Due to not many professors responding back to me, I think I'll have to start research in the second semester of sophomore year. I'm a bit upset because I wanted to start research in the first semester of sophomore year, but what can you do oh well.
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Don’t stress about not starting early.
I never got involved in any research in college, and i’m glad I didn’t. Finishing up my gap year as a lab technician at a pharmaceutical company and it has been quite boring. I suppose the skills might help me down the line, but, IMO, bench work is drier than a rasin with eczema.
I never got involved in any research in college, and i’m glad I didn’t. Finishing up my gap year as a lab technician at a pharmaceutical company and it has been quite boring. I suppose the skills might help me down the line, but, IMO, bench work is drier than a rasin with eczema.
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Started summer after freshman year. I agree with all the other posters that starting second semester sophomore isn't going to affect you much, if at all. If you really really want to start, I'd suggest talking to your professors after class and asking if they have a lab or know a faculty member looking for someone. In person always beats email.
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densesulfur
I started during the second semester of freshman year (I was extremely lucky), but most people I know began sometime during their sophomore year.
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deleted804295
Second Semester Freshman Year. Timing doesn't matter you just need to sustain it for a while and have hours above 100.
I did it for 6 months with ~150 hours. I loved research but it takes up so much time I would rather use to do other things.
I did it for 6 months with ~150 hours. I loved research but it takes up so much time I would rather use to do other things.
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I’m going to break the chain here:
September of freshman year.
But this isn’t the norm. I wouldn’t be worried unless you’re about to apply and you have little to show other than your grades.
September of freshman year.
But this isn’t the norm. I wouldn’t be worried unless you’re about to apply and you have little to show other than your grades.
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Spring semester of my Master's for real research which actually led to a publication
I did BS research in UG during my junior year tho
I did BS research in UG during my junior year tho
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Started this year (Junior year). My school is competitive in finding research. I had to email 8 or 9 people before I finally landed a spot. Definitely don’t wait until the last second to those who haven’t inquired about research yet. Didn’t think it would take that long. Also try to get to know your professors. That’s how I finally got a position.
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In college for research, you don't do benchwork if you're actually good at research.
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Freshman year. Don’t worry about it. It’s important to find a good lab and supervisor. Still plenty of time. I suggest looking into summer programs at other institutions to get your first experience and after that you will have the experience to get into the better labs.
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I started in my 3rd year and I do not regret starting then (some people say I started "too late" but whatever). The point is, by the time you are a 3rd year you would have finished the pre-req courses to help you understand the research better.
But to remember you don't need research to get into medical school.
But to remember you don't need research to get into medical school.
Hi FallsZero,
So, I usually never post much but I wanted to reply to share my experience.
First, I would like to tell you to not be upset, you still have a good amount of time to get into a lab and get a good amount of research done.
When you email your professors make sure that you have done a good amount of research on what they are studying and what their requirements are for undergraduate students wanting to join their lab.
I went to a research panel when I was a sophomore and the professors mentioned that the best way to get into their labs was to cold email them, but when you email them you have to make sure that your email is meaningful otherwise they will ignore it.
And by meaningfully I mean, go through their lab page, read about their research and what their trying to accomplish. Then, make sure you have read and understood what their expectations for students are. And most importantly make sure that you are really interested in what they are studying, because 99% of the time they can tell the difference between a student who is just trying to get “research experience” to help them get into X school, and someone who is sincerely interested in their work and being part of it. Plus believe me doing research can be an amazing experience if you are truly interested and motivated, but if you are just trying check a box it can be hell and won’t do you any good.
So, when you write your email make sure you include a statement addressing each of the following:
Who you are.
Why you want to join their lab ( make sure you talk about their research and why you are interested in it).
What you can bring to their lab ( include any skills, any related past and present experiences or if you don’t have experiences tell them how willing you are to work hard and be responsible).
How their lab can help you become a better student/ future scientist.
The days and hours you can commit to working/volunteering for them ( make sure you check their requirements on their page before emailing them).
Include your resume and a copy of your transcripts if they require it.
Also, do not email several professors on the same day with the same email format ( they do talk to each other). Email one professor at a time and wait a few days for their response, if they don’t reply at all then research another lab and try again.
Finally, don’t give up. You just have to keep trying, make sure you are getting good grades, and if you get a couple of rejections don’t dwell on them to much. It only takes on person to say yes.
Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
So, I usually never post much but I wanted to reply to share my experience.
First, I would like to tell you to not be upset, you still have a good amount of time to get into a lab and get a good amount of research done.
When you email your professors make sure that you have done a good amount of research on what they are studying and what their requirements are for undergraduate students wanting to join their lab.
I went to a research panel when I was a sophomore and the professors mentioned that the best way to get into their labs was to cold email them, but when you email them you have to make sure that your email is meaningful otherwise they will ignore it.
And by meaningfully I mean, go through their lab page, read about their research and what their trying to accomplish. Then, make sure you have read and understood what their expectations for students are. And most importantly make sure that you are really interested in what they are studying, because 99% of the time they can tell the difference between a student who is just trying to get “research experience” to help them get into X school, and someone who is sincerely interested in their work and being part of it. Plus believe me doing research can be an amazing experience if you are truly interested and motivated, but if you are just trying check a box it can be hell and won’t do you any good.
So, when you write your email make sure you include a statement addressing each of the following:
Who you are.
Why you want to join their lab ( make sure you talk about their research and why you are interested in it).
What you can bring to their lab ( include any skills, any related past and present experiences or if you don’t have experiences tell them how willing you are to work hard and be responsible).
How their lab can help you become a better student/ future scientist.
The days and hours you can commit to working/volunteering for them ( make sure you check their requirements on their page before emailing them).
Include your resume and a copy of your transcripts if they require it.
Also, do not email several professors on the same day with the same email format ( they do talk to each other). Email one professor at a time and wait a few days for their response, if they don’t reply at all then research another lab and try again.
Finally, don’t give up. You just have to keep trying, make sure you are getting good grades, and if you get a couple of rejections don’t dwell on them to much. It only takes on person to say yes.
Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
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I started my second semester Junior year, kind of fell into it by accident but it ended up being an incredible opportunity. Don't worry about starting later!
I started during my gap year after my app was already in. Wish I had started sooner. My job is currently full time so now I have about 1200 hours and some abstracts but I def think 1. Finding a research job would have been way easier with experience 2. Try to find a lab that you have an interest in the topic cuz like other ECs, you dont wanna just go some hours here and some there. Try to find something you want to research and commit to that. Even if its a couple hours a week. The students in my lab work 10-15 hours a week (and its actually paid). And if you do research after graduation, that will count towards residency applications as well as long as its productive research (ie. not volunteering, try to get a paid position and contribute so that even if you leave the lab, you may be on a pub once the project is finished).
You still have time. Even if you are like me and started ECs late cuz you didnt know what your passion was until about junior /senior year, you still have time. Nobody says you have to go straight through to med school either. So if you have to take time off to focus on things you were lacking, thats 100000% fine.
You still have time. Even if you are like me and started ECs late cuz you didnt know what your passion was until about junior /senior year, you still have time. Nobody says you have to go straight through to med school either. So if you have to take time off to focus on things you were lacking, thats 100000% fine.
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I didn’t really start research in earnest until my senior year. The importance of research in admissions is overstated on SDN (except for at research heavy schools). Get some experience to see if you like it, then continue it because you do.
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I started my junior year spring then started my own project my senior year and wrote my thesis on it, then presented a post the fall after I graduated.
I think I was able to get a lot done because I worked during the summer and was able to do a lot of research for credit. Research for credit is the best thing you’ll ever do, I got a full semesters worth of easy science As, got to skip the hardest and most time consuming bio classes, and got to count my time towards research. It’s a golden ticket
I think I was able to get a lot done because I worked during the summer and was able to do a lot of research for credit. Research for credit is the best thing you’ll ever do, I got a full semesters worth of easy science As, got to skip the hardest and most time consuming bio classes, and got to count my time towards research. It’s a golden ticket
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