Lab choice dilemma...

[nemo123]

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So... I just graduated from college and I've been looking for research tech positions to work in during my year off while applying this cycle. I just got a job offer from a PI who actually happened to be a grad student in a lab I worked in two years ago. I think I would like working in this lab because I would get a lot of interaction with him and get a possible paper (plus its only 25 minutes from my home). And I just accepted his offer. The only negative about this lab is that it's not really in the field of research that I like.

But... A couple months ago I applied for a tech position at another university and I got an interview right after submitting my application. However, I haven't been able to do this interview yet because I've been busy with other commitments and haven't had the time during the week to interview. So the lab has been kind and is allowing me to interview four months after they contacted me (actually my interview is next week). It seems like they are very interested in picking me and it seems like I will get an offer from them after I interview. I was about to cancel this interview after getting a job offer but I looked up the lab further and found out that the PI is HHMI and publishes only in Nature, Science, or Cell. From what it looks like, her techs are also are authors on these papers, meaning I might also get a potential pub in better journals in this lab. Also, the lab is more within my field of interest. The negative is that this institution is 80 minutes away and I already accepted an offer from a PI who has relations with my previous PI.

I really have no idea which lab to pick...

 

[tdod]

nvm

 

[Lya]

So... I just graduated from college and I've been looking for research tech positions to work in during my year off while applying this cycle. I just got a job offer from a PI who actually happened to be a grad student in a lab I worked in two years ago. I think I would like working in this lab because I would get a lot of interaction with him and get a possible paper (plus its only 25 minutes from my home). And I just accepted his offer. The only negative about this lab is that it's not really in the field of research that I like.

But... A couple months ago I applied for a tech position at another university and I got an interview right after submitting my application. However, I haven't been able to do this interview yet because I've been busy with other commitments and haven't had the time during the week to interview. So the lab has been kind and is allowing me to interview four months after they contacted me (actually my interview is next week). It seems like they are very interested in picking me and it seems like I will get an offer from them after I interview. I was about to cancel this interview after getting a job offer but I looked up the lab further and found out that the PI is HHMI and publishes only in Nature, Science, or Cell. From what it looks like, her techs are also are authors on these papers, meaning I might also get a potential pub in better journals in this lab. Also, the lab is more within my field of interest. The negative is that this institution is 80 minutes away and I already accepted an offer from a PI who has relations with my previous PI.

I really have no idea which lab to pick...

1) Do the research you like.
2) 80 minutes drive is not that bad considering you graduated from college already. When I worked at a hospital, there were many nurses I met who traveled over an hour just to get to the hospital.
3) The only thing worries me is what you do as a tech. If it's just washing test tubes and stuff, I would say no for sure. If you meant being a tech by being a research assistant, sure go for it in a heartbeat. Check your job descriptions and make sure it's something meaningful and productive.
4) Do that interview next week and see if you can really get the offer. They might as well reject you or change their mind. You never know.
5) After you get the other offer, tell the first PI who gave you an offer before, "I would like to diversify my research experiences before medical school, and their research interests closer to what I want to do in the future. It was a very difficult choice but ultimately I believe that I will learn more diverse knowledge and experiences by trying out the other lab. Thank you again for your generous offer and I appreciate everything you have taught me."

Just my opinion.

 

[nemo123]

1) Do the research you like.
2) 80 minutes drive is not that bad considering you graduated from college already. When I worked at a hospital, there were many nurses I met who traveled over an hour just to get to the hospital.
3) The only thing worries me is what you do as a tech. If it's just washing test tubes and stuff, I would say no for sure. If you meant being a tech by being a research assistant, sure go for it in a heartbeat. Check your job descriptions and make sure it's something meaningful and productive.
4) Do that interview next week and see if you can really get the offer. They might as well reject you or change their mind. You never know.
5) After you get the other offer, tell the first PI who gave you an offer before, "I would like to diversify my research experiences before medical school, and their research interests closer to what I want to do in the future. It was a very difficult choice but ultimately I believe that I will learn more diverse knowledge and experiences by trying out the other lab. Thank you again for your generous offer and I appreciate everything you have taught me."

Just my opinion.

Both of them are positions that involve me doing actual bench research. The thing about the second lab (where I still need to do my interview) is that even though the research is more in my field, it is more computational (which is not what I'm very interested in). Bleh, I don't know what to do. I'm sure I would learn a lot from both labs because they both are doing things I've never really done before. I'm really torn. One of my other concerns is that I might not even be able to interact with this HHMI PI (since she's probably too famous and will probably never be around).

 

[Lya]

Both of them are positions that involve me doing actual bench research. The thing about the second lab (where I still need to do my interview) is that even though the research is more in my field, it is more computational (which is not what I'm very interested in). Bleh, I don't know what to do. I'm sure I would learn a lot from both labs because they both are doing things I've never really done before. I'm really torn. One of my other concerns is that I might not even be able to interact with this HHMI PI (since she's probably too famous and will probably never be around).

Are you good at computations? Maybe tell your PI, after getting the offer or towards the end of the interview, to see if you could do something computational (if that's what the lab really needs you in) as well as something you "really" want to do (if there's a space for you to squeeze in and help out or lead a small project).

Even if she's never around (I know how that feels.. My PI was like that as well, except we had two weekly meetings to see my PI regularly), I think that's still helpful. Wide networking and connections are something I wish I had more; whenever you want to seek another lab or connection (after medical school or during, etc.) and it's much easier to connect if another PI knows that HHMI PI.


It really depends what you want to learn. Maybe the very first offer will let you learn more basic science techniques (more towards PhD-style), while the HHMI one will teach you something that's needed in bench (like computations) that not many bio students might have a chance to learn and usually the lab seeks a stat/CS collaborator to do computational work for the lab.


It's up to you and your career goals. Which knowledge or lessons (both labs will teach you a lot, but what exactly are they, in your opinion) do you believe more valuable and useful for your career goals? If you want to do more clinical trials later, computations might come in handy when dealing with large data, while knowing how to do confocal might not be exactly as much helpful. But if you want to run a research lab, sure the first lab/PI will teach you more relevant things.