Doing research: one lab or many?

[sa316]

I know grad schools love as much research experience as possible, but is it best to stay consistent and work in one lab as long as you can? Or would it be better to sort of broaden your horizon and work in a couple labs?

Currently I work in a Biophysics/physiology lab and I have been since June 2011. I like it, my mentor is great, and I even presented at a conference this past fall but I'd like to sort of stop working there this May/June and look for another lab. I've never had much clinical research experience so I'm looking to do that this summer. Would that be good? Or is it completely stupid to work in another lab?

[gellert]

Honestly, whatever floats your boat, as long as you feel it gives you the experience you need.

I've been in nine labs total since freshman year. Some of them only lasted a semester or year (like the labs I was in internationally), but there is one lab I've been in for three years and another I've been in for two.

The reason I chose to do it this way was because I wanted to get a breadth of experience in my field, and because I genuinely loved doing as much research as possible. (This translated, though, to 40-50 hours a week in the lab. This year, with my honors thesis and only two labs, I'm still hitting 30+. Combined with a 21-25 credit hour course overload and a part time job, I was/am pretty stressed. I personally do this kind of stress really well, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Something to keep in mind.) Having two labs that were really long-term, however, gave me depth in the subjects I was really passionate about, and those are the labs from which I requested my LORs.

However, for you, you may already know you want to study X topic only and forever, so you only need one lab, and want to be in it as long as possible -- but that may look like inexperience. Some people may worry that being in 9 labs like me will show indecisiveness. Honestly, I think you can spin anything whatever way you want in your SOP and LORs. Do what is right for YOU.

Edited January 6, 2012 by gellert

[Eigen]

I would say consistency is far better. Changing labs usually comes with a change in techniques and topical area, which will require another learning period before you get up to speed. One of the major things undergraduate research experience shows is that you know how to run a project- thte more you switch labs, usually, the less "seniority" you will gain in terms of being allowed independent research.

That said, its not always a bad thing to switch, either to round out your background or because you've changed what you really want to focus on.

I'm sure a lot of it depends on the field as well.

[Tall Chai Latte]

I think both options have pros and cons. If you stay in one lab (for instance, like me sticking with one lab for 3-4 years), you will gain technical knowledge towards the subject you are working on, develop meaningful relationship with your mentor (assuming you two get along), and potential co-author opportunities. Now these things will help you towards grad school acceptance. However, the downside is that, you are not exposed to wider variety of research, as well as different types of mentoring and lab environment. Switching labs once every so often can broaden your horizon, build your network (comes in handy when asking for LORs), and experience different types of coworkers/mentors. These things are the soft skills that can help you adapt better in grad school. Sometimes you gotta put yourself in different situations to know your preference! But you might or might not get some of the pros of staying at one lab.

But do choose what's the best for you

Edited January 6, 2012 by Tall Chai Latte

[gellert]

^ Yep.

Thought about it some more, and I think the bottom line of my advice is kind of like what I did myself -- best of both worlds. Have 1-2 labs that you stay in for at least 3 years each, and then feel free to explore a bit with a few other labs to widen your horizons.

[Eigen]

Adding to Gellert's estate, collaborations can be a great way to expand- come up with projects you need help from other areas to work on, and then pitch those. I spend a nice portion of my time now working in other labs to pick up new skills/do work that we arent set up for.