Choosing Employment over Research

[intangible]

I was offered a position in a bacteriology lab yesterday, after completing a final exam. The lab professor I'd talked about earlier (who questioned my judgment and knowledge of everything from standard laboratory technique to statistical hypothesis testing) co-runs a lab funded by the NIH, and she said she'd really like me to join in.

I really want to join in.

But I'm currently employed as a developer and administrator for the University, and because my parents aren't doctors (they do the best they can), I work to pay my way through college in order to graduate with as little debt possible. 17 credits, part-time work, semi-regular volunteering and research just don't fit in together very well—employment and research both occur during the daylight hours.

Is this the right choice? I know that joining research where I could potentially be published for very exciting scientific prospects will be an indescribably amazing experience for me personally, but being unemployed just isn't an option.

I also think that my employment shows both leadership and interests in other fields besides medicine. I'm essentially a multimedia designer, a web developer, and an educational consultant for faculty. I'm running two departments unrelated to medicine.

Tell me I've made a wise decision here.

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[baxt1412]

you have to do what will make you happier. you don't HAVE to do research to get into med school and unless you find the cure for cancer, i doubt that the research will be the ultimate deciding factor for any ADCOM as long as you apply broadly enough and not to schools that are extremely research heavy (unless you already have some).


in the end, happiness is worth way more a potential edge.

 

[karayaa]

I was offered a position in a bacteriology lab yesterday, after completing a final exam. The lab professor I'd talked about earlier (who questioned my judgment and knowledge of everything from standard laboratory technique to statistical hypothesis testing) co-runs a lab funded by the NIH, and she said she'd really like me to join in.

I really want to join in.

But I'm currently employed as a developer and administrator for the University, and because my parents aren't doctors (they do the best they can), I work to pay my way through college in order to graduate with as little debt possible. 17 credits, part-time work, semi-regular volunteering and research just don't fit in together very well—employment and research both occur during the daylight hours.

Is this the right choice? I know that joining research where I could potentially be published for very exciting scientific prospects will be an indescribably amazing experience for me personally, but being unemployed just isn't an option.

I also think that my employment shows both leadership and interests in other fields besides medicine. I'm essentially a multimedia designer, a web developer, and an educational consultant for faculty. I'm running two departments unrelated to medicine.

Tell me I've made a wise decision here.

Staying with you current job allows you to leverage your experience and reach higher, whereas starting in a new, unfamiliar lab requires a learning curve.
Do you want to do research in the future?
Are you super into this person's research?
Do you like and respect the PI as a person?

What year in college are you?
Does she offer FT funding, or is it volunteer?

Don't count on being published. It depends on a lot of factors that you can't control.

 

[Heplayer92]

It seems like you have a good thing going on right now. The above points are very valid, but also, have you done research before? To be honest, for the majority of students that do research, it is very exciting at first, but it falls quickly. In addition to a huge learning curve, you will most likely be performing "grunt work" for months before they even let you work on projects. So what happens if you drop your job that you seem to like for the research gig, and find that you don't like it? It is valuable to learn if you like/dislike research, but you can learn that about yourself later as well.

In terms of a good compromise, maybe you can ask her if you can join for the summer =) Congrats on having options!

 

[Doug Underhill]

If you have a bachelor's degree, you can be paid to do research as a BS-level technician. This allows you to do both research and meet your financial obligation.

 

[karayaa]

If you have a bachelor's degree, you can be paid to do research as a BS-level technician. This allows you to do both research and meet your financial obligation.

But only if she has room in her budget - the PI, I mean
And you often only need an associate's degree.
And a part time entry level research job has probably quite a lower salary than what he's making now.

 

[Lysinee]

Everyone likes free labor, so PI might be using you as a lab rat to do the basic things in the lab. Is it possible to volunteer like 5 hours in the lab? At least you can do keep your other job and get a research experience too.

 

[ridethecliche]

Would you be able to do research for a few hours a week and/or over weekends? If you can do this, it might be possible to do both.

If money is an issue, which it sounds like it is, then it is counter productive to quit a paying job for something that pays very little or nothing at all.

 

[Shirafune]

Talk with the PI. Make sure her expectations and what you want to get out of the experience are clearly understood by both of you. Some things to ponder: how many hrs/wk, how are you starting out, who are you going to be mentored by, are you going to be working independently often, will you be expected to come in at night or on weekends if necessary?

But the biggest question you should consider is what level of work is necessary to match your ambitions and your PI's expectations. You don't want to burn out and have a mediocre performance in lab.

Here's my personal suggestion for you. Go talk with the PI and discuss your potential position in the lab, carefully considering everything else I have said. Every PI would like free, competent laborers. I wouldn't be surprised if she invited you more because of free labor and less because of a genuine interest to further your education, though the two are obviously not mutually exclusive. If you like the plan she suggests for you, ask if you can work lightly on weekends to see if you can handle everything. Bump up your hours if you can handle it.

Also, just as a side note, understand that publishing as a undergrad at a decent level of authorship will require a lot of time running experiments and a good handle of the literature. This takes time, and as others have already mentioned, there is a huge learning curve for most people. And there is nothing wrong with doing research to just explore your options, but if you do decide to participate in her lab, be sure to put in all your effort.

 

[Goro]

Go with the bacteriology lab.

I was offered a position in a bacteriology lab yesterday, after completing a final exam. The lab professor I'd talked about earlier (who questioned my judgment and knowledge of everything from standard laboratory technique to statistical hypothesis testing) co-runs a lab funded by the NIH, and she said she'd really like me to join in.

I really want to join in.

But I'm currently employed as a developer and administrator for the University, and because my parents aren't doctors (they do the best they can), I work to pay my way through college in order to graduate with as little debt possible. 17 credits, part-time work, semi-regular volunteering and research just don't fit in together very well—employment and research both occur during the daylight hours.

Is this the right choice? I know that joining research where I could potentially be published for very exciting scientific prospects will be an indescribably amazing experience for me personally, but being unemployed just isn't an option.

I also think that my employment shows both leadership and interests in other fields besides medicine. I'm essentially a multimedia designer, a web developer, and an educational consultant for faculty. I'm running two departments unrelated to medicine.

Tell me I've made a wise decision here.

 

[karayaa]

Go with the bacteriology lab.

Because research experience is that important...?

 

[Goro]

For OP, it's a choice between eating, and doing research.

Because research experience is that important...?

 

[DesertPT]

I know that joining research where I could potentially be published for very exciting scientific prospects will be an indescribably amazing experience for me personally

Having worked in molecular biology for a couple of years now, I can tell you that "ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, fifteen percent concentrated power of will, five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain" is a pretty good description of bench lab work. seriously though...

And eventually publishing a couple times as a middle author might not be too difficult if you are doing tech work, but publishing as a first or second author requires a fairly extended time commitment and the luck of things falling into the right place at the right time. So if you decide for whatever number of factors that the lab is the way to go, I think that's great, and obviously it will be a major boon to your med school apps (at some schools more than others anyway). But don't expect the whole thing to be something that it won't be.

 

[karayaa]

For OP, it's a choice between eating, and doing research.

Eh, it looks like the possibility of research funding is still up in the air, so if he left his current job and started research, he might not be able to eat.
I'm not sure that research experience is important enough to justify leaving a job when you need to pay bills.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

I was offered a position in a bacteriology lab yesterday, after completing a final exam. The lab professor I'd talked about earlier (who questioned my judgment and knowledge of everything from standard laboratory technique to statistical hypothesis testing) co-runs a lab funded by the NIH, and she said she'd really like me to join in.

I really want to join in.

But I'm currently employed as a developer and administrator for the University, and because my parents aren't doctors (they do the best they can), I work to pay my way through college in order to graduate with as little debt possible. 17 credits, part-time work, semi-regular volunteering and research just don't fit in together very well—employment and research both occur during the daylight hours.

Is this the right choice? I know that joining research where I could potentially be published for very exciting scientific prospects will be an indescribably amazing experience for me personally, but being unemployed just isn't an option.

I also think that my employment shows both leadership and interests in other fields besides medicine. I'm essentially a multimedia designer, a web developer, and an educational consultant for faculty. I'm running two departments unrelated to medicine.

Tell me I've made a wise decision here.

from a fellow self-supporting student, I think you've made the right choice and you know it
It's hard sometimes when you have to pass up really exciting sounding opportunities because you just have to work say 10 hours per week (instead of more research, volunteering, or just fun EC's), it kind of sucks sometimes for sure
But you seem to like you're job so I'd say don't worry about passing up the opportunity, and hopefully schools will see dedication through working!

 

[ridethecliche]

@Goro I think you got that backwards?

 

[Holmwood]

From my perspective, the point of doing research is to learn stuff like statistical analysis, hypothesis testing, etc.
You'll get that in both the bacteriology lab and the undergrad research. Bacteriology lab wins in this instance because you get money.

The undergrad research has the POSSIBILITY of publication, but I honestly can't see many people getting published in less than 2 years.

 

[DesertPT]

From my perspective, the point of doing research is to learn stuff like statistical analysis, hypothesis testing, etc.
You'll get that in both the bacteriology lab and the undergrad research. Bacteriology lab wins in this instance because you get money.

The undergrad research has the POSSIBILITY of publication, but I honestly can't see many people getting published in less than 2 years.

I think you might be confused....the OP is choosing between a bacteriology lab (with potential for pay yet to be determined/confirmed) and a non-biomedical job he already has.

And I got published after about a year in the lab but only as a middle author by dumb luck that I ended up doing a couple of experiments that were needed after the paper got sent back for revisions. I should have like a second author paper by the time I graduate next year (or maybe sometime shortly thereafter), and will have been in the lab 2.5 years at that point. But I lucked out to end up at a small lab with only a couple of staff where the PI is desperately in need of all the help she can get.

 

[Goro]

OK, my mistake, and my apologies to OP.

Eating and staying in college >>> unpaid research.

I think you might be confused....the OP is choosing between a bacteriology lab (with potential for pay yet to be determined/confirmed) and a non-biomedical job he already has.

And I got published after about a year in the lab but only as a middle author by dumb luck that I ended up doing a couple of experiments that were needed after the paper got sent back for revisions. I should have like a second author paper by the time I graduate next year (or maybe sometime shortly thereafter), and will have been in the lab 2.5 years at that point. But I lucked out to end up at a small lab with only a couple of staff where the PI is desperately in need of all the help she can get.

 

[DesertPT]

OK, my mistake, and my apologies to OP.

Eating and staying in college >>> unpaid research.

I was meaning to say that Holmwood might have been confused...but maybe you were confused too?

But either way I agree with your conclusion that eating and staying in college>>>unpaid research. I was an unpaid intern for a couple of months to get my foot in the door, with the knowledge that I would transition to a paid position after that semester was over. But these people that spend years of college and thousands of hours in the lab without ever getting paid a dime absolutely blow my mind...full ride scholarship living at home sorta people I guess. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But I've always felt like unpaid internships were just the acadamy's way of pimping people who are vulnerable due to their desire to go to grad school, etc.

 

[Goro]

Just the opposite. Untrained UG students are, in my experience, way more trouble than their worth in the lab. Most of them took an entire summer just to learn how to handle a micropipettor. Given my limited budget, I have to decline to take them.

But I've always felt like unpaid internships were just the acadamy's way of pimping people who are vulnerable due to their desire to go to grad school, etc.[/QUOTE]

 

[intangible]

The research is unpaid. I assume I'm competent enough to learn the basic techniques being used (they seem to be using immunoassays and PCR for the most part). They're working with CF: beta-lactam resistance in Psuedomonas in cases where traditional methods of treatment (carbapenems) are ineffective. I mean, I'm fascinated. Really—being the only undergraduate student to have ever been offered a position in this lab was very humbling, and working directly with the Dean of my uni's medical school is also a huge door opener, networking-wise. The research lab is housed within our medical school.

I just don't know how it could get any better.

I may be stretching myself a bit too thin by asking her to consider me for a less time-consuming position, but the worst thing she could say is no, I suppose. I'm just so willing to learn, especially after experiencing firsthand how challenging she could be.

I suppose I will need to drastically reevaluate my study strategies and rein in my time management skills. If I do make it to medical school, I'm assuming I'd laugh at myself. I don't think opportunities like this happen very often.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

The research is unpaid. I assume I'm competent enough to learn the basic techniques being used (they seem to be using immunoassays and PCR for the most part). They're working with CF: beta-lactam resistance in Psuedomonas in cases where traditional methods of treatment (carbapenems) are ineffective. I mean, I'm fascinated. Really—being the only undergraduate student to have ever been offered a position in this lab was very humbling, and working directly with the Dean of my uni's medical school is also a huge door opener, networking-wise. The research lab is housed within our medical school.

I just don't know how it could get any better.

I may be stretching myself a bit too thin by asking her to consider me for a less time-consuming position, but the worst thing she could say is no, I suppose. I'm just so willing to learn, especially after experiencing firsthand how challenging she could be.

I suppose I will need to drastically reevaluate my study strategies and rein in my time management skills. If I do make it to medical school, I'm assuming I'd laugh at myself. I don't think opportunities like this happen very often.

if you feel comfortable, maybe try explaining why you're looking for less hours?
It it's such a prominant lab, there's a good chance they could have some funding and might be able to pay you?

 

[intangible]

She knows I'm a university employee, and my e-mail signature displays both my position, department(s), and any relevant contact information/hours.

I wrote her this a few hours ago:
---
Good morning,
I wanted to thank you again for your consideration in joining you over in the {redacted} lab.

I’d read your recently published paper back in September and was really fascinated (and perhaps, intimidated) by your work in explaining AmpC expression in P. aeruginosa. From what I can tell, the lab is moving toward understanding pathogenesis and exploring possible solutions for beta-lactam resistance in cases where carbapenems are ineffective, as in Pseudomonas (and by extension, CF as an illness).

The clinical applications of such research is massive, and I was visibly taken aback by your offer. Despite not being able to give an ideal amount of time, I’d still be really excited to be involved with the lab in some way for the time being, and perhaps discuss a closer involvement in the future. While my time during the week is somewhat limited (~6 hours weekdays), I’d be willing to donate my time on the weekends as well—I do live on campus so location is not an issue.

I look forward to hearing from you—
Warm regards,
---

Honestly, I don't have any expectations. I understand how science works—there are a trillion undergrads in line waiting to take my seat, why should they choose me (and make an exception, for that matter)?

I can only hope that my laboratory technique, leadership and professionalism persuade her more than my words do.

 

[DesertPT]

Just the opposite. Untrained UG students are, in my experience, way more trouble than their worth in the lab. Most of them took an entire summer just to learn how to handle a micropipettor. Given my limited budget, I have to decline to take them.

You are actually right about that. I guess the people who stay in the lab unpaid for years after they are good at stuff are the suckers...

And from what I've seen from a number of summer interns cycling through the lab, it really depends on whether you get a good one or not. Some people pick it up and are actually generating data within a few weeks but most just cob things up more than anything

 

[intangible]

I'd spoken to the Dean of Admissions for the med school here earlier on in my freshman year and she told me undergraduate students are not expected to really know anything when entering research. I mean, the theory is somewhat there, the application takes practice.

 

[intangible]

I cannot get this stupid smile off of my face.

Well, apparently I'm up a research position and a mentor... who just happens to be the dean of an MD school. Still in shock.

You know, given my background, this seemed like an impossibility. I don't really know how this could have happened to me. Good things like this, life-changing things like this... they have a way of buzzing right past me and granted to someone more qualified, or outgoing, or driven.

I can't believe this.

 

[TeddyMeddy]

.

 

[intangible]

I'm going to be the sole undergraduate student in a medical school bacteriology and microbial genetics research laboratory under the wing of a highly qualified professor. I couldn't pass this up. I'll just have to make it work. I will make it work.

My life as a scientist has suffered a paradigm shift in the hour meeting we shared. It was absolutely incredible. I am so excited to learn from her and the rest of the students.

 

[ridethecliche]

I'm going to be the sole undergraduate student in a medical school bacteriology and microbial genetics research laboratory under the wing of a highly qualified professor. I couldn't pass this up. I'll just have to make it work. I will make it work.

My life as a scientist has suffered a paradigm shift in the hour meeting we shared. It was absolutely incredible. I am so excited to learn from her and the rest of the students.

Congrats!

Here's a toast to your being able to balance this!

GOOD LUCK!

 

[karayaa]

Research shouldn't be pushed as a pre-med. Cover your bases first. Grades, MCAT, volunteering, finances.

Debatable.
Many pre-meds fit the "enjoy science, enjoy school and academics, want to help people" paradigm. But those goals fit research just as well as medicine. You need something more than those values to justify becoming a doctor.
So research should be pushed, because, just like public health experience, and perhaps teaching as well, research experience is an important check point along the way to med school, to assess your fit, confirm your interests and increase your self-awareness.

 

[karayaa]

I'm going to be the sole undergraduate student in a medical school bacteriology and microbial genetics research laboratory under the wing of a highly qualified professor. I couldn't pass this up. I'll just have to make it work. I will make it work.

My life as a scientist has suffered a paradigm shift in the hour meeting we shared. It was absolutely incredible. I am so excited to learn from her and the rest of the students.

If this is your first research experience, I know how you feel. Be prepared for some monotony, some tedium, a lot of hard work, and some satisfaction

 

[DesertPT]

Well, apparently I'm up a research position and a mentor... who just happens to be the dean of an MD school. Still in shock.

Nice. Hopefully you get put on a good project or get assigned tasks where you generate some data that actually makes it into papers, and that you don't get stuck washing glassware and making stock solutions half the time.

 

[karayaa]

She knows I'm a university employee, and my e-mail signature displays both my position, department(s), and any relevant contact information/hours.

I wrote her this a few hours ago:
---
Good morning,
I wanted to thank you again for your consideration in joining you over in the {redacted} lab.

I’d read your recently published paper back in September and was really fascinated (and perhaps, intimidated) by your work in explaining AmpC expression in P. aeruginosa. From what I can tell, the lab is moving toward understanding pathogenesis and exploring possible solutions for beta-lactam resistance in cases where carbapenems are ineffective, as in Pseudomonas (and by extension, CF as an illness).

The clinical applications of such research is massive, and I was visibly taken aback by your offer. Despite not being able to give an ideal amount of time, I’d still be really excited to be involved with the lab in some way for the time being, and perhaps discuss a closer involvement in the future. While my time during the week is somewhat limited (~6 hours weekdays), I’d be willing to donate my time on the weekends as well—I do live on campus so location is not an issue.

I look forward to hearing from you—
Warm regards,
---

Honestly, I don't have any expectations. I understand how science works—there are a trillion undergrads in line waiting to take my seat, why should they choose me (and make an exception, for that matter)?

I can only hope that my laboratory technique, leadership and professionalism persuade her more than my words do.

You didn't mention that the PI was a dean in your OP

You're super fortunate - but sounds like you already know that.

Oftentimes, it's a matter of personality and serendipidy. Yes, there are tons of people interested, so they are able to just choose who they prefer to have around them. You seem like the kind of person that people would want to give a chance to.

I'm excited to see where you end up when you apply to med school (or maybe grad school?) in the future!

 

[intangible]

Thanks for all the support. I am very fortunate—she does have vocalized intentions of either adding me as an author to one of the research projects her doctoral students currently has open, or allowing to explore my own research with her as a collaborator. I'm extremely intimidated by the caliber of students working there, both past and present. Her latest graduating doctoral student matriculated into HMS this semester. Her cohort is exclusive, almost impossibly so—to the point where I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in there. I don't think I deserve it.

 

[DesertPT]

Thanks for all the support. I am very fortunate—she does have vocalized intentions of either adding me as an author to one of the research projects her doctoral students currently has open, or allowing to explore my own research with her as a collaborator. I'm extremely intimidated by the caliber of students working there, both past and present. Her latest graduating doctoral student matriculated into HMS this semester. Her cohort is exclusive, almost impossibly so—to the point where I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in there. I don't think I deserve it.

don't worry, you'll figure it out! you'll have plenty of awkward bumbling intern moments but take them in stride and you'll start getting the hang of things. Good practice for all the embaressment yet to come in med school rotations!