Which lab to join...

[manekineko]

Hi all and thanks in advance for any input!

It is almost time for me to choose the lab I will be in for the next ___ years, but I'm having a rough time figuring out which is best for me. I have two that I really liked but for different reasons. In the first lab, the research was very cool and really this professor's work is the reason I chose this department. However, in the lab I am in now I have great chemistry with the P.I., but the work is not as interesting to me. It's not that I didn't work well with the P.I. in the first lab and I hang out on a regular basis with the people working in that lab; I just don't have much face time with the first P.I. Some people really need that time to talk one-on-one with their boss, but it's not a priority to me. I also know the second P.I. is very good about getting a lot of publications and sending students to at least one conference a year. The first does do a fair amount of publishing, but she is not as big of an advocate for the students as the second.

I am throwing around the idea of co-mentorship between the two of them. I don't know if this is common or if it will even work. They are really good friends outside of work and they have apparently been talking about doing a collaboration for years but they haven't had the hands to get that work going.

Any insight from people who have had a similar experience or any advice is much appreciated. Thanks for reading!

[neuropsych76]

Hi all and thanks in advance for any input!

It is almost time for me to choose the lab I will be in for the next ___ years, but I'm having a rough time figuring out which is best for me. I have two that I really liked but for different reasons. In the first lab, the research was very cool and really this professor's work is the reason I chose this department. However, in the lab I am in now I have great chemistry with the P.I., but the work is not as interesting to me. It's not that I didn't work well with the P.I. in the first lab and I hang out on a regular basis with the people working in that lab; I just don't have much face time with the first P.I. Some people really need that time to talk one-on-one with their boss, but it's not a priority to me. I also know the second P.I. is very good about getting a lot of publications and sending students to at least one conference a year. The first does do a fair amount of publishing, but she is not as big of an advocate for the students as the second.

I am throwing around the idea of co-mentorship between the two of them. I don't know if this is common or if it will even work. They are really good friends outside of work and they have apparently been talking about doing a collaboration for years but they haven't had the hands to get that work going.

Any insight from people who have had a similar experience or any advice is much appreciated. Thanks for reading!

I haven't been in that position but I would first try to throw around some ideas of collaboration since you seem to be interested in both labs for different reasons. However, I think (for me at least) I would really consider how interesting the work is to you in the lab. Since the your life for the next X amount of years will be this type of research, I would make sure you really really enjoy it. Publishing/presenting is also super important so maybe talk to your professor in the one lab and tell her your interests in presenting more?

It seems to be a complicated situation, but I'm sure you'll figure out a good solution. You have a good problem of two labs to pick from