Sick During PhD

It’s a complete non-issue. It’s a PhD. Missing a week is nothing and has no impact on anything.

I started my PhD three weeks ago and unfortunately have got ill and needed to take 4 days off to recover.

My supervisor was with me when I began to feel unwell and feel faint.
I forced myself to go to uni the next day and fellow phd students and my second supervisor told me to go to the doctors and take the rest of the week off as I looked unwell. I voiced my concerns that I was aware it was early days and looked bad that I am ill - my second supervisor reassured me and told me not to worry at all and that my health comes first and its not bad to be ill at this time because I have not fully started any laboratory work, so im not missing anything other than reading papers. I went to the doctors and he confirmed I am ill and need rest and plenty of fluids.

My parents have got me really concerned, despite my supervisor giving me reassurance. They are worried I could now be kicked off the PhD and left with rent to pay for the rest of the year.

I understand regular illness would be unsatisfactory but if this is my only illness in my first year say, surely they cant kick me off for 4 days?

Other PhD students say they have been ill and you cant help it, it is nothing to worry about.

I feel my parents are thinking of it as employment and I am in the three month probationary period. I thought they could only remove you from your phd at your annual review if you had not made satisfactory progress in your research.

Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.

I started my PhD three weeks ago and unfortunately have got ill and needed to take 4 days off to recover.

My supervisor was with me when I began to feel unwell and feel faint.
I forced myself to go to uni the next day and fellow phd students and my second supervisor told me to go to the doctors and take the rest of the week off as I looked unwell. I voiced my concerns that I was aware it was early days and looked bad that I am ill - my second supervisor reassured me and told me not to worry at all and that my health comes first and its not bad to be ill at this time because I have not fully started any laboratory work, so im not missing anything other than reading papers. I went to the doctors and he confirmed I am ill and need rest and plenty of fluids.

My parents have got me really concerned, despite my supervisor giving me reassurance. They are worried I could now be kicked off the PhD and left with rent to pay for the rest of the year.

I understand regular illness would be unsatisfactory but if this is my only illness in my first year say, surely they cant kick me off for 4 days?

Other PhD students say they have been ill and you cant help it, it is nothing to worry about.

I feel my parents are thinking of it as employment and I am in the three month probationary period. I thought they could only remove you from your phd at your annual review if you had not made satisfactory progress in your research.

Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.

I started my PhD three weeks ago and unfortunately have got ill and needed to take 4 days off to recover.

My supervisor was with me when I began to feel unwell and feel faint.
I forced myself to go to uni the next day and fellow phd students and my second supervisor told me to go to the doctors and take the rest of the week off as I looked unwell. I voiced my concerns that I was aware it was early days and looked bad that I am ill - my second supervisor reassured me and told me not to worry at all and that my health comes first and its not bad to be ill at this time because I have not fully started any laboratory work, so im not missing anything other than reading papers. I went to the doctors and he confirmed I am ill and need rest and plenty of fluids.

My parents have got me really concerned, despite my supervisor giving me reassurance. They are worried I could now be kicked off the PhD and left with rent to pay for the rest of the year.

I understand regular illness would be unsatisfactory but if this is my only illness in my first year say, surely they cant kick me off for 4 days?

Other PhD students say they have been ill and you cant help it, it is nothing to worry about.

I feel my parents are thinking of it as employment and I am in the three month probationary period. I thought they could only remove you from your phd at your annual review if you had not made satisfactory progress in your research.

Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all. I think its the challenge of explaining what a doctorate is and what it entails - I am a first gen student so my parents are pretty oblivious. My supervisor was supportive so I'll focus on that.

It's difficult. A lot of my relatives think it's just being at school, even though some of my younger cousins have now gone to university. My friend who did a PhD said the same thing and after he got it his father said well done son, here's a tenner to go to the pub.

My heart actually breaks for your friend!! It was bad enough to try and explain that being on minimum wage for the next years was worth it. They saw it as, you have a degree and masters and you are getting paid what? They don realise its an actual qualification.