Research Professor Dilemma- Input Request

[drslc134]

Hi guys,

Well, I have a dilemma, as mentioned in the title of the thread. Since many of you have experience in research and dealing with research professors (as do I, but not in this situation)

First note: I am currently a freshman in college, and will not be around during the summer. There are ~4 weeks left in the quarter.

The Story: I emailed a well-regarded professor about prospective research opportunities within a grant that expires in september, regarding Genetic Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease. Now, I was interested specifically in this research, because there was opportunity for lab-based research in addition to the opportunity to see beyond the lab setting (hence, epidemiology) and examine the human condition in a larger scale. The professor was quite nice in his response to my lengthy preliminary email, and but said to wait till the end of the month as much more will become clear by then (w/ regard to the future of this specific research). The professor is in the Department of Preventative Medicine, and does not really have many other projects that stand out to me, however, he did mention he would talk to his colleagues about my situation.

Now, I have found another professor, who I am very interested in his work. It is in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, and he has an NIH grant for a project that I would be quite excited about joining, that will last through 2008 (my graduation year).

Hence, my dilemma: I want to hold out for the first professor, because I appreciate his help and he's probably doing some work for me in either providing a research position for me in the future in that specific project or giving my name and qualifications to one of his colleagues. However, if nothing pans out, I will be left going into the summer without having anything secured for the next year (which I really hope won't happen). Plus, I think I like both projects equally.
I don't know whether I should email the second professor with my same information, as if he offers me a spot, I wouldn't know how to politely turn down the first professor (and the other way around).

Help?
I hope this makes some sense, just as much as I hope you can provide your input on what I should do immediately and down the line.

If i'm blatantly leaving out something, let me know. I'll come back and add info.

Thanks so much!

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[linuxizer]

My $0.02: E-mail the second professor, go with him if he offers you a position and e-mail the first professor thanking him for his help and tell him you're still interested for future summers. You won't be burning any bridges, and you'll still not get screwed if a job doesn't materalize.

--Ari

 

[kermitdfrog]

I wouldn’t worry about anything here. As a freshman it is more likely that you would be more work for the professor than actual help; at least for a few months until you pick up some techniques. This is because you would need to be trained and typically undergrads can only give about an hour or two a day, which for most projects isn’t enough time to accomplish much. It sounds like you may have made a good contact for future work, but don’t feel like you’ll offend him if you find work elsewhere. Not that the professor doesn’t care about your education or anything, just the opposite in that by looking for opportunities for you with his colleagues he was trying to get you started. At your stage typically what would happen is you would be trained doing some sort of technique, and then develop a relationship with others in the lab, which would hopefully lead to bigger involvement in future projects. I would contact the other lab your interested in joining and see if they wouldn’t mind taking you in. Try not to limit your lab search to only projects that you currently find interesting, as just getting in a lab is the first major step. Who knows you may end up working on something you never considered but love (something that happened to me several times). You are however doing things right by trying to get an early start on the research path, so congrats on figuring that out ahead of the pack.

 

[drslc134]

Do you think I should contact the first professor at all to tell him that I'm contacting another professor in any way?

 

[kermitdfrog]

Do you think I should contact the first professor at all to tell him that I'm contacting another professor in any way?

No. It's not like you have a job linned up with the guy and are flaking out to go somewhere else. Besides which if I understood your post you haven't been offered a position with either professor. My advice, for what it's worth (and to tell you the truth not that much) is to relax, enjoy the summer and come back in the Fall ready to find a research position. Try looking in the school paper, or undergrad research web page or office, talk to your undergrad advisor, and definetely keep contacting various labs you would be interested in joining. If someone contacted my PI and told them that they're an undergrad looking for a position four months from now, that individual wouldn't get very far. Wait until your available or soon to be, be willing to start off at the bottom (ie dish washer, agar plate pourer, ect) not saying you'll have to; prove yourself to be a hard worker that is interested in the work going on in the lab, and you'll find yourself as part of a lab very quickly. Just like any job search or school application process be prepared to send out a bunch of applications to get a single acceptance, and keep trying until you get one.

 

[linuxizer]

My advice, for what it's worth (and to tell you the truth not that much) is to relax, enjoy the summer and come back in the Fall ready to find a research position.

I wouldn't totally blow off the search though, although I certainly wouldn't stress about it. But many undergrad lab jobs are locked up by the time school starts (at least judging from the three I tried for early sophomore year), so I would definitely e-mail the second professor this summer and see whether he's interested or not. If you let him know how interested you are in his work, as opposed to trolling for a job because someone told you it was good for med school (not saying you would, just that some do), that's always a big plus. Don't stress about it. Once you get your foot in the door and do good work you will find that it's no longer difficult to get the next one.
Good luck,
Ari