does it matter what TYPE of research?

[shock-me-sane]

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I am an undergrad doing a double major in nursing and psychology. I have 2 psych classes left and the rest are to get my BSN. So this summer I started volunteering as a research assistant in the neuropsych lab where we are doing research with rats w/ lesions to basal forebrain and the production of acetylcholine related to memory tasks using microdialysis.

Anyhow...I love how nicely this is bring the nursing and psych aspect together in a lab. But my concern is that I know that I have intentions of pursuing a PhD in clinical psych. And this research has no direct relationship to clinical. I don't think it is time wasted because I will end up with 2 years as a lab assistant, but would it be better spent in a different lab?

 

[JatPenn]

Any research you get in undergrad will be beneficial to your application.

 

[Psyclops]

Any research is good, but there are ideal types of research. Ultimmately it would be ideal to get experience in the type of work you hope to do in grad school.

 

[JatPenn]

Any research is good, but there are ideal types of research. Ultimmately it would be ideal to get experience in the type of work you hope to do in grad school.

you get your hand in every thread, eh? 😉 what's gonna happen when your program starts and you actually have to do some work? 😱 😱 😱

 

[Psyclops]

you get your hand in every thread, eh? 😉 what's gonna happen when your program starts and you actually have to do some work? 😱 😱 😱

You got me there. I have no idea, I've contemplated ging cold turkey; I've thought about allowing myself once a day; maybe only on weekends; maybe only when I'm drinking. It sounds like I'm trying to quit smoking. I have to read up on some of the addiction literature. 😉

The funny thing was, when I posted on this thread, I thought to myself, "I bet JP thinks I was trying to trump her". I wasn't I just couldn't help myself. 😀

 

[JatPenn]

You got me there. I have no idea, I've contemplated ging cold turkey; I've thought about allowing myself once a day; maybe only on weekends; maybe only when I'm drinking. It sounds like I'm trying to quit smoking. I have to read up on some of the addiction literature. 😉

The funny thing was, when I posted on this thread, I thought to myself, "I bet JP thinks I was trying to trump her". I wasn't I just couldn't help myself. 😀

Not like you did or anything , and by the way, I'm a guy.

 

[kestrelcry]

Snicker – that was priceless.
The whole type-of-research issue is getting to be a big concern for me as well. I've started looking at RA positions, as I think I'm coming to terms with the idea that applying to programs for next year would probably be a waste of a grand. A grand that would almost be enough for me to take one of the classes I'm missing - I can't believe how expensive it is to take classes. My overall GPA is only slightly over 3.0, and my psych GPA is only slightly over 3.5. (You ever wish you could go back in time and tell your younger self to concentrate? Or maybe just to concentrate on different things, like classes instead of girls.) I've missing at least four of the minimal recommended classes, since I was only a psych minor, and I have no RA experience, just clinical. Whine, whine, play the little violin for me.
Now, that I've fussed a little - I'm interested in couples counseling and sex therapy, and academic sites on these are few and far between, let alone related RA positions. I'm trying to figure out just how important the research related-ness is, and what would be a good close fit. Any thoughts?
I have to say, I know it will be worth it in the end, but right now, this process, as many here have mentioned, is incredibly un-fun. I almost feel like grad school, when it happens, will be a breeze after all this.

 

[joetro]

For someone applying to a research-oriented Ph.D. program, the closer the research experience is to what you want to do in grad school, the better. You may be able to get a LOR from someone that your professor's of interest actually know, which helps. It's like an apprenticeship in some cases that leads to that professor being more likely to look at you in the applicant pool.

As for people looking at PsyDs or clinically-oriented Ph.D.s (like you krestel), research is probably less important.

 

[butterfli73]

I agree with the above in that doing research in the field you ultimately want to work in would be the most beneficial. If you think about it, if a prof has an otherwise equal application from 2 people, someone who has 2 years research in the exact field that the prof is in, vs. someone who also has 2 years research experience but in another specialty area, of course it would make sense to the prof to take the one with the relevant experience. It might just have been my own experience, but most of my interviews were at places where my previous research experience matched very nicely with the research I wanted to do at that school. This is not saying that you won't be accepted to a prof with another type of research than you have experience in. If you stand out in another way I'm sure that is not the only thing that matters, but at least for me it was obviously important in getting interviews.

And on another matter, I realized when I read the exchange between JP and Psyclops that I tend to assume everyone on here is female unless I know otherwise. There have been at least 4 guys on here I originally thought were girls. I wonder why that is. I am female, but I don't know if that has anything to do with it. Maybe because at this point there are more females in psych? (although that seems to be changing). Hmmm.

 

[Psyclops]

And on another matter, I realized when I read the exchange between JP and Psyclops that I tend to assume everyone on here is female unless I know otherwise. There have been at least 4 guys on here I originally thought were girls. I wonder why that is. I am female, but I don't know if that has anything to do with it. Maybe because at this point there are more females in psych? (although that seems to be changing). Hmmm.

What can I say, I do too. Actually, I ascribe a gender to everyone I read here, mainly based on their comments. Somtimes based on thier name, like joetro I thin that's for josephine n'est ce pas?

 

[joetro]

I'm actually male.

 

[Psyclops]

The laughing face = just kidding.

 

[kestrelcry]

Huh, I think I assumed more people on here are male generally, but I do the whole based-on-name assumption, too. I think I kind of even have this vague created idea of what people look like, for no good reason. However, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve said I was too visual. Oh, and while we’re all throwing genders around, I’m female. Who assumed right? Look it’s a new game show! Who’s next on ‘Assume that gender!”

 

[Psyclops]

I Guessed that you were a female, but then like butterfly my default is set to female. But also kestrel is some sort of bird right? If it had been like falcon or raptor or eagle cry I would have guessed dude.

 

[pingouin]

I Guessed that you were a female, but then like butterfly my default is set to female. But also kestrel is some sort of bird right? If it had been like falcon or raptor or eagle cry I would have guessed dude.

so... bird= chick? 😛

 

[Psyclops]

haha, I'm not english.

 

[Nerdoscience]

I'm not sure I understand that falcon=dude, but kestrel doesn't logic, since a kestrel is a type of falcon.