Should I continue on with my Research?

[82910]

So here is my dilemma. I have been taking research as a class this past summer and according to my lab coordinators, who I work with on a daily basis, I’m doing A worthy work. However in a lab meeting with my research professor last week, he decided that I will receive either a B+/A- in the class because I’m not being innovative enough and “looking deeper into the project.” I’m not sure what either of those things mean and I do not know how he has decided my grade (last weeks lab meeting was the first time he’s been in the lab all summer). Admittedly my experiments have not been going as planned, but that’s not my fault as my lab coordinators attempted the same experiments and are getting the same results. Getting a B+/A- in the course will actually hurt my average rather than help it. After discussing it over with my lab coordinators, they talked to my professor to get me an A- in the class. However another A- will hurt my GPA in the future so so I do not know if I should continue on with research in the fall. Any advice on whether or not I should continue on with it?

For reference, next fall I will be taking 3 relatively hard science classes and studying for the MCATs. Currently I’m working about 20-25 hours a week in the lab and will probably continue working similar hours in the fall.

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[byaaaaaaah23]

Can you continue in the lab without enrolling in a for-credit course? At my school, there are courses set up for students to gain credit for working in a lab, but you can still participate in labs without enrolling in them. If it's going to hurt your GPA then I would not do the for-credit option.

 

[K31]

Are you going to be applying MD or MD/PhD?

If MD/PhD, you need to continue doing research, whether in this lab or another.

If you don't plan on continuing to do research past undergrad, I don't think the lab environment where you are now is positive enough for you to benefit from remaining there, although I don't think the hundredths of a GPA point difference that an A- vs an A will make is big enough to make the decision for you. The PI's expectations seem unrealistic for an undergrad--you don't expect an undergrad to be innovative in their research. Undergrad research tends to be more of an A for effort/hard work type of situation, and he really should be asking the opinion of the people who have been working with you all summer instead of them trying to convince him to raise your grade.

 

[jmt1984]

Can you continue in the lab without enrolling in a for-credit course? At my school, there are courses set up for students to gain credit for working in a lab, but you can still participate in labs without enrolling in them. If it's going to hurt your GPA then I would not do the for-credit option.

This is good advice.