The Happy Doc Student Handbook: 7 Steps to Graduating With Your Sanity, Health, and Relationships Intact

By Heather Frederick

Want to be part of the 50% who complete their doctoral program?

IN JUST 7 STEPS, you'll learn tools and techniques to help you start strong, stay the course, and finish on time. Each step contains action items so you can apply the information for immediate results.

You'll learn how to:
• Position yourself for success
• Manage stress and overwhelming emotions
• Use ego-shattering feedback to your advantage
• Build a supportive network so you never feel alone
• Find quality time for school in your already busy life
• Work smarter so you can finish on time
• Choose a topic, complete your research, and shine at your defense

Informed by 20 years of work with hundreds of students and faculty, The Happy Doc Student Handbook demystifies the process so you can successfully navigate your program.

If you've ever wondered, Can I really do this?—this handbook is for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Frederick
• Release date: Feb 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9798223085034

Book preview

Acknowledgments

If I thanked everyone who made this handbook possible, the acknowledgments would be longer than the book! I’ll hit the highlights here. If you don’t see your name, know that if you ever challenged me to question my worldview, pushed me beyond what I thought was possible, or made me laugh, it is with much gratitude that I thank you for being a part of my journey.

To my extended familial tribe who has always believed in me. A special heartfelt thanks to Mom, Donna Sprague, and Dad, James Walen, for telling me, from as early as I can remember, that I can do anything I set my mind to.

To Dr. Teresa (Terry) Cronan for being my first true mentor. You saw a future for me that I couldn’t imagine in my wildest dreams.

To Anne-Marie Asner, my personal wordsmith, brand ambassador, panic stopper, and the all-important keeper of my why. If I could award you an honorary doctorate for your contribution to this project, I would.

To my soul tribe (too many to list; you know who you are!). A special thanks to the ones who held my hand during this process and kept things real (in alphabetical order): Dr. Greg Bradley, Dr. Scott Burrus, Elizabeth Lukacs, Dee Munsterman, Vincent Redgrave, Dr. Melanie Shaw, and Christine Van Tassel.

To every colleague who candidly shared their experiences of mentoring doctoral research and who provided constructive feedback, especially Dr. Todd Fiore, Dr. Vernon Czelusniak, and Dr. Birgit Fisher who suggested significant changes on early drafts.

To the entire Happy Doc Student tribe who offered me a platform for brainstorming. A shout-out to the newly conferred Dr. Melanie Gardner and the future Dr. Melissa DeLong who not only beta tested the book but provided pages and pages of constructive feedback to make sure this handbook delivered what a contemporary doctoral student needs and wants.

To every doctoral student and Happy Doc Student podcast listener who allowed me the honor of being a part of your journey. Thank you for requesting this book; it would not exist if it weren’t for you.

To every Happy Doc Student podcast guest who inspires my audience while teaching me something new on every single episode.

And, finally, to my awesome support team who handled my curious and perfectionist personality with grace, answering a million and one questions and dealing with incessant requests for tweaks. Thank you wonder twin powers Rich and Victoria Wolf. Rich made the experience of publishing my first book fun, and designer Victoria created cover art that makes you want to keep this handbook on your bedside table and designed the layout, making the read enjoyable. And, of course, a special thanks to editor Jennifer Jas who slayed my passive voice and made sure the t’s were crossed and i’s were dotted.

Introduction

No one expects that earning a doctorate will be easy, but since many who begin a program do not graduate, it’s clear that students need backup resources.¹ To this end, I founded the Happy Doc Student podcast, a platform that helps doctoral students start, stay, and finish strong. Since its launch in 2020, I regularly receive requests for a book that would outline what it takes to graduate—and here it is.

The transformative power of this book lies in a basic principle:

I don’t just tell you what you need to do—

I show you how to do it!

They say most how-to books could be reduced by 80%, and that’s what I attempted to do here: distill a wealth of information into seven practical steps so you can cross that finish line on time with your sanity, health, and relationships intact. Each step contains doable action items allowing you to apply the information and experience immediate results. Also included is a handy Note Pages section where you can jot down notes, thoughts, and insights as you work through the action items. Want to dig deeper into any step? The Resource section has you covered. Considering throwing in the towel? There’s something for that, too (see the I-Think-I-Want-to-Stop Exercise).

Yes, the challenges a doctoral student faces are complex and multifaceted. But luckily, the solutions to these issues are not—and don’t require a doctorate to implement.

Ready to be in the 50% who finish?

Let’s get started!

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1 Statistics on attrition are diverse and vary by program, student characteristics, and other relevant components. The most common range reported is 40–60%, with higher rates in online programs with lenient admission requirements and that target busy, working adults. The Council of Graduate Schools Ph.D. Degree Completion Project found that even under the best conditions, the dropout rate was approximately 25% (see cgsnet.org/PhD-completion-project).

STEP 1:

First Things First

Position Yourself for Success

Before we dive into how to best navigate your doctoral journey, let’s take a moment to remember why you are pursuing this degree. Then we will perform some reality checks to make sure you have the solid foundation you need to start and stay strong.

In this step, you will:

articulate your why—it will fuel you when the going gets tough,

determine your core values and how they align with your doctoral journey, and

perform reality checks related to time, financial commitments, and the state of your mind and body.

The reasons people give for enrolling in a doctoral program are diverse. Gone are the days when every doctoral student had an end goal of teaching and doing research in a university setting.² Whether you are pursuing your degree for career advancement or because it is on your bucket list, the questions you ponder in this step will help you remember why you decided to embark on this endeavor. They will also provide the needed motivation to fuel you through a journey that is often longer than originally planned.

Why Pursue a Doctoral Degree?

Your doctoral degree should be a logical step on your journey. Have you stopped and really asked yourself: Why do I want this degree? A clear and focused answer is important for two reasons: to confirm the pursuit will be worth it and to keep you going when the going gets tough.

We are all here to fulfill our life purpose, and perhaps a doctoral degree is required to fulfill yours. At the same time, it’s important to recognize the sheer number of people out there making a significant, positive impact on the world without a degree of any sort. This recognition is critically important if, at some point, you decide you no longer need the degree or the doctoral journey is no longer serving you.

If you haven’t already spent time critically thinking about why you want this degree—well, there’s no time like the present! Challenge yourself to think beyond the basic answers such as to get a better job, make more money, gain credibility, or have more prestige. These are outcomes or results—not your why, and they are never guaranteed. If your answer has to do with someone else (e.g., my parents always wanted this for me or I’ll be the first in my family with a doctorate, etc.), then dig deeper. A single-minded purpose will provide the emotional fuel you will need to complete your program.

Without a clear WHY, you’ll be running on empty before your proposal is approved.

Action Item #1:

Know Your Why

Using the Note Pages in the back of this book, complete this sentence: I am completing my doctoral degree because ….

Read what you wrote and ask yourself: And why do I want to do that?

Do this until you feel like you can’t go any further and you have an answer that makes every cell in your body vibrate with positive feelings.

For example:

I am completing my doctoral degree because I want to help people with trauma heal.

Why? Because I like helping others.

Why? Because when I help others, I feel good.

Why?

If your end answer is something along the lines of: Because I’ve always wanted to be a doctor or I want the challenge, that’s perfectly fine. However, don’t be surprised if you begin to consider stopping your program when you have gained the experience you were seeking. It’s possible that something else will replace this item on your bucket list or a new opportunity will offer an even more exciting challenge.

When you have your answer, record it here (in pencil, because things can change). Practice your academic writing; focus on being clear and concise by limiting the sentence to 20 words in total.

I am completing my doctoral degree because …

Pro Tips

Writing your answers on paper with a pen or pencil is best for this exercise, rather than typing answers on your computer. That backspace/delete key can be a real distraction!

If you work on this for more than about 5 minutes and feel stuck, then keep on reading and come back to it after you have completed the entire handbook.

Once you have your why, write it on a sticky note and place it on a prominent mirror in your home—or better yet—use a chalk marker or dry erase pen and write it out in big, bold letters. Every time you see it, read it out