Can someone tell me how I can deal with this post-doc situation?

[Alakazam123]

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1. I am in a lab this summer (preceding MA program) and have been paired with a post-doc for my work. The PI of the lab is super nice and understanding.

2. The post-doc does not speak English very well, and this is his first year in the US.

3. I've explained to my PI, that I have an MCAT in a couple weeks time, and if it is okay that I work from 9-5. The PI was very generous and said that is perfectly fine.

4. I told the post-doc the same thing and he seemingly accepted, but for the past couple weeks, I've been working from 9-7:30 or 8 pm. I've told him at least 3-4 times already and its a bit irritating. It's like he just doesn't care about my constraints.

5. He also does a lot of last-minute stuff. Right as I'm about to get ready to leave, or finished up a procedure for the day, he'll give me 2 other things to do that'll take another couple hours.

6. When I tell him my schedule ahead of time, he seemingly accepts it, and says he'll take it into consideration, but he just gives me all sorts of conflicting tasks and I have had to alter my plans constantly.

7. He also speaks in his native tongue with some of the other lab members, and I have no idea what he is saying (something tells me it's not good).

8. He also never tells me when he's coming into the lab or leaving. He sometimes leaves randomly early in the day and I have nobody to consult, and other times he doesn't come in at a given time. So I have no way of knowing what is up. He also does not respond to texts regularly either.

What do I do??

 

[trobinsonmd]

Are you sure the post-doc clearly understood what you were saying? I would let him know that you are not happy with your hours and if he persists, ask the PI what he thinks you should do... I've had a semi-similar situation and it turned out the PI simply did not know what I was saying (they had just moved from Russia and spoke shaky English)... after I explained it more, they were cool with it

 

[Alakazam123]

Are you sure the post-doc clearly understood what you were saying? I would let him know that you are not happy with your hours and if he persists, ask the PI what he thinks you should do... I've had a semi-similar situation and it turned out the PI simply did not know what I was saying (they had just moved from Russia and spoke shaky English)... after I explained it more, they were cool with it

He openly says "If you have somewhere you need to be, then you may go." Then proceeds to give me a series of tasks that'll eat well into my evening.

I also try to let him know things ahead of time so that if he has questions, I can clarify it for him. So far, it hasn't worked. He says "yeah, yeah, sure, sure." then he just goes about doing the usual...

 

[Phile98]

@LizzyM @Goro

 

[Alakazam123]

Update: Just finished a step in my procedure, and wasn't quite sure why we were doing a centrifuging step. He's talking to one of his lab-mates in his native tongue, and judging by the context he's talking about how I don't know what I'm doing on that step...

 

[LizzyM]

You need boundaries. You have been approved to work from 9-5, pack up your stuff and be ready to walk out the door at 5 on the dot. Yes, you have somewhere to be. You've cleared it with the PI. Don't let this person derail your MCAT studying with his challenges to your arrangement to work 9-5. There will always be more work to do and you need to draw the line after 8 hours and walk away.

 

[Alakazam123]

You need boundaries. You have been approved to work from 9-5, pack up your stuff and be ready to walk out the door at 5 on the dot. Yes, you have somewhere to be. You've cleared it with the PI. Don't let this person derail your MCAT studying with his challenges to your arrangement to work 9-5. There will always be more work to do and you need to draw the line after 8 hours and walk away.

I agree. I guess I'm kind of a pushover, and am worried about creating a bad impression by leaving early. But you are absolutely right, it is really unreasonable the way this guy keeps pushing it. Lately I've set my foot down. Yes, he's gotten a little bit upset, but too bad, I have work to do. I'm not a full-time research scientist.

 

[Goro]

You need boundaries. You have been approved to work from 9-5, pack up your stuff and be ready to walk out the door at 5 on the dot. Yes, you have somewhere to be. You've cleared it with the PI. Don't let this person derail your MCAT studying with his challenges to your arrangement to work 9-5. There will always be more work to do and you need to draw the line after 8 hours and walk away.

This. And if it's still a problem with the post-doc, talk to the PI again.

If the post-doc is difficult to understand, simply say "I'm sorry Dr ___, I didn't understand you. Could you please repeat that?"

 

[FroYoOreo]

Talk to the PI, he is the one who is going to write you letters. Honestly, if the postdoc is giving you trouble or being mean, just finish what you are supposed to do and pack stuff and leave. If he wants to complain, he can complain to the PI.