Research Experience

[sarcrasstic]

I am an undergraduate hoping to get into a field that would involve cell and molec techniques, but the courses that offer experience (2 courses) in those are not part of my degree. Would I be better off trying to get a supervised study/volunteering in a cell bio lab, or should I just be trying to fit those courses into my schedule?

[bamafan]

When graduate schools look at research experience, it is not curricular. Classes don't count as experience. You 100% need to work in a lab. Pretty much all the techniques and things you need to know, you'll learn while working in the lab anyway. Do that, forget about the courses.

Edited March 12, 2013 by bamafan

[Biohopeful]

Agreed.  The earlier you can start, and the more you can work on an independent research project, the better.  Look at summer opportunities, semester opportunities, and speak with faculty early to see if they have any openings in their labs for undergrads.

[stephchristine0]

Apply for REUs abroad and try attaining some internships in an area that you are passionate about!

[floridabio]

Contrary to bamafan, I would recommend doing both.  Extracurricular research experience is non-negotiable - you will not be a competitive grad school applicant without it.  As for the techniques courses you mentioned, I would recommend taking these if possible.  The techniques course I took allowed me to learn several techs. I didn't have the opportunity to use in my research lab (these techs. can also be added to a CV).  

[bamafan]

Contrary to bamafan, I would recommend doing both.  Extracurricular research experience is non-negotiable - you will not be a competitive grad school applicant without it.  As for the techniques courses you mentioned, I would recommend taking these if possible.  The techniques course I took allowed me to learn several techs. I didn't have the opportunity to use in my research lab (these techs. can also be added to a CV).  

 

I didn't say these aren't valuable to know. They can be good experience to have, but having taken these classes doesn't mean anything to the grad committee and has no value as far as grad apps are concerned. 

[BeakerBreaker]

I'd second what floridabio has to say.

 

Saying that those classes don't mean anything is a little bit of an exaggeration, I think.  After supervising undergrads in a molecular biology lab, it pains me to think how myopic a grad. school candidate would be with just a summer or two of research experience without the broader knowledge base to back it up.  By skipping those classes, you are going to make your relevant grad school classes in cell and molecular biology more difficult, as well, and have a more difficult time in seminars, etc.

 

What is your undergraduate degree in?

Edited March 13, 2013 by BeakerBreaker

[biotechie]

Definitely get into the lab hands on. I started as a freshman and now know over 20 different techniques. My 4 years of undergrad research + 2 years of masters showed the schools I applied to (that looked closely at applications) that I am capable of doing science and thinking critically to solve the problem even though it wasn't reflected as much in my GPA or GRE. Research experience, a good essay + research statement, and strong LOR can help make up a bit for mediocre scores... at least... that is what happened for me. Another student that I know had nearly identical scores to me, but literally 2 months experience. He didn't get in. I didn't see his essay or letters, however.

 

Getting into the lab now will also help you when you take techniques-based courses, later and even in your normal cell bio classes. You may not be doing all of the techniques you will learn, but just getting used to working in a lab setting helps a ton. I got really lucky and had already done all of the techniques in my senior level techniques class. It was a 4-credit hour class that half the class failed and I didn't have to work very hard in. Understanding how the research is done to get an answer in science also helps with understanding of all kinds of things, even outside of the lab.

 

Also, make sure that you don't leave part of another school name in your essay... they might reject you like WashU did to me. Oops.

[sarcrasstic]

I am in a specialist program in human biology. It doesn't involve any cell and molec other than non lab oriented courses. I do have a couple of years of undergrad research experience under my belt but it is in a behavioural neuroscience lab. 

[bamafan]

I'd second what floridabio has to say.

 

Saying that those classes don't mean anything is a little bit of an exaggeration, I think.  After supervising undergrads in a molecular biology lab, it pains me to think how myopic a grad. school candidate would be with just a summer or two of research experience without the broader knowledge base to back it up.  By skipping those classes, you are going to make your relevant grad school classes in cell and molecular biology more difficult, as well, and have a more difficult time in seminars, etc.

 

What is your undergraduate degree in?

 

Right, like I said, I think these experiences are valuable for yourself to know these things. But as far as the grad committee is concerned, they really don't care, and it won't bolster your app at all. 

[Jubilee]

It would probably be best to learn the molecular techniques while working on an actual project under the supervision of a PI. That being said, if the lab courses you're talking about involve working on a PI's projects, then by all means take the courses. (I would actually go ahead and take the courses anyway if you have free space in your schedule and if you're already getting some kind of research experience. It never hurts!) Also, I don't think research experience necessarily has to be extracurricular. In fact, most of my research experience was done in courses (independent research project courses, working on a PI's project as part of a course, etc.). I applied to 12 schools (all ranked in the top 20, since I'm somewhat of a rankings whore), received interview offers from most of them, went on 4 interviews, and have heard back from two so far, both with acceptances. The main thing you have to demonstrate to the admissions directors is that you have a passion for science. Of course, the best way to demonstrate this passion is by doing research, but it can also be demonstrated through your essay and recs.