RA experience advice

[Randisimo]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I am seeking advice in regards to RA experience in my current undergrad institution. I am an RA in two labs, one a health psych lab and one a personality lab (that focuses on one somewhat specific construct).I LOVE the health psych lab and plan on staying there for the duration, but I feel pretty limited in the personality lab. The personality lab professor is pretty well known, big name guy, from the old school. He is super amicable and obviously I am kinda in awe of his pedigree, but as I said I feel pretty limited in the lab and the bulk of my experience there will be data entry. My question is this: Do I try to move on to another lab or stay with the more well known guy.

To clarify my school does not have a clinical program, nor does it have any faculty doing research that is specific to my interests...
There are labs that do research that is VERY tangentially related to my interests, but no professors do research in what I am ultimately interested in (substance related dx)

I have searched out the area, and there is no research in the vicinity (30mi) that I could try to get in to.

I am relatively new to this whole thing in terms of building my vitae and making myself an appealing applicant, and I worry about not having research experience in my area of interest (though I do have clinical experience).

Should I be worried about this? Should I look to change labs? Am I overly worried? Will my head explode before I click the submit button?

Thanks for any advice or otherwise!

 

[ClinicalPsyPhd]

Are you planning on applying to grad school to matriculate straight outa undergrad? I think if you have a good GPA and GRE scores, and spin your personal statement right, you can link your clinical experience and research experience and make them a good fit for the future programs you apply to.

Not sure if you've considered doing this, but I personally decided to work for a couple of years full time at a research lab that I was interested in. It ended up drastically improving my research (and clinical) experience, strengthened my CV (I got on abstracts, publications, went to a conference), and I got strong recommendation letters from supervisors who knew me well. Not trying to push the idea on you (since I have friends who started graduate school right after undergrad and did fine), but it's something to think about since you want a different research area.

 

[Randisimo]

Yea....my plan thus far is this....I plan of "soft" applying next year. I don't expect to get in really, but I figure it certainly can't hurt to try. I am a transfer so at that point I will only have had a little over year or so experience in two labs, two years clinical experience, and hopefully something published. Like I said I doubt I will get in anywhere, so I plan on working full time in a lab for a year after I graduate and then applying again. My issue is twofold though... I am quite a bit older than the average college junior so I am in a bit of a "rush" to get into a program. I understand I will be in the program for a LONG time, but I would MUCH prefer not to spend an extra 2 years in preparation if possible...I am also geographically restricted as my significant other is in law school here for the next 3 years. Of course if by some fluke I got in somewhere on my first go around I would likely accept and move, but to move away for a year to work in a lab is questionable, though I may do a commute (maybe 40-50 mi) to a lab a few times a week to work there.

 

[Randisimo]

?

 

[tkuhug]

I think it would be good for you to stay in the labs you are in right now, while still hunting for some other positions you might want. Of course, those would take time to set up and get used to...while on the other hand you are probably already familiar with your two labs' requirements and how things work.

You've probably already thought of this/ done this already, but you could try asking your personality lab professor what more you could help with, or express an interest in his research. Maybe that would get him to get you more involved.

I think it would be a good idea to soft apply and gain some experience in obtaining LOC and writing a SOP. If you don't get in anywhere, it would still be a good experience and you could fall back on your plan of taking a year off, which only makes you a stronger applicant the next time around!

 

[Randisimo]

Thanks for the advice. The issue is that the personality professor is quite old and should probably be emeritus at this point. He is super nice and old school which I appreciate, but I REALLY don't see much in the way of mobility in his lab. Again I definitely don't expect to get in anywhere, but as you said, having experience with the process will ultimately be a good thing.

I think it would be good for you to stay in the labs you are in right now, while still hunting for some other positions you might want. Of course, those would take time to set up and get used to...while on the other hand you are probably already familiar with your two labs' requirements and how things work.

You've probably already thought of this/ done this already, but you could try asking your personality lab professor what more you could help with, or express an interest in his research. Maybe that would get him to get you more involved.

I think it would be a good idea to soft apply and gain some experience in obtaining LOC and writing a SOP. If you don't get in anywhere, it would still be a good experience and you could fall back on your plan of taking a year off, which only makes you a stronger applicant the next time around!