Does longitudinality matter for research positions?

[deleted626763]

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I find myself staying in one lab, finishing my part of whatever project I was helping with and then moving on to a different lab. I have never stayed in a single lab for longer than a year.

I think this would be bad if it were clinical experience or similar.

Is it bad in the context of research? Is it very common for other people to stay in the same lab for years and I just didn't realize that?

Thanks for your patience while I am working on my Activities descriptions!

 

[JimKimSlim]

This shouldn’t matter as long as you’re able to describe your contribution to the projects concisely on the application and eloquently during interviews. Maybe try to put them all under most meaningful activity.

Also, I’m not sure what you mean “this would be bad if it was clinical experience.” I think it’s the opposite because that means you’re exposing yourself to broader spectrum of medical fields. Hope this helps.

 

[deleted1025488]

Probably not, in principle, but it probably depends on what you did at each lab, why you left, etc. Like, it took me maybe one academic year and a summer of full-time research to even get accustomed to the 'research' and actually get in a position where I could do independent work/project instead of just assisting on stuff...but I was also a freshmen then. But that definitely depends on the nature of your research.

Like did you just pop in, do a few experiments with a PhD, then leave? Did you wait for a publication then leave? Like what did you actually do?

 

[deleted626763]

Thank you for your help, @joe32. I finished 1-2 projects per lab from start to finish. In every case, I left the lab when I finished the project and my help was no longer needed. Sadly, none of the works I have submitted for publication have been published.

 

[deleted626763]

I just meant that it might be bad if this were clinical experience where one left and got a new position once a year. I think it's the leaving that's the problem. @JimKimSlim I appreciate your reply. That is a good idea to list it as one of my most meaningful so I have more space to discuss these things.