Anyone else join a lab and never get beyond the scut work?

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txmed92

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I joined a lab about five months ago in an effort to get some research experience and a letter of recommendation for my med school application this summer. This is my first experience in a lab, so I wasn't really sure what to expect or what kind of responsibilities I could ask for, and told them I was game for anything.

Fast forward five months, and I haven't done any science! The projects I'm asked to do are related to organizing things in the lab (like counting things, making spreadsheets of them, ordering things that run low), and cleaning things (autoclaving and dishwashing). No one has the time to teach me any scientific techniques and the PI maintains that what I'm doing now is where I'm most useful to them.

Should I even bother including this research experience in my med school applications or trying to get a letter of recommendation from this PI?? Otherwise I want to quit the lab and cut my losses so I can at least devote the time to more worthwhile things.
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Honestly, basic science/wet lab research can progress very slowly because running experiments can take a lot of time. If you want meaningful research, try pursuing clinical, translational, computational, psychology etc. research, i.e. anything that is not wet lab and has much more flexibility.

If you feel like you are learning nothing, leave the lab and pursue a research area listed above.
 
If you aren't learning anything, I would quit since you won't be able to talk about anything meaningful during interviews.

At the risk of derailing this thread, I recently accepted my first wet lab research position where I would get to do basic things like western blots and PCR. In general, do people do these basic tasks and report back to whomever assigned it to them for another task? For example, is it like learn to do western blots, get assigned to do hella western blots, prove you're dependable and then the more complex assignments start coming?
 
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MedHopeful09 said:
If you aren't learning anything, I would quit since you won't be able to talk about anything meaningful during interviews.

At the risk of derailing this thread, I recently accepted my first wet lab research position where I would get to do basic things like western blots and PCR. In general, do people do these basic tasks and report back to whomever assigned it to them for another task? For example, is it like learn to do western blots, get assigned to do hella western blots, prove you're dependable and then the more complex assignments start coming?
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It is highly lab-specific. Some labs you just follow a procedure set up by the PI and just learn your way through. Other labs make you do just basic lab techniques to lessen the burden of the grad student you're assigned to (as well as gain proficiency of said lab techniques).
 
MedHopeful09 said:
If you aren't learning anything, I would quit since you won't be able to talk about anything meaningful during interviews.

At the risk of derailing this thread, I recently accepted my first wet lab research position where I would get to do basic things like western blots and PCR. In general, do people do these basic tasks and report back to whomever assigned it to them for another task? For example, is it like learn to do western blots, get assigned to do hella western blots, prove you're dependable and then the more complex assignments start coming?
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Possibly. It depends on the lab though, and all labs vary. If you get to be proficient at westerns and PCR you may be the go to person for those tasks but nothing more, or you may get a project we don't really know.

I'd probably talk to the PI, OP. Tell him you're frustrated with what you are doing and ask if you can help with a project. If it just doesn't work out then leave, no harm done. The PI probably wasn't lying, what you're doing now would be a big help to any lab (because the PhDs/grad students don't want to do it) but if you're not being trained in any techniques I'd find a new lab.
 
txmed92 said:
I joined a lab about five months ago in an effort to get some research experience and a letter of recommendation for my med school application this summer. This is my first experience in a lab, so I wasn't really sure what to expect or what kind of responsibilities I could ask for, and told them I was game for anything.

Fast forward five months, and I haven't done any science! The projects I'm asked to do are related to organizing things in the lab (like counting things, making spreadsheets of them, ordering things that run low), and cleaning things (autoclaving and dishwashing). No one has the time to teach me any scientific techniques and the PI maintains that what I'm doing now is where I'm most useful to them.

Should I even bother including this research experience in my med school applications or trying to get a letter of recommendation from this PI?? Otherwise I want to quit the lab and cut my losses so I can at least devote the time to more worthwhile things.
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quit...and no if you haven't stayed with the research lab for more than 1 year, it will most likely be seen as padding the resume. Of course, if it was a summer research program, being paid, it would be viewed in a good light; however, this what you mention is pure labor that has no business in science.
 
How much time per week are you putting in? I know that in the lab I am in, unless someone can commit to 16 hours per week minimum, my PI won't give them anything beyond "scutwork". Many of our protocols take multiple days of work, and it's not really all that helpful or efficient to teach someone a protocol if they can only stay for half a day, and then you have to drop what you were working on to pick up where they left off. If you're putting in time like that and are still getting scutwork maybe try talking to your PI. If you aren't able to dedicate a lot of time to lab work, maybe look into other labs, but just know that the results might not be that different unless you are able to put enough time in to learn and become proficient in the things that the lab does.
 
I would quit since you won't be able to talk about anything meaningful during interviews.
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I was doing rodent surgeries, administering anesthesia/euthanasia and taking over slide staining, microtome and light microscopy histology work by about 1.5 months in. By the time i left my lab, i was doing almost everything for the study with minimal instruction and reporting raw data to my PI for pub. You should find a new lab that treats you well, but keep in mind prior working knowledge can be essential in taking over responsibilities. For instance, the 3 other premeds who came in as my peers were subsequently asked not to come in anymore for the sake of streamlining since I did their jobs faster, cleaner and presented at meetings better, Its a dog eat dog world, so make sure you are the biggest dog.
 
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If you are not learning there and you can intelligently write about this activity on your application and speak about this experience in the interview, then you've spent enough time there. Do something more meaningful with your time.
 
Are you volunteering or being paid? In my experience, paid gigs for those without research experience almost exclusively consist of the kind of scut work you're describing. If you want to work on experiments (which usually require people to invest time and money in your training) you usually start as a volunteer.

Regardless, talk to your PI. If you're a paid employee you may have to volunteer to give up your salary for the chance to do actual research. If you're a volunteer and your PI won't work with you, go somewhere else.
 
Dr Tony T. Chopper said:
I was doing rodent surgeries, administering anesthesia/euthanasia and taking over slide staining, microtome and light microscopy histology work by about 1.5 months in. By the time i left my lab, i was doing almost everything for the study with minimal instruction and reporting raw data to my PI for pub. You should find a new lab that treats you well, but keep in mind prior working knowledge can be essential in taking over responsibilities. For instance, the 3 other premeds who came in as my peers were subsequently asked not to come in anymore for the sake of streamlining since I did their jobs faster, cleaner and presented at meetings better, Its a dog eat dog world, so make sure you are the biggest dog.
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Your lab sounds way too intense. I understand streamlining improves efficiency and productivity, but a collaborative environment is what makes research worthwhile.
 
OP

I was in your boat last year. Just continue to be on good terms with the PI if you think you will fish a reference from her/him. I agree that more fulfilling work would be to go into clinical because it is both research and clinical experience.

Some PIs can be total dicks though. Despite knowing that my graduate mentor was treating me like a lab technician and had no intention of getting me involved with the science, she still fired me afterwards, citing that I contributed no data and PUT NO EFFORT on my part to become a valuable member of the team.

Fortunately she wrote my reference many moons BEFORE I burned my bridges with the lab, and it worked out. I would suggest trying to find summer programs too. Nonetheless, for the time I wasted in the lab, I will never be refunded.
 
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Hello. Definitely have been in that position. Here are options:

1) if your lab is big, there is likely no substantial project you'll be able to manage yourself. If you're not learning any new techniques either, I would leave. Ask the pi though if there are any opportunities, etc. if it sounds promising or you're in dire need of a letter, stay

2) join another lab that has a track record of publishing. typically labs in which your mentor will be the pi him/her self is best.
 
txmed92 said:
I joined a lab about five months ago in an effort to get some research experience and a letter of recommendation for my med school application this summer. This is my first experience in a lab, so I wasn't really sure what to expect or what kind of responsibilities I could ask for, and told them I was game for anything.

Fast forward five months, and I haven't done any science! The projects I'm asked to do are related to organizing things in the lab (like counting things, making spreadsheets of them, ordering things that run low), and cleaning things (autoclaving and dishwashing). No one has the time to teach me any scientific techniques and the PI maintains that what I'm doing now is where I'm most useful to them.

Should I even bother including this research experience in my med school applications or trying to get a letter of recommendation from this PI?? Otherwise I want to quit the lab and cut my losses so I can at least devote the time to more worthwhile things.
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Usually paid lab techs do scut work like cleaning stuff and preparing reagents, which makes this situation more acceptable ethically. If you are a volunteer, ask your PI for a project or ask him/her for a referral to a new lab that can give you a project. Be prepared to commit much more of your time if you ask for a project. Research is only worth mentioning if you are doing scientific techniques and gather data for publication. It is only worth your time and effort if it leads to these things. I have left PIs and Labs that weren't advancing towards publication. Leave if you find yourself doing mostly scut work.
 
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