Leaving research lab early

[pawnee.goddess]

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At the start of this semester I started volunteering as an RA in a lab that seemed really interesting at the time. However, once I started working I realized that I wasn’t doing a lot of what the grad student said I would be. Instead of actually getting to interact with the participants I’m sitting behind a computer screen working with data for several hours a week. It’s really unenjoyable and I know that many RA positions aren’t the most exciting, but I’ve now been told that this is what I’ll be doing for the remainder of my time in the lab.

I just got another RA position in a different lab where I will actually be going into schools and working with students. I’d really like to leave my original lab and focus on my new one. However, the problem is that I won’t be able to get a letter of rec from the PI as I won’t complete the one year minimum to receive this. I know that it would be a red flag not having the LOR so I wouldn’t be able to list the experience when I apply next cycle. Should I just bite the bullet and lose the ~100 hours from my first lab and risk upsetting the PI and grad student?

 

[Bubblepop]

Are you applying for MD/PhD? If you are, then longer term research work is usually recommended AND a rec letter from PI. But if you're just going for MD, then I'd definitely go for the new lab. You can still list the 100hrs from the first lab on your app without a letter, you know.

 

[pawnee.goddess]

I'm only applying MD. I have plans to stay in the new lab for a year and a half and will have a LOR from that PI by the time I apply.
Oh, awesome. I had assumed that listing research hours without a LOR would look worse than not listing them at all but that's good to know.

 

[WedgeDawg]

You don't need a letter from every activity you do, so switching is totally fine and likely in your best interest here.