Hesitant to join research lab..

[deleted577188]

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[ConfusedChemist]

the nature of science research is that no, you individually won't make a big difference. Maybe if you spend you life on it, maybe then you'll make some discovery that progresses the field a little bit futher. But no, you won't make much difference. No one would

 

[Bottle]

As undergrad, you are correct in that you will not contribute much. But you should join to give yourself advantage. You have the option to experience lab work, and you passing it on because you will not be amazing at it?
If someone asked me to skydive with them, Am I going to say no because it will not be as good as Felix Baumgartner jump?

 

[Gibbward]

For the most part, senior grad students like having undergrads because undergrads can do all the basic mundane things that grad students don't want to do, so in that sense, you are making a difference in the grad student's life! You're going to save them time, let them focus on the harder experiments and data analysis, and help them graduate faster.

 

[intangible]

You put good in, you get good out. Research is 10% talent, 90% willingness and enthusiasm for the mission of the lab.

If you don't want to be in there, you probably shouldn't be.

 

[deleted577188]

You put good in, you get good out. Research is 10% talent, 90% willingness and enthusiasm for the mission of the lab.

If you don't want to be in there, you probably shouldn't be.

Did I say I didn't want to be in there? Is that what you got out of my post?

 

[intangible]

Did I say I didn't want to be in there? Is that what you got out of my post?

You said you don't feel a compulsion to join something you can't be active in—and your level of motivation seems to follow suit.

I'm saying that while you won't be getting a running start, being active in a lab is definitely possible. Your future is not all dishes and autoclaving.

 

[Goro]

The whole purpose of doing research as a UG student is to learn something about the scientific process, period.

I have a great opportunity to join a research lab but I am kinda hesitant to do so. Mostly because I am the type of guy who wouldn't want to involve myself in something where I don't think I'll make a big difference or be that much of a benefit. Has anyone experienced this before? If so, how did or would you go about overcoming this feeling?

(Side note: I'll probably end up joining because I know I need the experience but I am kinda scared to do so. I don't want to feel nervous when I am around these people is the main thing)

 

[deleted577188]

The whole purpose of doing research as a UG student is to learn something about the scientific process, period.

Gotcha, well good thing I'm a step closer than a lot of people. Just a little more reading and I'll be telling him I'm ready to join 🙂

 

[Doctor Strange]

Mostly because I am the type of guy who wouldn't want to involve myself in something where I don't think I'll make a big difference or be that much of a benefit.

Welcome to med school clerkships.

 

[jqueb29]

You will contribute nothing significant academically. Labs full of PI's, post-docs, and PhD students are not expecting some undergrad to come in revolutionary ideas for their lab. In fact, they don't even want you to do that. They want you to come in and do a lot of little, undesirable things (like making plates, making gels, running ELISAs, etc) that they hate to do but that will help them out. You make their lives easier, and in return they provide occasional insight.

 

[FutureOncologist]

I did 4 years of research, 3 of those I was in a lab with a PI and grad students that I love and keep in contact with to this day. The work I did helped the PI and grad students A LOT with writing papers, theses, and one dissertation. Not in the sense of sitting with them and helping them physically write it, but helped with doing all the small things (injections, running tests, euthanasia, cleaning cages, etc.) and compiling the data. I was eventually allowed to help write two publications as first author and do several poster presentations at my UG and at several national conferences.

I lucked out with my research because I know several friends that did bench work and had nothing come from it other than experience. If you can find a PI that WANTS you to learn and become a valid scientist, then you'll get so many opportunities to network and find a new passion that may dissuade you from medical school.

My two cents.

 

[Lucca]

If this is your first time doing research as an undergrad then definitely go and feel it out. Don't expect to be making huge contributions and expect to mess up a lot early on and have a lot of questions. No one expects you to jump in and be as good as a PhD student or a post-doc. Ideally, you learn enough from your initial experience that your PI (or another lab) will let you work on your own project (that is too small/inconsequential for them or is tedious for other reasons or that the lab has simply put on the backburner) and design your own experiments and ask your own questions.