not happy in lab... what to do?!

[luckyducky87]

I am currently working at a high-profile lab at a medical school as a research tech... I graduated college last year and I was planning on being here for 2 years before med school/grad school/whatever comes my way.

I'm currently really unhappy in the lab I am working on a project that I have no interest in: I am not getting to learn any technique beyond the very little I have to do, it's very repetitive work, there's no logic behind any results, and couldn't be any more unpromising -- but this is also how the whole field is, not just my particular project... I did not know this when I first joined the lab and agreed to work on this project. Now I realize it's really not for me :-/

But another downside is the person I am working with. We have nearly 20 grad students/post-docs in the lab, and everyone is very nice people, except for the one person I work with and is guiding/teaching me everything (that no one likes to talk to, because he's so unpleasant and difficult to interact with; it's not just a "grass is greener on the other side" effect). It's making my lab experience very difficult, and I'm really losing motivation and self-esteem that's been plummeting since I joined the lab because this guy is so insensitive and condescending.

There are at least three other completely different projects going on in the lab, that I wouldn't mind switching to, but I don't think my PI will let me, just because this is such a fast-paced lab and they wouldn't want me slowing down another post-doc/grad-student's progress by having them train me in a new project (after I've been here for 9 months already). But... I'm really unhappy where I am. I started hating coming into lab, and it's starting to make me hate research (or, "research") and science. Anyone have a similar experience or have suggestions?

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[gbwillner]

I am currently working at a high-profile lab at a medical school as a research tech... I graduated college last year and I was planning on being here for 2 years before med school/grad school/whatever comes my way.

I'm currently really unhappy in the lab I am working on a project that I have no interest in: I am not getting to learn any technique beyond the very little I have to do, it's very repetitive work, there's no logic behind any results, and couldn't be any more unpromising -- but this is also how the whole field is, not just my particular project... I did not know this when I first joined the lab and agreed to work on this project. Now I realize it's really not for me :-/

But another downside is the person I am working with. We have nearly 20 grad students/post-docs in the lab, and everyone is very nice people, except for the one person I work with and is guiding/teaching me everything (that no one likes to talk to, because he's so unpleasant and difficult to interact with; it's not just a "grass is greener on the other side" effect). It's making my lab experience very difficult, and I'm really losing motivation and self-esteem that's been plummeting since I joined the lab because this guy is so insensitive and condescending.

There are at least three other completely different projects going on in the lab, that I wouldn't mind switching to, but I don't think my PI will let me, just because this is such a fast-paced lab and they wouldn't want me slowing down another post-doc/grad-student's progress by having them train me in a new project (after I've been here for 9 months already). But... I'm really unhappy where I am. I started hating coming into lab, and it's starting to make me hate research (or, "research") and science. Anyone have a similar experience or have suggestions?

If you are a technician, you are an employee. If you are so miserable and are thinking about quitting, it won't hurt to tell the PI you don't want to work on that particular project. As long as you have a good reason and a reasonable PI, it should be a big deal to move you out. If you have personal conflicts with this other person, the PI should be aware.
If you just can't stand being in lab (as you say its the whole field) then you should quit. Find something you don't hate to do. Life is too short to waste it being miserable.

 

[QofQuimica]

OP, I would start by talking to your boss and letting him know that you'd like to be trained to work on another project. He probably has no idea that you feel like you're stagnating on the project you've been doing, and he won't ever know unless you tell him. I can't imagine any PI being upset with you for being intellectually curious and wanting to improve yourself as a scientist. If anything, he might welcome the opportunity to get you more involved in the lab and have you learn some new techniques.

That being said, I strongly advise you *not* to complain about the person you've been working with even though he is insensitive and unpleasant. Criticizing another lab member to your PI is a very dangerous minefield for you to be treading. It would be better to frame your request by saying that you would like to expand your skills and learn about a new area of your field.

Keep in mind that this job is temporary and not your lifelong career. In another year, you will be in medical school, and this person you're working with will no longer be important in your life. What you want to avoid is having your PI write something in your LOR about how you are not able to work well as part of a team. It's not worth letting a jerk like this guy have that kind of influence over your future. You will encounter other jerks while you're in med school and beyond; sometimes you just have to be the bigger person and not let them goad you.

Note: I am assuming that there is not something serious going on like this guy sexually harassing you, abusing you, threatening you, etc. If you fear for your safety, then that is something you should take up with an ombudsman or someone in HR who is responsible for investigating these kinds of problems.

 

[24thGrade]

If there are other people in the lab that you get along with well (especially senior members) sit them down and ask their advice on the situation. They will know the personality of your PI the best which is really important when dealing with a matter like this.

Listen to QofQuimica though. I was in a lab for a summer research thing a few years ago and was assigned to work with the tech who was totally incompetent and not at all interested in science. It made for a terrible experience for me. I went in to my PI and basically implied that the tech didn't know what she was doing that I wanted to work with someone else.... Even though I was very indirect about this, it did NOT go over well and it almost trashed my relationship with the PI. Although you will not mean to, you will be indirectly insulting your PI by saying one of their students sucks. Your PI has devoted a lot of time/money/other resources to that person because he believe that he has a promising future in science and you are not someone to say otherwise. The point is that when you are new, NEVER imply that someone else in the lab is at fault for your dissatisfaction no matter how true it is.

If you talk to one of the senior lab members and they acknowledge that your partner in the lab is notoriously difficult to deal with then it might be something appropriate to bring to your PIs attention. However, I doubt you would have been assigned to work with him if your PI knew he was as bad as you say he is.

It's an unfortunate position that you're in currently. At least that labs that I've encountered, the tech has kind of been the person who does the repetitive grunt work of the lab that no one else wants to. They've basically been performing jobs that will be automated in the future. In most labs, techs have minimal creative freedom with their work. As you become more of a fixture in the lab and your PI begins to understand that you are genuinely interested in science and may want to pursue a future in it, you may be given a more independent project that requires some thinking.

I'm surprised that you are a re-applicant. Your MCAT seems good enough for most places and your GPA is pretty good as well. You may have other reasons... but it may not be the best idea to spend two years as a tech before pursuing either an MD or MD-PhD.

 

[luckyducky87]

Thanks for the comments. I won't tell the PI about the student because you're right - it's not a good idea to say that a student that my PI personally recruited and paired me up with is a douchebag, though he really is. I mean, he's the kind of guy no one sits next to during group meeting, avoids asking to borrow centrifuge tubes from, no one talks to during the day, etc.

Back when I was studying for the MCAT 30 hours a week on top of 50-60 hours of labwork back in Feb/March, I realy cried just about every other day when I got home because of a bad day in lab, whether that was due to the grad student I work with or the pressure I was getting from various directions. I don't know, this just hasn't been the most pleasant experience, compounded by multiple factors I guess.

One thing though is, the PI wants me to be more independent. That is, this "technician" position isn't meant to be something where I'm just making media, autoclaving things for people, or doing entirely thoughtless robotic work (we actually have a separate technician doing all that for us). He wants me to be able to develop as a scientist (esp since I'm still undecided as to whether I want to pursue med school or grad school, and there's a chance I might decide to pursue full time research), and this "tech" position is really meant to be a learning experience (for me to get a sense of research, learn new techniques, gain independence, etc). So about a month ago, he told the grad student to lengthen the leash so I'm not getting instructed every day as to what to do on this project. I'm also feeling pressured to work as many hours as everyone else (this lab is 80% postdocs, who work ridiculous hours), and it's pretty normal that I work 10+ hours a day and/or come in on weekends. And to work like that, I can't feel like I'm just another "employee" (though I'm getting paid for 40 hours a week) who just does dumb repetitive work because then I just won't have any motivation. If I could work strictly 40 hours and won't have to feel personally attached to anything going on in lab, I won't mind so much of the grunt work and the boring-ness of this project, but I don't feel like I'm in a position where I can detach myself from work like that.

So... I graduated in '09. But given the timeline of med school applications, it's too late for me to apply this cycle to matriculate in '11. Since I was still unsure of what I wanted to do, I decided not to rush into applying this summer. This means I'll ultimately be taking 3 years off after college, and in this current situation, I don't see myself working here for another 2 full years unless something changes

(but I will have to be here for at least another full year since the deal with the PI was that I'll work in this lab for at least 2 years)