Hi I graduated BU in 2020 as a psych major/pre-med. After getting into masters of medical science programs and having them pushed off due to COVID I had time to work in the medical field. After working as a CNA and a medical assistant, I decided the medical field wasn't for me. I had time to reflect and ultimately felt that I both naturally excelled in psych and truly enjoyed it so I decided on clinical psychology/ forensic psychology.
I had a few short research experiences in undergrad
1. BU offered a summer program in Neuroscience where I shadowed in the neurosurgery department and helped a PI in the radiology department analyze MRIs using basic data analysis. I presented on my findings for the department of neurosurgery and other researchers.
2. I studied abroad in London and helped out in a developmental psychology lab for 2 months. I did video coding and data analysis.
3. I volunteered as a research assistant in an autism lab for about 5 months until covid cut my time short. I conducted behavioral analyses and scored them. I also did basic data entry.
4. I am now about 7mo into a sleep lab at BWH. I do psg/ train others on psg, I do basic data analysis, I do recruitment, and I conduct study visits.
For clinical experience, I worked at an inpatient psych hospital for 3 months and parted ways with them due to issues with management.
In terms of academics I got a 3.45 in undergrad having taken all of the pre-med courses. My psych gpa was a 3.9.
I am very interested in aggressive behaviors in children with conduct disorder and preventing children from entering the juvenile system.
I do not have any publications or official poster presentations.
For LOR I have a professor and my PI in my lab now. I had my advisor/professor agree to write my LOR but she has since ghosted me and is not answering.
I am wondering if I should apply this cycle or if I should possibly leave my lab for a lab more closely related to what I want to study and that will give me the opportunity to do independent research and get published or do a poster presentation. I also don't know if I should reach out to professors I did well in their class but know very well and maybe set up some meetings for us to get to know each other or if I should take another class. I also don't know if a masters right now would be my best bet. I do have a large amount of loans from undergrad already.
I am a first gen college student so please help!
I had a few short research experiences in undergrad
1. BU offered a summer program in Neuroscience where I shadowed in the neurosurgery department and helped a PI in the radiology department analyze MRIs using basic data analysis. I presented on my findings for the department of neurosurgery and other researchers.
2. I studied abroad in London and helped out in a developmental psychology lab for 2 months. I did video coding and data analysis.
3. I volunteered as a research assistant in an autism lab for about 5 months until covid cut my time short. I conducted behavioral analyses and scored them. I also did basic data entry.
4. I am now about 7mo into a sleep lab at BWH. I do psg/ train others on psg, I do basic data analysis, I do recruitment, and I conduct study visits.
For clinical experience, I worked at an inpatient psych hospital for 3 months and parted ways with them due to issues with management.
In terms of academics I got a 3.45 in undergrad having taken all of the pre-med courses. My psych gpa was a 3.9.
I am very interested in aggressive behaviors in children with conduct disorder and preventing children from entering the juvenile system.
I do not have any publications or official poster presentations.
For LOR I have a professor and my PI in my lab now. I had my advisor/professor agree to write my LOR but she has since ghosted me and is not answering.
I am wondering if I should apply this cycle or if I should possibly leave my lab for a lab more closely related to what I want to study and that will give me the opportunity to do independent research and get published or do a poster presentation. I also don't know if I should reach out to professors I did well in their class but know very well and maybe set up some meetings for us to get to know each other or if I should take another class. I also don't know if a masters right now would be my best bet. I do have a large amount of loans from undergrad already.
I am a first gen college student so please help!