Should I do research?

[shoppe]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I signed up for research this semester. It has been only the 2nd week of school and already i'm so stressed out. There are so much to do. I just found out that if I do research, I can only work 2 days a week and will not be able to pick my little brother to and from school. Right now, im doing research with the chairman of the chemistry department who is also my advisor. I told him last time that I am interested in doing research for my thesis paper. I was afraid to disappoint him so I went ahead and started the research with him. Now I realize that I have no interested in the subject at all. This is my thesis project so if I don't like what I'm doing now, I would hate to think I have to work on it for the next two semesters. What should I do? Should I be honest with him? I don't think he would appreciate my caprious nature but I thought, would it be better for me to drop now and not waste anymore of his time rather than later? But then, I would look so bad. Help!

 

[Abilify]

I signed up for research this semester. It has been only the 2nd week of school and already i'm so stressed out. There are so much to do. I just found out that if I do research, I can only work 2 days a week and will not be able to pick my little brother to and from school. Right now, im doing research with the chairman of the chemistry department who is also my advisor. I told him last time that I am interested in doing research for my thesis paper. I was afraid to disappoint him so I went ahead and started the research with him. Now I realize that I have no interested in the subject at all. This is my thesis project so if I don't like what I'm doing now, I would hate to think I have to work on it for the next two semesters. What should I do? Should I be honest with him? I don't think he would appreciate my caprious nature but I thought, would it be better for me to drop now and not waste anymore of his time rather than later? But then, I would look so bad. Help!

This relates to pharmacy how? I think I may have missed it....

This seems like a lounge topic to me...

 

[shoppe]

uh... This is Pre-pharmacy. HE's my pre-pharmacy advisor, who is going to give me a recommendation for Pharmacy school? Well, all i'm saying is that I want to work more, the research project is not as I expected or remotely like, I can't think of doing this for the next 2 semesters. I would rather stop the madness now than later. But I am afraid this will affect if opinion of me and I might not get a good recommendation from him. after all, he's the chairman of the department of chemistry.

By the way, if you don't care or don't think it is not related to pharmacy in ANY WAY, feel free to pass thru because I think i'll survive without YOUR advice. There are lots of posts on here that have nothing related to pre-pharmacy so go pick on them aite?

 

[ilostmyspacebar]

I signed up for research this semester. It has been only the 2nd week of school and already i'm so stressed out. There are so much to do. I just found out that if I do research, I can only work 2 days a week and will not be able to pick my little brother to and from school. Right now, im doing research with the chairman of the chemistry department who is also my advisor. I told him last time that I am interested in doing research for my thesis paper. I was afraid to disappoint him so I went ahead and started the research with him. Now I realize that I have no interested in the subject at all. This is my thesis project so if I don't like what I'm doing now, I would hate to think I have to work on it for the next two semesters. What should I do? Should I be honest with him? I don't think he would appreciate my caprious nature but I thought, would it be better for me to drop now and not waste anymore of his time rather than later? But then, I would look so bad. Help!

hey, i'm also currently doing research in a lab at school and although i hate it, i've gotten many good experiences from it that i'm sure pharmacy schools like...for example, i was able to present at an ACS (American Chemical Society) meeting in San Diego and i also presented at Pacifichem 2005 (international chemical conference held every 5 years)...all of this looks SUPER good on my resume...also, my PI wrote me a good letter of rec....so i encourage you to stick to it! (by the way, i'm an undergraduate)...

 

[Abilify]

By the way, if you don't care or don't think it is not related to pharmacy in ANY WAY, feel free to pass thru because I think i'll survive without YOUR advice. There are lots of posts on here that have nothing related to pre-pharmacy so go pick on them aite?

uh... do you think we all have supernatural powers or something?

Maybe you should learn to explain your story a little better when asking for advice. You failed to mention this was about a letter of rec...

And yes, most posts around here are related to pharmacy in some sort of capacity.

My advice, if you want his letter, then suck it up. If you can find someone else to write you one, then quit the research. Seems quite simple to me...

 

[Fatpharm]

I had two years of research experience under my belt when I was accepted to pharmacy school. Pharmacy schools will look highly on research experience, but you should never do an extracurricular that you absolutely hate. For the taking out of your work hours, you should find ways to get paid for your research. My professor did not have the funds to pay so I looked for grants and scholarships that that the university or department were offering. I was able to get half tuition scholarships for my work.

 

[DHG]

I also did research for a couple years. I hated it also, but some good did come out of it. I got to present at a national conference, I get to be first author on a scientific publication, (both look excellent on a resume) and my RA wrote a letter of recommendation for me.

The thing that frustrated me the most about it was that it was sooooooooo sloooooooooooowwwww. It just took forever to gather all the data. And then another forever to compile it and do the analysis on it. I was also worried at first that I would be responsible for writing up the paper and the grants, etc, because my RA told me to submit it to him. But there was no need to worry. He went back through and edited it for me. At the undergrad level, they don't expect you to know everything or even to be able to write or present well. It's your chance to learn by observation and working closely with your advisor in the lab. I think they just expect you to do all the dirty work... ie gathering data and keeping it organized. Then running analysis on it the way they showed you to do, and keeping that data organized.

I thought about quitting MANY times. I really really hated it. I was not interested in the topic at all, I discovered. I'm glad I finished only because I would have hated how I felt if I quit, and because after it is all over it was a valuable experience.

If I had quit early would I have regreted it? Probably, but only because at that point I didn't realize how much it was going to suck later on

Seriously, if you think you can find something to do that is more interesting to you, then go for it. I don't know how you are going to talk to your advisor about it but if you are honest and you do good in your classes, I don't think he'll hold it against you. He'd rather have someone in there that really loves his work, anyhow. If you left the lab, it would open up an opportunity for someone who really wants to be there.

Good luck and update us on what happens!

If you stay, I agree with the other poster about getting paid. I wrote a grant (with the assistance of my RA) and got a stipend for two semesters. This was free money for me to spend any way I wanted, and a portion of the money went to the department. It wasn't chump change. It was $2600/semester. I got a check from the office every Friday until the $ ran out.

 

[thaliagoo]

Hey, if you hate it, don't do it. 1 letter of rec is not worth it, esp if the schools ask for 3. I worked at a pharmacy and enjoyed for awhile but then things got really busy for me and there were a couple times I forgot to show up for work. I'm not proud of it but I was really stressed out.

When I asked for a letter from the pharmacist, he said he couldn't write me a good letter, his exact words were "neutral at best" (well, we had other issues as well as me missing work). I had no choice b/c i needed at least 1 pharmacist! Well this plagued me for weeks but when the time came, I still got interviews at UCSD & UCSF, relatively competitive schools.

I trusted he did not smack-talk about me in the letter, though I know he didn't write anything good. (I QUIT after he handed me that letter- lol). I had two other letters from ppl who liked me (though I didn't entirely trust my research advisor, she seemed bitter that I went into Pharmacy instead of PhD), and what I'm saying is 1 letter is only a small part of the app. You do need to have a good app, so spend time building it things you like to do.

 

[usi]

OK, I make my living doing research for 8 years. Medicinal Chemistry

Some projects I loved, Some projects I hated. Is the way it is for all of us.
What exactly don't you like about it?
Maybe your professor can find an aspect of your project that you can change. Sometimes (hopefully often) professors have several projects going on and you can switch.

If you decide to stick it out, find out if he has something else.
Yes, he will think you are capricious, if you sound capricious. If you don't like it just because...for example.
Research is not 100 % excitement at the edge of your seat all the time.
If you get lucky, there will be breakthroughs.
Don't be shy to talk to your advisor, but be more specific than "I don't like it"
Analyze why:
More intelligent reasons could be:
I don't feel challenged.
I don't see how this project makes a difference (maybe you need to read more)
I sweat bullets when I have to handle radioactive compounds. ETC

Finally, if you need to pick up your little brother, I think is a nice endearing reason to make a good exit out of the lab. You have genuine responsibilities that are limiting your time
However, see how DHG got presentations out of it, and it looks great on his resume.
Good luck!

 

[usi]

Hey, if you hate it, don't do it. 1 letter of rec is not worth it, esp if the schools ask for 3. I worked at a pharmacy and enjoyed for awhile but then things got really busy for me and there were a couple times I forgot to show up for work. I'm not proud of it but I was really stressed out.

When I asked for a letter from the pharmacist, he said he couldn't write me a good letter, his exact words were "neutral at best" (well, we had other issues as well as me missing work). I had no choice b/c i needed at least 1 pharmacist! Well this plagued me for weeks but when the time came, I still got interviews at UCSD & UCSF, relatively competitive schools.

I trusted he did not smack-talk about me in the letter, though I know he didn't write anything good. (I QUIT after he handed me that letter- lol). I had two other letters from ppl who liked me (though I didn't entirely trust my research advisor, she seemed bitter that I went into Pharmacy instead of PhD), and what I'm saying is 1 letter is only a small part of the app. You do need to have a good app, so spend time building it things you like to do.

Did you get accepted yet?

 

[drgunn82]

I do not know how important research is as far as getting in to pharmacy schools. I did research for 2 years during my undergrad years. I got accepted to a pharmacy school. But I can tell you how research benefit me.

1. It helps me understand biology A LOT better. I worked in a immunology lab. I was able to see how PCR, ELISA, Western, Northern, Southern blot, FACS...... all kinds of cool stuff in real life instead of some text book figures.

2. I have more stuff to put in my personal statement, resume, secondaries.
3. I had a interesting conversation with my interviewer regarding my research. They seems to like it when I started to explain the process of B cell somatic hypermuation process.
4. My P.I. wrote and showed me his recommandation for me.
4. It got me a job ( lab tech) during my year off from undergrad while applying to pharm school.

However, I know there are all kinds of P.I.s out there. Don't be afraid of look around for a lab that you like. There are people out there that will abuse you, and there are P.I. that will treat you like a family member.

 

[drgunn82]

I do not know how important research is as far as getting in to pharmacy schools. I did research for 2 years during my undergrad years. I got accepted to a pharmacy school. But I can tell you how research benefit me.

1. It helps me understand biology A LOT better. I worked in a immunology lab. I was able to see how PCR, ELISA, Western, Northern, Southern blot, FACS...... all kinds of cool stuff in real life instead of some text book figures.

2. I have more stuff to put in my personal statement, resume, secondaries.
3. I had a interesting conversation with my interviewer regarding my research. They seems to like it when I started to explain the process of B cell somatic hypermuation process.
4. My P.I. wrote and showed me his recommandation for me.
4. It got me a job ( lab tech) during my year off from undergrad while applying to pharm school.

However, I know there are all kinds of P.I.s out there. Don't be afraid of look around for a lab that you like. There are people out there that will abuse you, and there are P.I. that will treat you like a family member.

 

[caligirlpharmd]

IMHO, Research is huge. I think that it is the most impressive thing you can have on a resume. I think it comes in handy for interviews, jobs, programs you may want to join later on, etc. and your opportunity is amazing-- the head of the chemistry department? That is a great person to learn from, and to have as a reference. Not to mention you will learn a lot of detailed chemistry.

All I know is I really think research set me apart during all the interviews. It can make for a great essay, conversation topic, etc. Every interview I went to asked about my reasearch, and it was not even that special. Especially if your grades are sub-par, research helps give you a boost and shows you are inquiring mind.

I would stick with it. I don't know many people who loved their research undergrad research at times, because it is hard work. But I don't know anyone who regretted sticking with it, because others recognize that hard work, and so that work does pay off in the end.

 

[shoppe]

I think the reason why i got so discourage is that I am having a flu for almost a week now. My fever has subsided but I still got nasal congestion and coughing. I can't even talk now. This is just the second week of school. It is my responsibility to pick my brother up from school around 3 pm everyday. So if I can't do that, I have to pay my neighbor to take him to and fro school for me. Also, my pharmacy store closes at 7:00 pm. The hours that I can work in the lab are so inconvenient that I wouldn't be able to work. Then, I have other labs from other science classes that won't allow me to work during those days either. So if I do this, I won't be able to work at all except friday but only for 4 hours and then saturday. My workplace closes on Sunday. Thus, I will only be able to work 11 hours a week and believe me, if I do that, I WILL NOT be able to pay my bills. This is only 1 credit hour research. I already took organic 1 and 2 but everything has slipped my mind and I have not "mastered" in it. In the lab, we're trying to make xanthine derivatives. I thought I would like it since it is related to pharmacy but after reading so many papers, I realize, I hate it! Okay, so enough about the complaining. I just think 1 credit hour is not worth it for me to be broke. If I don't this, I won't be able to afford summer school even.
One thing that get me the most is he wants me to run the experiment next week. I have no either what's going on! I don't know what to present to him either. I'm stressing out because he thinks I should be able to run the lab on my own. I'm just... so overwhelmed

 

[usi]

I think the reason why i got so discourage is that I am having a flu for almost a week now. My fever has subsided but I still got nasal congestion and coughing. I can't even talk now. This is just the second week of school. It is my responsibility to pick my brother up from school around 3 pm everyday. So if I can't do that, I have to pay my neighbor to take him to and fro school for me. Also, my pharmacy store closes at 7:00 pm. The hours that I can work in the lab are so inconvenient that I wouldn't be able to work. Then, I have other labs from other science classes that won't allow me to work during those days either. So if I do this, I won't be able to work at all except friday but only for 4 hours and then saturday. My workplace closes on Sunday. Thus, I will only be able to work 11 hours a week and believe me, if I do that, I WILL NOT be able to pay my bills. This is only 1 credit hour research. I already took organic 1 and 2 but everything has slipped my mind and I have not "mastered" in it. In the lab, we're trying to make xanthine derivatives. I thought I would like it since it is related to pharmacy but after reading so many papers, I realize, I hate it! Okay, so enough about the complaining. I just think 1 credit hour is not worth it for me to be broke. If I don't this, I won't be able to afford summer school even.
One thing that get me the most is he wants me to run the experiment next week. I have no either what's going on! I don't know what to present to him either. I'm stressing out because he thinks I should be able to run the lab on my own. I'm just... so overwhelmed

At some point I had to curtail research in undergrad for only once a week.
My professor understood. Hang in there. Is NOT just 1 credit. Isa whole lot more you are getting, although is hard to tell right now.
Talk to him about summer school. Sometimes they can come up with stipends and stuff...