Cold Spring Harbor/Other Lab Courses

[JackBauersNose]

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Hey guys,

Longtime lurker here.

I am a senior and will be attending med school next year. I've been doing basic science research for the past three years, but the problem is -- nobody uses the techniques I learnt anymore! That might be a stretch, but at best, I have no interest in continuing in this field (it's an obscure branch of neuroscience). What I want to move into is molecular neurobiology, and I would like experience with PCR, gels, basically just working with cells and molecules (protein and nucleic acids). I'm worried that I won't get into a competitive lab in this field due to my lack of hands-on experience, so I've been looking into summer courses. Is this the right approach (i.e. should I chill out), and does anyone have places other than Woods Hole and CSH to suggest?

Thanks,

Jack

 

[marctam86]

hmm, do the courses cost alot?

if someone else is paying for them, then sure, absolutely attend a course at cshl, but otherwise, id just ask a professor to show you the ropes. it has been my experience that profs (or postdocs or gradstudents) are really helpful people.

good luck!

 

[jameslynton]

Would second that last post - Most grad students and profs are always looking for some extra help. A lot depends onyour location. If you are at a college/University with limited means and out in the sticks - yea you will have to travel then. Big cities with many large universities around them have better labs and you can find out more at those places if you are not shy. Some times you can cold call or network your way into a lab situation you are interested in.

 

[JackBauersNose]

Thanks.

I'm unsure though of what advantage a prof would have to take me under for less than a summer. It would be practically just a training session for me, I wouldn't accomplish anything for the lab.

Maybe a cheaper alternative would be some kind of lab class at a university (mine doesn't have any summer ones).

 

[waiting3309]

Don't know if this helps... you can sit in on Woods Hole courses for free... if you can get a summer help position there or something like that (chem room, library, whatever). You don't get the grad credit, and you're last in line for the lab stuff, but you get to do everything else (and if you want to learn something, just go ask. Most people in the labs are more than willing to show you how to do something just for kicks.)