I don't really like my research...what to say in interviews?

[plumhill]

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Long story short: I should've quit this lab years ago, but I'm already committed to doing my honors thesis with this lab so I don't really have a choice but to stick it out the rest of the year. The project is very boring (to me, at least), the postdocs I work with rarely let me do anything, and the PI is doing way too many things at once to know whats going on. I've gotten a ton of poster presentations and a small publication out of this lab already, and since I'm also doing a thesis here I know I'm going to be asked about my research quite a bit in the interview.

Should I be honest and say that I didn't enjoy the experience and want to do something different in the future, even though I learned a lot? Or should I feign excitement about the project during interviews?

 

[487806]

Long story short: I should've quit this lab years ago, but I'm already committed to doing my honors thesis with this lab so I don't really have a choice but to stick it out the rest of the year. The project is very boring (to me, at least), the postdocs I work with rarely let me do anything, and the PI is doing way too many things at once to know whats going on. I've gotten a ton of poster presentations and a small publication out of this lab already, and since I'm also doing a thesis here I know I'm going to be asked about my research quite a bit in the interview.

Should I be honest and say that I didn't enjoy the experience and want to do something different in the future, even though I learned a lot? Or should I feign excitement about the project during interviews?

Just present what you learned in research, your results of the experiment and how it shaped your interest in medicine. Adcoms don't expect you to continue the similar theme of your research in med school, just wanted to know how research had shaped you as a competitive applicant. Of course, it's better to show some interest during interviews , otherwise adcoms get the feeling you're not interested in research

 

[Member 331305]

Just tell the truth. Explain the projects and your role in them. Follow up with a comment on how the experience didn't quite meet your expectations (less autonomy, unfocused, etc.), but you still learned skills like x, y, and z. Conclude with some statement on how you are still interested in research, but perhaps in another field.

 

[DrEnderW]

Long story short: I should've quit this lab years ago, but I'm already committed to doing my honors thesis with this lab so I don't really have a choice but to stick it out the rest of the year. The project is very boring (to me, at least), the postdocs I work with rarely let me do anything, and the PI is doing way too many things at once to know whats going on. I've gotten a ton of poster presentations and a small publication out of this lab already, and since I'm also doing a thesis here I know I'm going to be asked about my research quite a bit in the interview.

Should I be honest and say that I didn't enjoy the experience and want to do something different in the future, even though I learned a lot? Or should I feign excitement about the project during interviews?

Regardless of your personal interest or enjoyment of the subject, I think you can still say you've learned a lot. I'm sure you've learned how painstaking basic science research can be and the effort that goes into making meaningful progress in a field. This is very important and evidenced by your presentations and pubs. You've also learned the research process and can apply these skills to other subjects as you continue research in medical school (if you choose to do so).

Sometimes the most beneficial experience can be finding out what you don't want to do. Thank god I took a gap year and did only basic research because this solidified that I don't want to be in academic medicine. My undergraduate research exposure almost convinced me to do a combined track - now I am very glad I am not.

In an interview, convey all you've learned and how you can apply these skills to other areas. Say you've learned this field isn't for you and you're excited to begin medical school and discovery your true passion - you're going in with an open slate and are open to all specialties. I think that will be conveyed only positively.