When did you get good at research?

[2failornot2fail]

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Honestly, I come home everyday after my research position ready to cry. I'm so incompetent. I've been here for a little over 3 months and I can't get a single decent Western blot.

My PI, rightfully so, always says, "My experiment also failed today, not as bad as yours, but still failed," or "I don't care if you come in here naked and swing on the lights if you can get one good experiment." (These are the most recent things she's said). She's obviously frustrated.

We have weekly lab meetings where we go around explaining our work and results for the week. It's the most embarrassing thing ever to have to say, every damn Tuesday, that my experiment failed again while everyone else is getting ready to publish.

I feel I'm so behind and dumb. I don't even know why she hasn't fired me yet; I waste so much time and equipment. Who can't get a decent Western blot in 3 months of effort? I've troubleshooted everything I can, and there isn't anything that jumps out as a mistake.

I hate research so much, but I want to stick with it if there's hope on the horizon.

When did you get good at research? I'm sorry to dump all this here, I'm just so down and I'm preparing for tomorrow's "Yup, failed again! How's that publication going?"

 

[PreMedStudent55555]

Get out. Seriously. I've done research in two environments. One similar to what you're describing and one where I am very happy and doing well. I just want to clarify: this is not your fault and you shouldn't be in this situation.

I've also been in your situation. I dreaded going in every day worried about how my postdoc would berate me or criticize me or insults my skills. I was working with a postdoc and he just threw me into his project and expected me to know everything by week 2. I was expected to know the whole procedure of transfection, microdissection, western blot, and analysis after seeing him do it once. While working with him, I developed this mindset that everything he said was right and I am incompetent to be unable to perform all of these procedures like I know the back of my hand. Maybe, there are people who can do that but I'm not one of them and I doubt most of undergrads can do that.

The second situation which is where I am now. I'm in a lab with a PI who is very patient. He works with a lot of undergrads and he makes us start off slow and build up. Also a BIG RED FLAG is if a PI is being a dick and blames you/ makes you feel bad if you don't get results. Even if it is your 3rd or 4th try, you are human and just dipping your toes in research. I'm a lot happier now and genuinely learning in this new environment.

My input is this: This PI is not trying to teach you but is rather just seeing you as cheap labor to further her career. She doesn't seem interested in teaching you/ mentoring you from what you've described (No one should ever belittle you. I understand tough love but this is not the case). Get out of there OP. I promise you that when you move forward, you'll look back and realize you made the right decision. I don't hate this PI. She is looking to move her career and that's respectable. However, this is not what you want OP. You want to find a PI who wants an undergrad to help out in the lab but also wants to teach/mentor the undergrad. You should never feel horrible/ stressed or EVER cry about research. Moreover, this PI may just not be in the right state of mind. Research is a very unstable field. People are fighting for grants and trying to get publications. From the comments you mentioned, it seems she seems very stressed and not someone you should continue to work with.

I just want to say. I am not great at research because I don't think anyone is "good" at it. Research is not like surgery where more experience means more results (arguably). 90% of research fails because you are testing the unknown! You shouldn't feel bad if you don't get the results you want. If you mean getting good as in following procedure, I guarantee you the issues you have now is more of a result of being too stressed and being in a negative environment. I would forget little things in the first situation described and get yelled at making me too stressed to do well. Now, I am doing a lot bette read can follow protocols very well. I wish you the best of luck OP. Your post hits close to home and sometimes the research environment is not what it should be for undergrads. Some PIs don't understand how unexperienced we are (for the first situation, it was my first time in a serious lab doing serious lab work/protocols)

Also, research while important is not the most important thing in the med school app so don't think it's the end of the world if you quit or find another EC. I promise you med schools won't care if you quit this lab.

 

[The_Free_Elf]

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Think about it.. you’ve literally been there for three months... three months!!! I’ve been doing research for years and western blots still give me trouble every now and then. And most people take YEARS to publish. So thinking you should have results to publish after a few months is a tad pushing it. Research is about making mistakes and then learning from those mistakes, no one is perfect.

My advice is to seek out some help from a senior lab member. Talk about the process with them and see if they can help you through it the next time. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to help. To add upon that.. if you mess up the same experiment more than twice, do NOT repeat it again until you consulted with your PI. otherwise, it’s a complete waste of resources and time.

Anyways, best of luck to you and stay positive! I’ve made so many mistakes throughout my time in the lab, that if I could go back now, I would have my thesis project finished in two weeks verses what is now (two years lol) so let that sink in

 

[chaim123]

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Think about it.. you’ve literally been there for three months... three months!!! I’ve been doing research for years and western blots still give me trouble every now and then. And most people take YEARS to publish. So thinking you should have results to publish after a few months is a tad pushing it. Research is about making mistakes and then learning from those mistakes, no one is perfect.

My advice is to seek out some help from a senior lab member. Talk about the process with them and see if they can help you through it the next time. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to help. To add upon that.. if you mess up the same experiment more than twice, do NOT repeat it again until you consulted with your PI. otherwise, it’s a complete waste of resources and time.

Anyways, best of luck to you and stay positive! I’ve made so many mistakes throughout my time in the lab, that if I could back now, I would have my thesis project finished in two weeks verses what is now (two years lol) so let that sink in

My best friend is writing her senior thesis right now. Her first western blot was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. That was two years ago. She hasn't gotten a SINGLE good western since.

The first lab I worked in, I spent 6 months trying to ligate DNA. For those who don't know that process looks like this:

1. Put DNA 1 into tube
2. Put DNA 2 into tube
3. Add ligase
4. Wait 20 minutes
5. Done

Yet I couldn't do it, and my PI and mentors had no interest in helping me troubleshoot. I left for another lab, and am extremely happy now. Don't stay somewhere that isn't healthy for you! It's not worth it. The best PIs are the ones who know that research isn't about being the fastest or getting everything right the first time - it's all about the unknown. And even failures teach us something in research. It means the unknown isn't working how we expect it to.

 

[2failornot2fail]

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Think about it.. you’ve literally been there for three months... three months!!! I’ve been doing research for years and western blots still give me trouble every now and then. And most people take YEARS to publish. So thinking you should have results to publish after a few months is a tad pushing it.

Oh of course I don't expect to be published now or within a year or two even, that's absurd. But I feel like I'm so far behind where I should be. I don't care about getting published, I just don't want to be that guy in the lab who's too dumb to do basic procedures.

 

[2failornot2fail]

Yet I couldn't do it, and my PI and mentors had no interest in helping me troubleshoot. I left for another lab, and am extremely happy now. Don't stay somewhere that isn't healthy for you! It's not worth it. The best PIs are the ones who know that research isn't about being the fastest or getting everything right the first time - it's all about the unknown. And even failures teach us something in research. It means the unknown isn't working how we expect it to.

She does the experiments "with" me (at her bench), and she's getting good results. I can't reproduce her results. It just feels so... I don't know, disheartening isn't even the right word. Why can't I get the same results if I'm following the exact same procedure? Why am I so dumb? (Rhetorical questions, lol)

 

[drguac]

I do westerns for my lab and it took me a solid 6 months before I was able to get a real hold on them. Some tissues work better than others and some antibodies are terrible. I would suggest having someone watch you do the entire procedure to troubleshoot who is familiar with the procedure. (I once thought that the running buffer was the same as the TBS). Do one “test” with a practice sample that you know should work—high protein and antibody verified. We use rat brain for this because some antibodies don’t work in cell lines so we want to check that the problem is the antibody and not the tissue. Then run a housekeeping protein like beta actin. We have people new to westerns start with a practice housekeeping protein to just get some bands and build confidence! It sounds like your PI is a real *** though. Don’t be afraid to look for other opportunities— not all lab culture is the same! Also, feel free to message me western questions 🙂

 

[Lucca]

If you're in a bad environment just leave the lab and try to join a different one that might be better suited.

That being said, I have some general advice for becoming more consistent at experiments:

1. "Two hours in the library will save you two weeks in the lab." - my undergrad PI. That is, always check the most current literature or Methods papers to see if the experiment you want to do is viable, appropriate, and what conditions the authors of those papers used in order to get the results they reported or if there is some alternative approach to answering the same question. It's important to understand why you are doing each step in a procedure. If you dont have that level of familiarity, then you shouldnt be surprised that you cant figure out what you are doing wrong.

2. Ask for help, talk to people who are better than you. You should know what everyone else in your group is working on. You don't need to be intimately familiar with all of the details but you should know that Grad Student A knows Technique X, Postdoc B knows Technique Y really well and did their PhD using Method Z, etc. Using that information, get people to help you. Shadow them when they do the experiment and make note of absolutely everything. What do they do that is different to what you are doing? How are they expressing their protein? Where are they getting it from? Are they changing the standard protocol anywhere? Is there anything about their samples that is significantly different from yours that you forgot to account for in your procedure? Are you using good technique when pipetting, using the microscope, etc.? See one, do one, teach one applies just as much to science as it does to learning anything else. I spent a month trying to get solid ELISA results. I spent one day doing the same ELISA side by side, identically to how another postdoc in the group was doing it and I haven't had issues with ELISAs since.

3. Be extremely aware of your actions and surroundings. Are you using the appropriate environment for your experiment? Is there anything external that could be affecting your results? Are you being clumsy or forgetting steps in the middle of the procedure and having to pivot on the spot? Don't wait for something to go wrong to think about EVERYTHING that you are doing. In biology this is very important because biology is nowhere near as cooperative (read: more sensitive to initial and external conditions that are difficult to control) than chemistry or physics.

4. Get organized. Lab notebook: Up to date. Procedures: write them down before hand. Materials: prepare them before. Think of it like cooking. When you are going to cook a big recipe and want everything to go right you do your mis en place; you measure everything out, you get fresh ingredients, you clean up beforehand so you have a tidy workspace, you pre-cut / prepare ingredients, etc. Science is just the same. I have a spreadsheet for every single protocol I do on a regular basis. All the materials / volumes / concentrations / time points / controls are already in the spreadsheet and I just fill in the blanks, print it out, and keep it within my sightline when I'm at the bench. After a couple of times I don't even really look at them but I'm never unsure of what I should be doing or how. It also makes you think about everything you need to do beforehand.

5. Learn how to deal with failure. Even if you do everything right, 75-90% of your time in science is spent being wrong and/or making mistakes. I remember my PI telling me once that if he knew everything that would go wrong during his doctoral project when he started he could've finished his PhD in 1 year. The idea was best expressed in a poem by the mathematician Piet Hein:

The road to wisdom? — Well, it's plain
and simple to express:
Err
and err
and err again
but less
and less
and less.

This is the most important lesson: Separate your self-esteem and sense of self-worth from your ability to accomplish things. Seriously. If you are not able to do this you will never survive. It's very difficult, but you need to get comfortable with it.

Overall, the idea is to be as proactive as possible and not dwell on failures but always be taking concrete steps to improve your work. Nothing frustrates me more than listening to someone complain about how nothing is working when it's also clear that they aren't trying very hard to improve. As for you, it's been 3 months. That's not very long in the grand scheme of things and people have different learning curves, so don't be so hard on yourself.

 

[2failornot2fail]

Get out. Seriously. I've done research in two environments. One similar to what you're describing and one where I am very happy and doing well. I just want to clarify: this is not your fault and you shouldn't be in this situation.

I want to, but what if I encounter a similar environment in med school? In my career? I can’t just up and quit. I’m scared that I’m fundamentally a quitter whenever the going gets tough.

 

[PreMedStudent55555]

I want to, but what if I encounter a similar environment in med school? In my career? I can’t just up and quit. I’m scared that I’m fundamentally a quitter whenever the going gets tough.

I had the same mindset and if this happens again then leave again. You are doing yourself more harm staying and trying to fight it than going and pursuing other opportunities. And let me say, these types of labs are not as common as you think. A lot of PIs genuinely want to mentor students and are patient with research. Yours is not and that's the first big red flag. While it's ok to be ambitious to do research, punishing an undergrad to gain results is not the solution.

Second, you cried. This is not to insult you but this is a sign that you innately don't want to be there. Like Lucca has said above, it's difficult to separate our self-esteem and sense of self-worth. I had that difficulty as well but when I came to the realization that I am better than this lab and can find something better and I don't deserve this treatment, I got the courage to quit and pursue other opportunities to improve my app. I came close to crying when my postdoc insulted me and that's when I had to take a step back and realize this is not an environment I want to be in. Also, there was a paper on this (Idk scientific or not) but they found that insults were almost as harmful to the brain as a physical punch. While that may be a bit extreme, I'm just trying to say, being in an environment where you are crying and being insulted and dreading to go into lab is not what you should be experiencing when it comes to research.

These are all big signs that this is a bad environment for you and your unconscious/body wants to get out. You are not supposed to feel any of the three things I just described. Especially as an undergrad! You are not a postdoc or a PI with a career on the line. And if she's promising you a publication, I promise you that she's just stringing you along to get you to stay. You think the way she talks to you and her overall temperament are indicative that she likes you and would put your name on the publication if results were a success. She'd probably be like "you screwed up so much and etc". Ok, maybe not as you did a lot of work but trust me. Write out the pros and cons and you'll realize whatever she is offering you is not worth the anxiety and stress you have to deal with on the daily.

For quitting. If I asked you to walk on water, would you keep trying to walk on water until you could? No you'd think it's a ridiculous task and quit (Unless you discover some tech but you get the point). Sometimes the task is just not worth the effort and you should quit. This lab is not worth the effort. I hear the advice from the comments above and I agree with it, only if your PI wasn't a dick and was truly trying to mentor you.

 

[Deleted member 737595]

Honestly, I come home everyday after my research position ready to cry. I'm so incompetent. I've been here for a little over 3 months and I can't get a single decent Western blot.

My PI, rightfully so, always says, "My experiment also failed today, not as bad as yours, but still failed," or "I don't care if you come in here naked and swing on the lights if you can get one good experiment." (These are the most recent things she's said). She's obviously frustrated.

We have weekly lab meetings where we go around explaining our work and results for the week. It's the most embarrassing thing ever to have to say, every damn Tuesday, that my experiment failed again while everyone else is getting ready to publish.

I feel I'm so behind and dumb. I don't even know why she hasn't fired me yet; I waste so much time and equipment. Who can't get a decent Western blot in 3 months of effort? I've troubleshooted everything I can, and there isn't anything that jumps out as a mistake.

I hate research so much, but I want to stick with it if there's hope on the horizon.

When did you get good at research? I'm sorry to dump all this here, I'm just so down and I'm preparing for tomorrow's "Yup, failed again! How's that publication going?"

Get the hell out of research. If you don't like it, don't do it. You've done it, you're convinced you don't like it, so why are you still doing it? Do something you actually enjoy. You are studying to become a physician, no? Don't get bogged down by research, move on.

Also, stop being a crybaby. If you are not doing as well as you should, it is up to you to figure out why. Be proactive, it will serve you well as a physician. No one is going to hold your hand in medical school or as a resident, attending.

 

[MedicalDoge]

Try another lab before you quit research altogether. My first lab was very toxic and I messed a lot of procedures up. When I moved to a new lab with a great PI, my skills improved greatly. Now I am an immunohistochem machine! You would be surprised with how quick you pick up on things when you are in a healthy environment.

Looking back, leaving that first lab was one of the best things that happened to me.

 

[Watah]

Don't feel bad. Research is full of failed experiments! The important skill is to learn how to troubleshoot the problem. Seeking out senior members of the lab to give you advice was a good idea. Also, have them look at your protocol. It's just as much your lab's failure to invest time to train you and help you.

Message me a picture of your blot and I can probably tell you whats going on.

 

[kb1900]

I did a lot of westerns in undergrad (40+). If you need help trouble shooting, send me a pm and i can probably help you out.


Honestly I think I’ve seen every error under the sun for westerns except for tissue level extraction issues

 

[PreMedStudent55555]

Also, stop being a crybaby.

You don't know what the guy is going through so don't judge. His crying could be a result of this PI's attitude towards him and not his mistakes. This is an anonymous forum don't make assumptions about people's stories/situations.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Did I miss something? How is the PI being a dick?

 

[kb1900]

Did I miss something? How is the PI being a dick?

No I had the same thought but maybe it was an undertone I didn’t pick up on in op.


But my PI would always be very diligent in teaching me how to approach trouble shooting systematically and it made me a better and more independent scientist in the end. Not sure if that was occurring w op

 

[Deleted member 737595]

You don't know what the guy is going through so don't judge. His crying could be a result of this PI's attitude towards him and not his mistakes. This is an anonymous forum don't make assumptions about people's stories/situations.

Well, if the PI is being unreasonable, even more of a reason to scram unless there is a way to work it out. Otherwise, suck it up and learn. That's my attitude, and I get to express it on an anonymous forum with PASSION.

 

[Deleted member 737595]

No I had the same thought but maybe it was an undertone I didn’t pick up on in op.


But my PI would always be very diligent in teaching me how to approach trouble shooting systematically and it made me a better and more independent scientist in the end. Not sure if that was occurring w op

Sometimes PI can be very tough. Research is actually tougher than I once thought it was, so one has to have a tough skin and a willingness to learn through hard lessons. At the same time, PI's can suck and exploit, in which case, scram.

 

[PreMedStudent55555]

Did I miss something? How is the PI being a dick?

I may have gone a little extreme with that but I don't think pressuring a student to get results is how to get results.

 

[Deleted member 737595]

I may have gone a little extreme with that but I don't think pressuring a student to get results is now how science is supposed to work.

Also, I agree with you on your other points BTW. Research is purely elective, heck, college is all elective, and if something feels wrong then the individual should leave. They're not forced to do it, and even if they were for pre-med, there are so many great PI's and labs out there. Unless there is something wrong with the individual...

 

[kb1900]

I may have gone a little extreme with that but I don't think pressuring a student to get results is now how science is supposed to work.

That’s not what’s happening here (necessarily). There is a technical error. Technical errors are to be fixed in a systematic way...you don’t just say “try again” and expect things to change. Hoping for an experiment being succcesful seems pretty reasonable and is not the same as “pressuring a student for results”.

You follow someone for whom the technique is working, you allow them to teach you, you use their reagents, you use their samples as a + control, you have them watch you at critical stages like pippetting samples etc etc. IF the PI is not suggesting or facilitating this type of thinking, then that’s a problem. But there’s nothing that I read that indicated that.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I may have gone a little extreme with that but I don't think pressuring a student to get results is now how science is supposed to work.

I mean, I wasn’t there but it sounds like the PI was saying that it doesn’t matter how many times he messes up if he gets it right once. Doesn’t sound pressured to me.

 

[Deleted member 737595]

I mean, I wasn’t there but it sounds like the PI was saying that it doesn’t matter how many times he messes up if he gets it right once. Doesn’t sound pressured to me.

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe she is being merciful and saying "don't worry about mistakes, those are fine; but let's learn how to get it right" vs "I want you to learn this and never mess it up"... IDK we need more info here

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe she is being merciful and saying "don't worry about mistakes, those are fine; but let's learn how to get it right" vs "I want you to learn this and never mess it up"... IDK we need more info here

He said, “I don't care if you come in here naked and swing on the lights if you can get one good experiment.” That reads to me like do whatever you have to do to get it right.

 

[M1i]

Honestly, I come home everyday after my research position ready to cry. I'm so incompetent. I've been here for a little over 3 months and I can't get a single decent Western blot.

My PI, rightfully so, always says, "My experiment also failed today, not as bad as yours, but still failed," or "I don't care if you come in here naked and swing on the lights if you can get one good experiment." (These are the most recent things she's said). She's obviously frustrated.

We have weekly lab meetings where we go around explaining our work and results for the week. It's the most embarrassing thing ever to have to say, every damn Tuesday, that my experiment failed again while everyone else is getting ready to publish.

I feel I'm so behind and dumb. I don't even know why she hasn't fired me yet; I waste so much time and equipment. Who can't get a decent Western blot in 3 months of effort? I've troubleshooted everything I can, and there isn't anything that jumps out as a mistake.

I hate research so much, but I want to stick with it if there's hope on the horizon.

When did you get good at research? I'm sorry to dump all this here, I'm just so down and I'm preparing for tomorrow's "Yup, failed again! How's that publication going?"

You think you’re in bad shape. I don’t even know what a Western blot is.

 

[Deleted member 737595]

You think you’re in bad shape. I don’t even know what a Western blot is.

 

[PreMedStudent55555]

Also, I agree with you on your other points BTW. Research is purely elective, heck, college is all elective, and if something feels wrong then the individual should leave. They're not forced to do it, and even if they were for pre-med, there are so many great PI's and labs out there. Unless there is something wrong with the individual...

Yep, pretty much what I'm trying to say.

 

[Latteandaprayer]

Did I miss something? How is the PI being a dick?

That’s not what’s happening here (necessarily). There is a technical error. Technical errors are to be fixed in a systematic way...you don’t just say “try again” and expect things to change. Hoping for an experiment being succcesful seems pretty reasonable and is not the same as “pressuring a student for results”.

You follow someone for whom the technique is working, you allow them to teach you, you use their reagents, you use their samples as a + control, you have them watch you at critical stages like pippetting samples etc etc. IF the PI is not suggesting or facilitating this type of thinking, then that’s a problem. But there’s nothing that I read that indicated that.

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe she is being merciful and saying "don't worry about mistakes, those are fine; but let's learn how to get it right" vs "I want you to learn this and never mess it up"... IDK we need more info here

I never said she was a dick, I think I’m the problem.

She’s occasionally helpful if the mistake is very obvious, like not loading enough protein, but usually her response is “well I don’t know what happened. Do it again,” which is fine, but each time I mess up, it’s another layer of frustration and disappointment.

The “swinging on the lights” comment came after I asked her why my last blot went wrong. She said I probably wasn’t neat enough. Fair, I’m not arguing and obviously I don’t know, otherwise I’d be the PI. But it wasn’t very helpful to me.

To the comments about being a crybaby, also fair. But to my defense, Im really tired of getting the same results over and over again. I don’t sob myself to sleep or anything. I haven’t actually cried because of work.

I know life isn’t gonna get any easier from here. I know med school and residency and even being an attending is gonna be worse than a failed blot that won’t harm anyone. That’s why I don’t want to quit, and why I hate complaining about all this. I might get these same problems later on, and I can’t up and quit or get upset when an attending yells at me.

 

[ArteryStudyPainting]

I never said she was a dick, I think I’m the problem.

She’s occasionally helpful if the mistake is very obvious, like not loading enough protein, but usually her response is “well I don’t know what happened. Do it again,” which is fine, but each time I mess up, it’s another layer of frustration and disappointment.

The “swinging on the lights” comment came after I asked her why my last blot went wrong. She said I probably wasn’t neat enough. Fair, I’m not arguing and obviously I don’t know, otherwise I’d be the PI. But it wasn’t very helpful to me.

To the comments about being a crybaby, also fair. But to my defense, Im really tired of getting the same results over and over again. I don’t sob myself to sleep or anything. I haven’t actually cried because of work.

I know life isn’t gonna get any easier from here. I know med school and residency and even being an attending is gonna be worse than a failed blot that won’t harm anyone. That’s why I don’t want to quit, and why I hate complaining about all this. I might get these same problems later on, and I can’t up and quit or get upset when an attending yells at me.

Message me to talk more about what's been going on. You're okay. Everyone's and everything's okay, in the grand scheme of things.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using SDN mobile

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I never said she was a dick, I think I’m the problem.

No, you're not. The fact that you never said anything really negative about the PI is what confused me, since multiple posters said your PI is being a dick. I just wasn't sure where they were getting that from, since nothing you posted indicated that.

Also, now I'm super confused. Do you have two accounts, or am I missing something?

 

[Latteandaprayer]

Also, now I'm super confused. Do you have two accounts, or am I missing something?

I lost this account for a while so I made a new one. I discovered that I stayed logged in on another device and answered from it by accident lol. Sorry for the confusion, and thanks for the help!

 

[FlavivirusProtease]

I never said she was a dick, I think I’m the problem.

She’s occasionally helpful if the mistake is very obvious, like not loading enough protein, but usually her response is “well I don’t know what happened. Do it again,” which is fine, but each time I mess up, it’s another layer of frustration and disappointment.

The “swinging on the lights” comment came after I asked her why my last blot went wrong. She said I probably wasn’t neat enough. Fair, I’m not arguing and obviously I don’t know, otherwise I’d be the PI. But it wasn’t very helpful to me.

To the comments about being a crybaby, also fair. But to my defense, Im really tired of getting the same results over and over again. I don’t sob myself to sleep or anything. I haven’t actually cried because of work.

I know life isn’t gonna get any easier from here. I know med school and residency and even being an attending is gonna be worse than a failed blot that won’t harm anyone. That’s why I don’t want to quit, and why I hate complaining about all this. I might get these same problems later on, and I can’t up and quit or get upset when an attending yells at me.

Sorry, I misunderstood the situation to where your PI wasn’t helping you or giving you the resources you’ve needed. Although, you can still read the story and see how much you can improve if you put the work in.

There are two really important components to research. The hands and the head. When you start off, you’ll either have none or one. It’s pretty rare to have both at the start. If you’re having trouble finding your hands in the research, work on having the head for research first. Learn about experimental design, understand every in and out of every project in the lab. Really understand the purpose behind each experiment and learn to forecast what your next steps should be based on every possible finding. Understand how to write a paper, how to keep an amazing notebook, etc.

Being able to plan an experiment and see down the road for your project is equally as important as running a western/IF/Flow or anything really.

So keep trying to improve on your wetwork, but do your best to shine in the theoretical and your PI and lab will begin to understand your value more and more.

 

[boogiecousins94]

Just some random ideas since I do these blots way too often. Do you soak the membrane in methanol before the transfer? This seems like something simple but if you forget to do that/not for long enough it can dry out easily during the transfer and no protein will be on the membrane. Do you do Ponceau stains at all? If not definitely do them- it'll save you a lot of time after a transfer by seeing if it actually worked or not!

 

[Deleted member 737595]

I never said she was a dick, I think I’m the problem.

She’s occasionally helpful if the mistake is very obvious, like not loading enough protein, but usually her response is “well I don’t know what happened. Do it again,” which is fine, but each time I mess up, it’s another layer of frustration and disappointment.

The “swinging on the lights” comment came after I asked her why my last blot went wrong. She said I probably wasn’t neat enough. Fair, I’m not arguing and obviously I don’t know, otherwise I’d be the PI. But it wasn’t very helpful to me.

To the comments about being a crybaby, also fair. But to my defense, Im really tired of getting the same results over and over again. I don’t sob myself to sleep or anything. I haven’t actually cried because of work.

I know life isn’t gonna get any easier from here. I know med school and residency and even being an attending is gonna be worse than a failed blot that won’t harm anyone. That’s why I don’t want to quit, and why I hate complaining about all this. I might get these same problems later on, and I can’t up and quit or get upset when an attending yells at me.

You have made a fair assessment of the situation and I admire the honesty.

However, if you don't like research, it is not a sign of weakness or being overwhelmed to quit. You said life won't get easier from here. That's not entirely true. Actually, sometimes the opposite is true. If you truly are loving what you do, then it won't usually be frustrating. Difficult, yes, monotonous or boring, at times, but not frustrating or disappointing.

Have you started working in a health care environment yet? Volunteering at a hospital for example? If you have, it'll be easy to tell (I think) which you prefer. If you haven't, you'll find that when you are enjoying something, messing up is part of process and can even be enjoyable if you learn something valuable.

 

[Latteandaprayer]

You have made a fair assessment of the situation and I admire the honesty.

However, if you don't like research, it is not a sign of weakness or being overwhelmed to quit. You said life won't get easier from here. That's not entirely true. Actually, sometimes the opposite is true. If you truly are loving what you do, then it won't usually be frustrating. Difficult, yes, monotonous or boring, at times, but not frustrating or disappointing.

Have you started working in a health care environment yet? Volunteering at a hospital for example? If you have, it'll be easy to tell (I think) which you prefer. If you haven't, you'll find that when you are enjoying something, messing up is part of process and can even be enjoyable if you learn something valuable.

Thank you. Yes, I’ve shadowed one doctor and volunteered in a hospital, and I can honestly say those were so much better. However, I’m not sure if they were better because the work was easy/nonexistent (it wasn’t very exhausting walking behind a doctor 3 hours a day for a week). I’m not sure if they were better because I’m meant to be in those settings, or because I didn’t have to do anything and I didn’t have the chance to disappoint anyone, if that makes sense.

I do agree that doing something you love is a lot easier than doing something you hate, even if the work is more stressful or abundant. I’m pretty sure research just isn’t for me.

 

[Latteandaprayer]

Just some random ideas since I do these blots way too often. Do you soak the membrane in methanol before the transfer? This seems like something simple but if you forget to do that/not for long enough it can dry out easily during the transfer and no protein will be on the membrane. Do you do Ponceau stains at all? If not definitely do them- it'll save you a lot of time after a transfer by seeing if it actually worked or not!

Yes to the methanol, no to the Ponceau. My lab doesn’t do Ponceau, and I don’t think I’d be able to bring it up without weird looks 😛

 

[FlavivirusProtease]

Yes to the methanol, no to the Ponceau. My lab doesn’t do Ponceau, and I don’t think I’d be able to bring it up without weird looks 😛

What type of membrane do you use? PVDF, Nitrocellulose, or Nylon?