casualsun

Thank you so much for your advice! I'll probably give myself a month to get settled and then start asking other coordinators about opportunities for publishing and conferences. I know some labs don't really like RCs to work on publications, so I really hope that isn't the case with my lab lol. I'll also make sure to keep a working list of skills/items to add to my resume; I try to do this now but am pretty lazy about it, so I'll get more serious. Thanks again for your advice! I'm glad you think this is okay -- that eases my anxiety a lot, haha. Now to hope that my PI will be receptive to independent projects. ?

Thank you so much for the advice, rainydaychai (and congrats on your acceptance to a PhD program)! This is exactly what I was looking for. In some of my undergraduate research experiences, I was afraid to assert myself and pursue independent projects; I'm going to try really hard to do it this time. Mentoring others is also a really great idea that I hadn't thought of. Hopefully I can connect with some undergrad research assistants through Zoom! One thing I am worried about is that my lab's focus isn't the same as my own research focus. There is definitely some overlap, but I want to research something else when/if I get to grad school. I know ideally I should be in a lab that fits exactly with my research interests, but it's a pretty niche area, and covid has made finding research assistant jobs a lot harder. Do you think this is a major problem? I was thinking of just trying to do some independent projects in my lab that integrate my research interests; I'm hoping that will be enough.

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on this board after lurking here for a while. I graduated with a BA in psychology this May and intend to apply to clinical psych PhD programs for 2022. I am about to start working as a full-time clinical research coordinator at a well-known research hospital. I am really excited to get more research experience and further develop my interest in clinical psychology! However, I am also pretty nervous. I will be working remotely for the foreseeable future, and feel anxious about how to connect with my PI and the other coordinators through a computer screen. I really want to make a great impression and do my best work for the lab, but I'm not sure how. I was wondering if anyone had advice to share about how to make the most of my research coordinator position. Ideally, I want to advance my research skills, develop a close bond with my PI, and have multiple opportunities to present and publish research. How can I hit the ground running with my new job and make sure this all happens? I've been using my free time to read articles the lab has published and learn all I can about the topic; however, I have gotten through the recent articles and feel like reading more will provide diminishing returns. Also, how long after working at a lab can you start to inquire about working on papers/presentations or an independent project? I want to get involved as much as possible but I don't want to annoy my PI.