What do you do, exactly, in research?

[Mansoor]

Ok so i have a question. In whatever research you guys do, what exactly do you do... i mean how much responsibility do they give you?

Myself, i work on hematology research... and the PI is the head of the dept. He doesn't even work with me personally, all he ever does is talk to me like once every two weeks about my progress and future plans. He tells me pretty much the exact course of action. Then the lab techs are the ones who help me out, plotting the specific details. This is my second summer (first summer is mostly forgotten), so they still work with me pretty closely (ie: demonstrating things i haven't done). I get to do some stuff on my own... but mostly after its been supervised at least once before.

So what do you guys do? Do you pretty much plan out your own projects after discussing them with your PI? Do you all completely understand the science behind what you are doing (i don't always necessarily understand it in full, but like 80%). And also, do you work personally with your PI?

Also, i do research in an established lab that doesn't have many undergrads coming in, with hospital faculty, not university faculty. I don't know if you would get a better experience working with... say, your Bio professor in the university buildings.

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[kutastha]

I have no choice but to fully understand what it is that I do. It's been that way for three years now. Actually, I'm usually the one explaining it to my PI.

 

[Mansoor]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by kutastha:
•I have no choice but to fully understand what it is that I do. It's been that way for three years now. Actually, I'm usually the one explaining it to my PI.•••••You see that is unfathomable for me. My PI is an MD/PhD and knows 417x more about the subject than i do.

 

[kutastha]

Actually, my PI's an MD/PhD too.

 

[UCLA2000]

Just do what you're told, ask questions, and try to understand what you're doing.

 

[exigente chica]

I have worked in many labs, with very different experiences in all 3! I have worked in labs where the PI is very friendly as has lots of time to interact with the student.
In this lab I was breifed about the experiments and the skills necessary to complete their objectives. Then I was off doing my experiments and geting good and bad data.
The other one, was where the PI barely mumbled two words to me and expected me to know everything. She was always unavailbe and rarely participated in the lab.
Lab is what you make it sometimes, but if you feel you are not gaining enough info, then maybe you should look into another lab where you are more comfortable and will learn more!

 

[chopsuey]

i thought this was kind of an interesting thread since so many people do research and they apparently love asking about it in interviews. just wanted to add my $.02. I'm a research assistant in the ED of a hospital, so it's a lot of clinical research, including being in the ED recruiting patients for studies as well as your usual grunt work (collecting data by looking up old charts and lab results and all of that). Understanding the research isn't nearly as difficult in terms of procedures, but understanding how the findings will be used and all of that is my focus. I'm going to sit down with my PI's before interview time and make sure I understand all of the details. hopefully, that will be enough!!