.
Smart people quickly dismiss these concerns, thinking, “I can handle it. I’m passionate about my research.” But if a PhD program can break even the most brilliant minds, why not reconsider the entire system? Why not reimagine doctoral education for the 21st century?
PhD vs. Real World
I always ask my recent PhD graduates who leave academia about their transition to industry. Even for long-time academics, entering the “real world” job market is a test you always want to ace. We’re in an era where interdisciplinary skills, adaptability, and emotional intelligence often trump specialized knowledge. I try to anticipate their challenges to prepare them for the transition better.
I prompted them: “You’ve spent years becoming an expert in a niche field. How do you translate that expertise into value for companies that may not even understand your research area?”
Their responses were eye-opening. Many felt their skills were undervalued or misunderstood outside academia. They struggled to communicate complex ideas to non-experts — a crucial skill in most industries. Some even regretted not developing more transferable skills during their doctoral studies.
Since then, I’ve used these insights to advocate for PhD program reform. The message is evident every time: we need to balance specialized research with broader skill development. At a minimum, it helps students prepare for diverse career paths beyond the ivory tower. A gift with purchase? They might enjoy their PhD experience more and suffer less psychological distress.
Think of what this could mean for the future of advanced education and research. Less burnout, knowing that your years of study have prepared you for multiple career paths. A quicker transition to impactful work, whether in academia, industry, or entrepreneurship. And a new generation of PhDs equipped to tackle complex, interdisciplinary problems our world desperately needs to solve.
Other scenarios where PhD reform could have profound impacts:
- Integrating mental health support and work-life balance training into doctoral programs.
- Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration to broaden perspectives and skill sets.
- Providing business and entrepreneurship education to help Ph.D.s commercialize their research.
The “smartest people in the room” think they’re above these concerns. Soon, they’ll be bragging about their holistic PhD experience. And they should. Why would anyone pursue a degree that leaves them narrowly specialized, psychologically distressed, and ill-prepared for diverse career paths? Would you hire someone whose education made them less adaptable in a rapidly changing world?
Unfortunately, my interview on the INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast, with my interview with my UCSD colleague John Skrentny, belied the fact that STEM grads who leave academia have rosy career paths based on the solid foundations of their studies. His book “Wasted Education: How We Fail Our Graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math” reveals that many STEM graduates do not have the positive career experiences often expected. Instead, they frequently face challenges such as toxic work cultures, lack of job security, and high expectations that lead to burnout and a significant number of them leaving the STEM field altogether
This is pretty strong evidence of the adverse mental health effects of doing a PhD but also of not doing one. As the saying goes: “The PhD won’t break you, but the system might.” It’s time we fixed the system. I wish I knew how.
Let me know if you have any suggestions.
Until next time, have a M.A.G.I.C. Week,
Brian
Appearance
Catch me and the renowned Richard Dawkins, live in conversation in Vancouver, CA on 6 October 2024.
Genius
Past guest Ryan Holliday recommended this book to me. It’s a book about notebooks. Seriously!
From the description: “We see notebooks everywhere we go. But where did this simple invention come from? How did they revolutionize our lives, and why are they such powerful tools for creativity? And how can using a notebook help you change the way you think?”
Image
Andrew McCarthy captured this spectacular image of the Moon occulting Saturn. He describes the event thusly:
“I traveled to the top of the Mauna Kea Volcano in Hawaii to capture this: Saturn briefly covered by the moon. One of the most difficult shots I’ve captured and a bucket list moment, this event gave me a new perspective on the solar system.”
Conversation
Is the universe hiding extra dimensions we can’t see? Could a graviton — a particle we haven’t even proven to exist — change everything we know about the cosmos? And what does the future of physics hold if the standard model fails?
Today, I sit down with the renowned cosmologist Dan Hooper to discuss some of the most complex and exciting theories in modern cosmology. Dan is a leading theoretical physicist at Fermilab and a professor at the University of Chicago, specializing in the mysteries of dark matter, the early universe, and extra dimensions.
In this episode, Dan and I explore how hidden dimensions and mysterious particles could fundamentally challenge our understanding of the universe!
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My Intro to Cosmology course is now appearing exclusively at Peterson Academy. Join me on the 9-hour captivating journey through the cosmos, exploring its vastness, the tools used to unravel its mysteries, and the groundbreaking discoveries that have shaped our understanding of the universe.
We examine the evidence for an expanding universe, the forces driving its evolution, and the cosmic fossils that shed light on its distant past and future. The course also delves into the enigmatic concepts of dark matter and energy, their roles in the universe’s structure and fate, and their ongoing efforts to unravel these cosmic mysteries.
Enroll now for immediate access at https://petersonacademy.com?utm_source=Keating
I’ve gotten great feedback from dozens of my PA students. Join us on a cosmic adventure!
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My Intro to Cosmology course is now appearing exclusively at Peterson Academy. Join me on the 9-hour captivating journey through the cosmos, exploring its vastness, the tools used to unravel its mysteries, and the groundbreaking discoveries that have shaped our understanding of the universe.
We examine the evidence for an expanding universe, the forces driving its evolution, and the cosmic fossils that shed light on its distant past and future. The course also delves into the enigmatic concepts of dark matter and energy, their roles in the universe’s structure and fate, and their ongoing efforts to unravel these cosmic mysteries.
Enroll now for immediate access at https://petersonacademy.com?utm_source=Keating
I’ve gotten great feedback from dozens of my PA students. Join us on a cosmic adventure!
Upcoming Episodes
- Recording this week with Dr. Stephen C. Meyer about the case for Intelligent Design. Expect a lively discussion based on facts, not faith. Whet your appetite with our previous conversation here.
