Is this research experience?

[Iamnumber24]

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Hi, I'm a sophmore and I've been volunteering in a research lab for 5 weeks now. never do anything significant except refill slide boxes, put labels on specimens/test tubes, and open shipments of material and store them in proper places. so my question is, is this considered research experience just because its in a lab?

 

[NeuroChaos]

Technically No. For AMCAS, Yes.
Generally, you have to spend some time in Labs doing grunt work in order to get an indepdnet project. But doing grunt work is an important step of the ladder. So stick with it and hopefully soon enough (6-1yr) you will have your own project.

When applying to Med school, list the day you stepped into the lab. ADCOMS know that UGs are not doing noble prize winning work in Lab. The purpose is to get a feel for the research enviornment.

 

[MassTransport]

I don't think it is, from what you've described. I'll echo Neuro's suggestion to try and get your own project or become involved in one already ongoing. If there's no chance of that, I'd ditch and move on.

 

[Ponger]

Bluntly, no. Would you consider the Janitor who takes out the trash in the lab a researcher? No. If you're not actually doing something that could be listed somewhere in a lab protocol or procedure, you're not doing research. I'll echo the above posters' comments that you should look to get your own project or on to someone else's project in at least a technical capacity.

Good Luck.

 

[scudrunner]

Hi, I'm a sophmore and I've been volunteering in a research lab for 5 weeks now. never do anything significant except refill slide boxes, put labels on specimens/test tubes, and open shipments of material and store them in proper places. so my question is, is this considered research experience just because its in a lab?

Just considering the fact you have to ask "Is this research experience?" should be a clear indication that it is not.

 

[shindotp]

Did you assist with research?

Yes, you did.

Is it research experience?

Not really.

So you can put down that you were a research assistant, and it sounds like it is research experience haha.

 

[redlight]

you have LAB experience as a lab tech. its a job, yes, but not a research position.

 

[LizzyM]

You'd be wise to list this as "employment, non-military" rather than research. Consider the natural interview question, "tell me about your research?" If you can't describe the work you're doing in the lab, it will not go well for you (and explaining how you stock shelves is not going to go over well).

 

[Lukkie]

read a few of the PIs papers, and try talking to the PI/grad students in the lab about the research to show you are interested. they might give you a meaningful role. worst case is that they don't give you anything more, at least you can still put it as 'research' and you'll be able to talk a little bit about it when interviewed.

 

[Red Leader]

read a few of the PIs papers, and try talking to the PI/grad students in the lab about the research to show you are interested. they might give you a meaningful role. worst case is that they don't give you anything more, at least you can still put it as 'research' and you'll be able to talk a little bit about it when interviewed.

Did you assist with research?

Yes, you did.

Is it research experience?

Not really.

So you can put down that you were a research assistant, and it sounds like it is research experience haha.

The more time I spend on SDN, the most posts like those above I run into, and the more I think people shamelessly stretch the truth on the AMCAS. Sad.

Anyways, OP you are a lab tech. We all start off as lab techs doing grunt work like washing beakers/cleaning. Try to get on a project, then you have real research experience and you won't have to sacrifice your dignity to put it down on your app. Win-win.

 

[YeOldeMan]

It's definitely not research, so you should put it down as lab experience. A friend in my lab who did stuff like that, cleaning different dishes, slides, putting away microscopes, etc. and put it down as research. An adcom called the professor in charge of the lab, asking "what kind of research did you do with so and so...." and he allegedly cracked "intensive research on the best cleaning methods" or something like that.

Also, it's not hard to join a serious project. Plently of profrs need grunt work for their research, running numbers, taking notes on specimens, etc. Hell, sometimes they just need people to type up their notes, or summarize simpe articles. If you really want to, they probably would still let you clean everyone's slides as well.

And by the way, that is not "research assistant."

OP, do this. Go door-to-door asking faculty members if they need help doing research. Don't ask to "volunteer." I mean, who's gonna pass up a free cleaning lady? Also, does your school have some program to facilitate undergrad. reseach? This is how I bypassed the "lab gofor" stage, and got my first co-authorship (ISI!) before sophomore year.

 

[mic2377]

Frequently it is necessary to work one's way up through the food chain to actually do research. I did this for 2-3 months before I started doing real scientific work in the lab I worked in.

However, make sure that they do intend to have you move on. Some labs want just a dishwasher. Others may eventually turn you into a full-blown researcher.

Read some papers, bug the grad students, make yourself seem perceptive and capable. That is the way up.

I started washing dishes and eventually published a co-author paper in AJP. It did take 1.5 years though, the time investment is large.

And yes, it would count as "lab experience," but research experience is a stretch. It all depends what you think you can pull off🙂