A couple questions about gap year research job

[deleted647690]

So I have been speaking with someone who works at the NIH about working in the lab as a post bac IRTA, and I told him that I would like to work in his lab for 2 years for the program. He sent me the paperwork that I must do to apply for the lab. So I guess I have unofficially accepted this job.

I recently heard back from 2 other research technician positions I applied for at a medical school. I will be interviewing at both within a week or two.

First of all, do you think it would matter whether I pursue the NIH IRTA position or research tech position?


Pros for IRTA position:
I am pretty interested in the research
It's the NIH
PI seems like a really great guy and seems to be very focused on the learning aspect, seems very supportive.
He has also told me that he will give me time off to study for the MCAT if I need to retake it
He has an MD, so he seems very understanding of the med school process and willing to be flexible


For the med school tech position:
I'm pretty sure it will pay significantly more than the IRTA position, like $40,000 per year as opposed to about $28,000.
The research is sort of the same type of research that the NIH PI is doing, but I am less interested in it
I'm not sure if the job would be guaranteed for my 2 gap years. The NIH PI has already told me I could work there for 2 years.



If I decide I want to work at the med school instead, would it be wrong for me to tell the NIH PI that I have changed my mind?


Also, the NIH position is through the IRTA program, while the med school position is not part of a formal program. I don't know if this should influence my decision, but I know that plenty of people have gone through the NIH program and then went onto med school/graduate school. It seems to be a great place with lots of opportunities for learning about research


So far, the only thing the med school research PIs have seen has been my resume and a brief email detailing my interest in their labs. I never submitted an application/letters of rec etc. What should I expect they will want from me? They invited me to just come talk about the lab.

Can I ask them if I'd be able to work there for 2 years?
Should I tell them I am considering a position at the NIH?
Also, can I ask about what the salary would be?


Also, one of the labs at the med school that I am speaking to just opened, so I don't know if that should affect my decision

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[Orthopedics101]

As someone who is working as a research technician for a medical school. I think you should take the research tech positions. The reasoning being there's a 95% chance they are going to want a two year commitment (it'll probably take you 3-4 months to learn all about the project they are doing. Wouldn't really make sense to spend all time teaching you if you're supposed to leave in half a year). Also if it's a med school you're applying to that LOR will help come interviews and maybe even essays (you can talk about how you enjoyed working there for the past 2 years). I have the pleasure at working at one of my reaches and the PI told me he was going to write me an awesome letter.

 

[enchantediris]

While it's true that the majority of research positions prefer (or even require!) at least a two year commitment, funding can be fickle so you would definitely want to confirm that your position would be funded for two years.

I don't think you could necessarily go wrong with either opportunity -- the NIH IRTA program is a great program, and researching at a medical school is also a great opportunity. I wouldn't put too much stock in having a leg up in applications to the particular medical school you might work at. All too often, you see people talking about not even getting interviews to a medical school they've done research at, even if they've been there for years!

Your decision might come down to cost (depending on the cost of living, it seems like you would be able to save more money by taking the research tech position), if that's a factor for you. Another factor to keep in mind is mentorship. You will want to make sure that you're working for someone who wants to invest time in you and cares about your growth as a researcher, vs. someone who just needs you to run gels or take care of mice and couldn't care less about your professional development. The overall atmosphere of the lab definitely matters -- you will probably be much happier at a lab with a sense of comraderie rather than one where no one talks to or wants to help others. Finally, you should consider and/or ask how much independence or ownership you will have in your projects. Would you be a research tech as in you would run assays for other graduate students' projects, but never work on your own project?

In any case, I think interviews at labs tend to be much more informal than interviews at other places. You should definitely ask about guaranteed funding for two years. I wouldn't disclose your offer at the NIH (I'm not sure why you would want to). Asking about the salary is a little iffy I think just because it might seem presumptuous and some people are sensitive about the topic, but you might approach it as asking for a general range and/or whether you'll have benefits like health insurance.

 

[deleted647690]

While it's true that the majority of research positions prefer (or even require!) at least a two year commitment, funding can be fickle so you would definitely want to confirm that your position would be funded for two years.

I don't think you could necessarily go wrong with either opportunity -- the NIH IRTA program is a great program, and researching at a medical school is also a great opportunity. I wouldn't put too much stock in having a leg up in applications to the particular medical school you might work at. All too often, you see people talking about not even getting interviews to a medical school they've done research at, even if they've been there for years!

Your decision might come down to cost (depending on the cost of living, it seems like you would be able to save more money by taking the research tech position), if that's a factor for you. Another factor to keep in mind is mentorship. You will want to make sure that you're working for someone who wants to invest time in you and cares about your growth as a researcher, vs. someone who just needs you to run gels or take care of mice and couldn't care less about your professional development. The overall atmosphere of the lab definitely matters -- you will probably be much happier at a lab with a sense of comraderie rather than one where no one talks to or wants to help others. Finally, you should consider and/or ask how much independence or ownership you will have in your projects. Would you be a research tech as in you would run assays for other graduate students' projects, but never work on your own project?

In any case, I think interviews at labs tend to be much more informal than interviews at other places. You should definitely ask about guaranteed funding for two years. I wouldn't disclose your offer at the NIH (I'm not sure why you would want to). Asking about the salary is a little iffy I think just because it might seem presumptuous and some people are sensitive about the topic, but you might approach it as asking for a general range and/or whether you'll have benefits like health insurance.

Both the med school and NIH institute are near eachother, and I'd be commuting from my parent's house for either because that would help me save money (rent for my parents is cheaper than apartment rent).

Thanks for the advice! I'll try to get a sense of what the environments of these other labs are like when I talk to the PIs. I will also try and see if I'd be able to keep the position for 2 years.

My dad is pressuring me to take whichever position pays more. However, I think that considering lab environment/mentorship is probably more important in the long run.