The ties that bind: social support networks in academia
I saw a recent Twitter post highlighting loneliness among PhD students and in academia. This made me ponder. Do I feel lonely?
A part of my PhD research is focused on the social support of medical students as they transition between phases in training. Consequently, I’ve become more aware about my social support network.
I thought I’d take this time to reflect and remind us that we are not alone even though academia and PhD life can indeed sometimes seem lonely! Not everyone is into our topic; and sometimes we are the only PhD candidate in a department.
I’m a joint PhD candidate so I am not always stationed at Maastricht, but unlike the other external SHE PhDs, I’m not living at home either, I split my time between Maastricht and Australia. This has led to quite an interesting, intense period where I’ve depended on my social support network more than I ever have before.
When we hear the term family ties, this may remind us of a once famous television show but moreover; it also refers to a personal bond between persons, our family. But, we can have ties with almost anyone. Social network literature often talks about ties— relationships between people— and so, whenever I use this word, this is what I am referring to.
I’ve come to appreciate various groups of individuals who make up my social support network as I traverse this doctoral journey in health professions education.
International ties
As part of the PhD writing course I met an AMAZING group of fellow PhDs from around the world—North America, Austria, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and our hometown, Maastricht. We’ve formed a special bond and our Whatsapp group is a place to get advice, cheer each other on or to organise meet ups. I have not yet been to SHE academy but I can only imagine this is an opportunity to further grow our networks!
Tip: From methodological questions, to planning a meet up, to a second pair of eyes for your manuscript...don’t underestimate the power of your cohort from this and any other course you may attend. These ties may be the key to future collaborations, research visits or job opportunities.
Online ties
I’ve only recently started being more active on my professional Twitter account (@aniqueatherley ;-)). But #meded twitter is a particularly positive space where I can share my academic triumphs and/or personal thoughts among an understanding community with lots to say! This is helpful as I often see recent papers in our journals on Twitter and the start of interesting academic discussions!
Tip: If you’re going to join a professional social network, make it Twitter! You’re never too novice to tweet your thoughts/opinions
Office ties
Even though I can still only speak ‘een beetje’ Nederlands, my two office mates and the local PhDs and faculty at SHE made me feel at home! This was important as I felt safe and had people I could get informal, and sometimes formal, feedback from, people who have been and are going through similar experiences. Having a nurturing environment provides us the opportunity to discuss and learn from each other! This includes ogling each other’s beautiful, unique workspaces, to lunch/coffee dates, to giving feedback on proposals.
Tip: Try to find a few people at your workplace, wherever that may be to be a sounding board for your ideas as you progress. Have short conversations, go for lunch walks and talk out what on your mind with close colleagues.
Cheering ties
As I started my PhD I started to depend on my friends from at home a lot more. From late night conversations when I’m unable to sleep to enthusiastic congratulations messages whenever I have a good supervisory meeting or published my first paper, my friends never forget to check on me and simply make me feel loved. This has been critical to my success thus far as I know if ever things get hard I have a group of people to lean on. Just knowing I don’t want to let them down adds fuel my motivation to keep going even if I’m homesick.
Tip: Take time to enjoy being with friends and loved ones, even if they don’t fully understand your work, they often love to cheer you on, so let them! I often include their names in my work as ways to anonymise data, or when creating examples for presentations; this keeps them close to me.
Supervisory ties
Our support networks during this PhD could not be complete without our beloved supervisors. This goes for PhDs and those who are already established academic researchers; we all have mentors. Frequent meetings and open and honest exchanges are key. This was hard for me initially due to slight cultural differences but I’m still learning how to be open while being respectful as I communicate with my supervisors.
Tip: Go into any meeting with a supervisor/mentor with a clear idea of what you want to know and don’t leave the meeting without that information! Managing team meetings can be difficult when the discussion gets going, but having time limits helps!
Family ties
Nothing matters without our special people, those who set our hearts on fire! This could be our kids, husbands, wives, partners, parents, siblings, and best friends, whoever we consider family. My family has been a pillar for me through this doctoral journey and I know this is the same for many academics! Family creates a safe space where you can be ‘just yourself’ and this is important. Full stop.
Tip: Don’t forget to spend time at home! No matter what. Sometimes they are all we need to rejuvenate and come back fresh to our work with new eyes.
Be aware of your social networks and use them to the fullest! Enjoy the journey, you’re not alone.
SHE PhD candidate Anique Atherley
ASME awarded the Medical Education Travelling Fellowship 2019 grant to PhD candidate Anique Atherley of Western Sydney University and Maastricht University