I need advice about doing research in a lab

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Ihave Nonamè

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I suppose I already had an offer from one lab at Salk Institute. They told me they would not interview anyone else and hire me if I decided to work with them. They are a smaller lab and the PI isn't a big name, though the institute itself is. And the particular science isn't quite as interesting to me as. But the PhD student was very easy going and said that he would train me + show me anything I want to know if I have time. He and the lab manager were very friendly during out interview. They did ask about other labs and I admitted that I had one more the following day (yesterday) and that I would let them know soon what I decide.

Well, the next lab wasn't expecting me when I went in yesterday. The PI was caught up at the hospital, but the lab manager did come down to greet me. He showed me around the lab, introduced me to several members of the lab, and showed me some of their tissue slides under a microscope. He pulled up a couple of their papers and detailed everything in the results. This science was more interesting to me. He and the people in the lab were also very friendly and acted like I was already selected to work there. He walked me downstairs to the lobby and continued chatting with me for another several minutes. I was there with him nearly two hours. He said they train undergraduates well and that I would likely have my name on an article after a period with them. The PI is a director and is an MD/PhD. The lab manager mentioned that at some point they would have some of the Neurosurgeons coming in and that I could learn a bit from them as well. They are also a small lab though they are not at Salk. The issue is that I have to set up another meeting with the PI because he didn't show up yesterday. He requested early next week and said that we would discuss my schedule, goals, and which projects would fit best for me. So I'm not sure if I even have this position... If I don't respond to the first, I will have lost them as well....What should I do?

Should I say yes to the first one and then leave them a week later if things work out with the other? If anyone would be up for PMing, I could reveal the labs and you could help me decide which might at least look better for my resume (since they both train).

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Definitely don't say yes and then leave. Tell the first lab that you need a little more time to decide since you still need to meet with the other PI. You haven't committed to the first lab and they will definitely understand that you need to find the best fit for you.
 
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Definitely don't say yes and then leave. Tell the first lab that you need a little more time to decide since you still need to meet with the other PI. You haven't committed to the first lab and they will definitely understand that you need to find the best fit for you.

I agree, it sounds terrible. Though I was thinking I would experience what working in their lab would truly be like and if I enjoyed it enough, might end up deciding to stay.
 
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I agree, it sounds terrible. Though I was thinking I would experience what working in their lab would truly be like and if I enjoyed it enough, might end up deciding to stay.
Do not agree to the first job unless you are committing to their lab. Leaving after a week is a scummy thing to do barring extreme or extenuating circumstances (this is not one of them). Let the first job know that the interview was delayed and let the chips fall as they may.
 
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Are you applying to do research as an undergrad or for a full time job? Either way here are some other things to consider when deciding between these two labs:

1. What will your day-to-day tasks be? Will you be by yourself washing glassware? Or working with a grad student you don't get along with (see below)? Or running experiments more independently (eventually)? The second you commit the glamor of choosing labs on paper will go away and you'll have to show up and do your job.

2. How good will the mentorship be? All other things equal, pick the one that you sense will provide better mentorship. A lab whose science you love on paper but with a jerk PI/lab members isn't necessarily better than a lab whose science you love slightly less but with a PI who takes the time to get to know you, mentor you, give you opportunities to publish/attend conferences, etc. Again, once you commit these will be the people you have to deal with regularly and your life will be much better if you like them.

3. Try to get a good sense of what their grants are. Labs can't always deviate quickly or easily from what they said they'd do in their grants, so the stuff you'll be doing is the stuff in their grants.

4. When will their grants run out? If you want to stay in this lab for 2 years make sure they'll be able to fund you for that long.

5. Similarly, at what point in the grants are they? If they're in year 1 of a 5 year R01 the day-to-day grind may be quite different than if they were in year 4. If the former is true they might say "we're studying xyz" which may be true, but they may need to spend 6 months breeding mice to get to that point. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but rather something to be aware of.

6. I'm not enough of an expert to comment on how the name of the institution may impact your application. But I'm pretty sure that a mediocre experience resulting in mediocre LORs from a big name institution is worse than a great experience/mentorship with a strong LOR from a less well known institution.

Overall, try to meet that PI at the second institution and from there go with your gut. I also recommend reading the PI's publications prior to your meeting. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.
 
Are you applying to do research as an undergrad or for a full time job? Either way here are some other things to consider when deciding between these two labs:

1. What will your day-to-day tasks be? Will you be by yourself washing glassware? Or working with a grad student you don't get along with (see below)? Or running experiments more independently (eventually)? The second you commit the glamor of choosing labs on paper will go away and you'll have to show up and do your job.

2. How good will the mentorship be? All other things equal, pick the one that you sense will provide better mentorship. A lab whose science you love on paper but with a jerk PI/lab members isn't necessarily better than a lab whose science you love slightly less but with a PI who takes the time to get to know you, mentor you, give you opportunities to publish/attend conferences, etc. Again, once you commit these will be the people you have to deal with regularly and your life will be much better if you like them.

3. Try to get a good sense of what their grants are. Labs can't always deviate quickly or easily from what they said they'd do in their grants, so the stuff you'll be doing is the stuff in their grants.

4. When will their grants run out? If you want to stay in this lab for 2 years make sure they'll be able to fund you for that long.

5. Similarly, at what point in the grants are they? If they're in year 1 of a 5 year R01 the day-to-day grind may be quite different than if they were in year 4. If the former is true they might say "we're studying xyz" which may be true, but they may need to spend 6 months breeding mice to get to that point. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but rather something to be aware of.

6. I'm not enough of an expert to comment on how the name of the institution may impact your application. But I'm pretty sure that a mediocre experience resulting in mediocre LORs from a big name institution is worse than a great experience/mentorship with a strong LOR from a less well known institution.

Overall, try to meet that PI at the second institution and from there go with your gut. I also recommend reading the PI's publications prior to your meeting. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

1) It sounds like neither would have me sitting around washing glassware. I would be working with a grad/PhD student for a bit. I don't know if I would ever design my own experiment in either...but I would handle some tasks alone.

2) Both seem just fine. In the first, I can't imagine there being much fun conversation but he seemed very easy-going and patient. The second explained quite a lot to me in great detail in that 2 hour meeting.

3, 4, 5) I'm not sure how to find grant information. A quick google search didn't pull up much.
 
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