Problems w/ p.i, need advice desperately

[protonate]

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Hey guys,
I am a sophomore and working in a lab for 2 years and now my relationship w/ the p.i is not that well. I still have 1 more year to apply and I know I already have 2 science professors who can write me good recommendations. I was thinking of changing labs at the end of the summer and work for a p.i that I can get along with. What do you guys think I should do? And will the fact that I switched labs and do not ask my 1st p.i for a recommendation negatively affect my application or will it not matter as I will have other recommendations? Thanks in advance.BTW im applying MD, not MD/PHD.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Hey guys,
I am a sophomore and working in a lab for 2 years and now my relationship w/ the p.i is not that well. I still have 1 more year to apply and I know I already have 2 science professors who can write me good recommendations. I was thinking of changing labs at the end of the summer and work for a p.i that I can get along with. What do you guys think I should do? And will the fact that I switched labs and do not ask my 1st p.i for a recommendation negatively affect my application or will it not matter as I will have other recommendations? Thanks in advance.BTW im applying MD, not MD/PHD.

Yes, it will raise some questions if you don't get a letter from a PI you've worked with for over 2 years and it most likely will come up in an interview. Why exactly do you not get along with him/her anymore? Would he/she write you a bad letter?

The way they see it your PI has worked with you for so long he/she would know more about you than any of your teachers combined, in fact this would probably be the letter they pay the most attention to. I've heard of other people who didn't include letters from people they had worked with for a long time and it ALWAYS came up in an interview.

 

[fishbait63]

You don't necessarily have to mention all your activities so if you are extremely worried about the possible negative effect you can just exclude that lab from your app. It isn't like a felony where you are required to include it. Keep in mind there are schools that ask for LOR from all labs you have worked at.