Selecting Research

[Cal_Bears]

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Hi, I'm in my second year of pre-med (though I'm a post-bacc) and I've been interviewing professors at my university for research starting this semester. My current goal is MD/PhD and I'm interested in neuroscience.

I've been accepted by a neuroscience lab where the PI is a psychologist. I've been there for one week and I'm concerned that I'm just a number. The PI does not take much interest in the undergraduates and the grad students take limited interest. Thus far, I've only spent time putting together the devices used to scan the brains of rodents. Not that this type of work bothers me, I'm far more concerned that I'm just a number. I've spoken with the other undergraduates and post-baccs similar to me and none of them have been there longer than a few months, which appears to be a bad sign. When I asked the PI about earning academic credit, he responding that he only allows academic credit once you've been around for a semester, which is fine. But he said it in a really dismissive way as though he has low expectations that I'll still be around in a semester. Of course it's possible I'm reading into this too much.

Another PI interviewed me for regenerative biology where the PI is a biologist. I met the staff and toured the lab facilities and everything about both seems vastly superior. The PI seems to take a deep interest, is more selective (only one other undergraduate in the lab), and has explicit demands from me. I haven't been accepted by this lab, but I anticipate a response in 1-2 weeks. This lab requires a one-year contract where I work a minimum of one year while the other lab has no requirement.

The neuroscience lab is much closer to what I want to do in the future but I'm getting bad vibes while the regenerative biology lab has only good vibes. I'll spend the next week or two in the neuroscience lab while I wait for a response from the other lab. Does anyone have thoughts on selecting an appropriate lab?

 

[Goro]

Hi, I'm in my second year of pre-med (though I'm a post-bacc) and I've been interviewing professors at my university for research starting this semester. My current goal is MD/PhD and I'm interested in neuroscience.

I've been accepted by a neuroscience lab where the PI is a psychologist. I've been there for one week and I'm concerned that I'm just a number. The PI does not take much interest in the undergraduates and the grad students take limited interest. Thus far, I've only spent time putting together the devices used to scan the brains of rodents. Not that this type of work bothers me, I'm far more concerned that I'm just a number. I've spoken with the other undergraduates and post-baccs similar to me and none of them have been there longer than a few months, which appears to be a bad sign. When I asked the PI about earning academic credit, he responding that he only allows academic credit once you've been around for a semester, which is fine. But he said it in a really dismissive way as though he has low expectations that I'll still be around in a semester. Of course it's possible I'm reading into this too much.

Another PI interviewed me for regenerative biology where the PI is a biologist. I met the staff and toured the lab facilities and everything about both seems vastly superior. The PI seems to take a deep interest, is more selective (only one other undergraduate in the lab), and has explicit demands from me. I haven't been accepted by this lab, but I anticipate a response in 1-2 weeks. This lab requires a one-year contract where I work a minimum of one year while the other lab has no requirement.

The neuroscience lab is much closer to what I want to do in the future but I'm getting bad vibes while the regenerative biology lab has only good vibes. I'll spend the next week or two in the neuroscience lab while I wait for a response from the other lab. Does anyone have thoughts on selecting an appropriate lab?

Trust your gut

 

[Engrailed]

Hi, I'm in my second year of pre-med (though I'm a post-bacc) and I've been interviewing professors at my university for research starting this semester. My current goal is MD/PhD and I'm interested in neuroscience.

I've been accepted by a neuroscience lab where the PI is a psychologist. I've been there for one week and I'm concerned that I'm just a number. The PI does not take much interest in the undergraduates and the grad students take limited interest. Thus far, I've only spent time putting together the devices used to scan the brains of rodents. Not that this type of work bothers me, I'm far more concerned that I'm just a number. I've spoken with the other undergraduates and post-baccs similar to me and none of them have been there longer than a few months, which appears to be a bad sign. When I asked the PI about earning academic credit, he responding that he only allows academic credit once you've been around for a semester, which is fine. But he said it in a really dismissive way as though he has low expectations that I'll still be around in a semester. Of course it's possible I'm reading into this too much.

Another PI interviewed me for regenerative biology where the PI is a biologist. I met the staff and toured the lab facilities and everything about both seems vastly superior. The PI seems to take a deep interest, is more selective (only one other undergraduate in the lab), and has explicit demands from me. I haven't been accepted by this lab, but I anticipate a response in 1-2 weeks. This lab requires a one-year contract where I work a minimum of one year while the other lab has no requirement.

The neuroscience lab is much closer to what I want to do in the future but I'm getting bad vibes while the regenerative biology lab has only good vibes. I'll spend the next week or two in the neuroscience lab while I wait for a response from the other lab. Does anyone have thoughts on selecting an appropriate lab?

I personally think regenerative biology is the future of medicine. Science fiction unfolding around us!
I think that would be more interesting imo. Plus it seems like that lab is well funded.
My dos cents 🙂

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Trust your gut

This. Gut above all. But also don't be afraid to put your wellbeing first. Even if you do this one year in regenerative biology, neuroscience will still be there in a year or so when it comes time to choose an MD/PhD topic.

I am but one person giving one opinion, but it sounds like your happiness is greater in a detour to your eventual goal than it would be otherwise.

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Cal_Bears]

Thanks so much for the advice. I'll await an offer from regenerative biology and, if accepted, let that decide where I go. My gut unequivocally says it's a much better option.

 

[Detective SnowBucket]

I've worked in a couple labs and lemme tell you, getting along with your research partners/PI is more important than anything, including what you're even studying.

 

[pBar]

If you are aspiring to an MD-PhD program, I would strongly advise to work for whatever lab you feel like you will get the most opportunity to grow as a researcher, contribute to projects, and learn. If the PI and grad students in your current neuroscience lab fail to provide that opportunity, it may be better to break from it and go to the regenerative bio lab if offered the chance. First of all, the fact that few undergrads seem to stick around for long in the neuroscience lab is not a good sign, and further it indicates to me that your chances of being published with that group would be diminished.

Second, while you are currently interested in neuroscience for MD-PhD, it can't hurt to explore other areas such as regenerative biology as an undergraduate/post-bacc. You may realize you really enjoy what you are doing in that lab, and if you don't having a PI who takes interest in you and being one of only one or two undergrads in the lab will provide you the opportunity to grow as a researcher and develop the foundation of skills pertinent to succeed in an MD-PhD program.

During undergrad I worked on a few research projects that didn't completely align with my research areas of interest. However, those projects offered fantastic PI's and I learned many lessons from my time on them that I was able to translate into my MD-PhD applications and interviews. What's important right now is you are afforded the opportunity to learn basic research skills, begin to grasp the scientific method, and develop a strong appreciation for what your future as a potential physician-scientist might entail.