Dear all, I'm a master graduate who is looking for a PhD position in Zurich/Basel region. From my master I have a 2nd author paper in a journal with Impact Factor close to 30. My focus is in biology. For my PhD lab, to me the subject doesn't matter as much as the people I'm going to work with. I dont want to torture myself by working with bad colleagues and bad boss for 3-4 yrs. I've seen how bad profs can treat their students in some ETH labs. I have also known people who had to quit due to the lack of support from the supervisors, while being pushed constantly to deliver results. It's both physically and emotionally traumatic. I can withstand being pushed, that's how I published paper before. But I dont want to end up being pushed and not receiving enough support. I have been there, it's just wont work. Do you know any professor, or rumors of any professors who is known to be less nasty than the rest? My target group is labs at UniBasel, UZH, ETH and other research institutes, such as FMI in Basel which belongs to Novartis. Thanks in advance for your information!

depend on what you want to do

for the supervisor, better contact their student to get an idea

Thank you for your suggestion eawager! I was just thinking about doing that. But I also suspect that some students won't dare to leave too many negative things on paper (or email), so maybe meeting them in person to discuss is the best way. Are you also a member of academia?

Hi Leonidas05,
I definitely agree that you need a good, supportive boss and good colleagues to have a decent phd time. I started a Chemistry PhD in UK but left after 8 months, not just because I realised it wasn't for me (later did a Pharmacology Masters and now working in Biology research in Pharma), but also the supervisor was not great, people were generally very nice though. I also realised the project was not that great either. I was a bit too young and inexperienced really, I would definitely go about things in a much different way now with the experience I have got through having some actual working experience!
I know someone who just finished her Biomedical Sciences PhD in a lab in the Unispital. PM me and maybe I can get you in touch with her to get her opinion on unibas/labs/how things work/etc.
Alison