Help me choose a lab!

[jellyfrog]

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Hello! I’m trying to decide between a lab to join - both labs are doing research that I find interesting, so essentially what it comes down to is Lab A has an associate professor PI that would provide more direct mentorship/one-on-one time which would be better for a LOR, but the lab has less publishing output (only 3 pubs a year) so less chance for me to get a pub before I apply next year. However, the PI has already assigned me a project with a post doc and said that once it does eventually result in a paper I would be able to be listed as a co-author, and it feels like the transition would be very smooth since I already know a lot of the techniques they do + the lab culture seems super inviting and fun.
As for Lab B, the PI is an established professor and I would be working under an associate professor as my bench mentor, plus they publish much more frequently (~30 pubs in 2024). The PI has also mentioned being open to publishing undergrads and many of the lab’s previous alumni have successfully gotten published/gone on to med school. However, cons are that I feel like compared to the other lab I would get less face time with the PI and the transition seems like it would be tougher since I’m learning new techniques and the PI seems more hands-off.
Thanks in advance for any advice!!

 

[AJS59]

Hello! I’m trying to decide between a lab to join - both labs are doing research that I find interesting, so essentially what it comes down to is Lab A has an associate professor PI that would provide more direct mentorship/one-on-one time which would be better for a LOR, but the lab has less publishing output (only 3 pubs a year) so less chance for me to get a pub before I apply next year. However, the PI has already assigned me a project with a post doc and said that once it does eventually result in a paper I would be able to be listed as a co-author, and it feels like the transition would be very smooth since I already know a lot of the techniques they do + the lab culture seems super inviting and fun.
As for Lab B, the PI is an established professor and I would be working under an associate professor as my bench mentor, plus they publish much more frequently (~30 pubs in 2024). The PI has also mentioned being open to publishing undergrads and many of the lab’s previous alumni have successfully gotten published/gone on to med school. However, cons are that I feel like compared to the other lab I would get less face time with the PI and the transition seems like it would be tougher since I’m learning new techniques and the PI seems more hands-off.
Thanks in advance for any advice!!

At the undergrad level PI time beats out the need for a publication. If you feel you're more likely to get a better rec letter from lab A then go with that one

 

[carson16666]

Hello! I’m trying to decide between a lab to join - both labs are doing research that I find interesting, so essentially what it comes down to is Lab A has an associate professor PI that would provide more direct mentorship/one-on-one time which would be better for a LOR, but the lab has less publishing output (only 3 pubs a year) so less chance for me to get a pub before I apply next year. However, the PI has already assigned me a project with a post doc and said that once it does eventually result in a paper I would be able to be listed as a co-author, and it feels like the transition would be very smooth since I already know a lot of the techniques they do + the lab culture seems super inviting and fun.
As for Lab B, the PI is an established professor and I would be working under an associate professor as my bench mentor, plus they publish much more frequently (~30 pubs in 2024). The PI has also mentioned being open to publishing undergrads and many of the lab’s previous alumni have successfully gotten published/gone on to med school. However, cons are that I feel like compared to the other lab I would get less face time with the PI and the transition seems like it would be tougher since I’m learning new techniques and the PI seems more hands-off.
Thanks in advance for any advice!!

I was involved in two labs similar to these. I STRONGLY preferred Lab A. I actually enjoyed the research and got along very well with the PI, it was pretty much just us two in the lab every day. I learned a lot and even got a first-author publication out of it. It was very obvious in my writing that I found that research fun and fulfilling, I think you will thank yourself when writing secondaries (and just in general) if you choose lab A. Adcoms can tell if you don't really care about your research. Good luck jellyfrog 🙂