Lab rotation dilemma

[amethyst23]

I'm in my first lab rotation right now and I'm struggling to decide whether this lab is a serious contender for my final pick. I've only been in the lab for 3 weeks but I've made some observations about the lab/people that make me hesitate:

- PI calls out students and criticizes them during lab meeting

- PI contradicts herself/goes back on her word 

- the senior lab manager is extremely rude 

- one of the postdocs is currently trying to develop some assays and doesn't have time to work on the project they designed

- the lab uses cell samples that are difficult to isolate because they're rare. this makes for time-consuming cell isolation protocol

- people seem to have to stay late to use the FACS machine b/c it's cheaper to use it in the late afternoon/evenings (hints to me that it's a poor lab)

- lab environment is very tense but after going out for drinks with the current lab members it was clear that they were all friends and the tension was created by the PI and senior lab manager's presence. Also, everyone was complaining about the lab for hours upon hours when we went out. They'd try to change the subject but 10 minutes later they would go back to complaining. 

Other things that bothered me before the rotation:

- PI is a junior faculty who launched her lab a little more than a year ago so has limited mentoring experience

- on NIH reporter it says she only has one grant... she may earn more funding this year though, who knows 

What drew me to the lab:

- PI has published in high impact journals (Nature, Cell Stem Cell) 

- the research techniques I've most recently used (in my previous lab) are relevant to the techniques used in this lab

- the PI's personality clicked with mine really well when we first met and she was really excited to have me in the lab because of my relevant experience  

I'm aware that my interest in the research is an important factor too and I would say that on a scale of 1-10 (10 = most interested) my interest started out as 7 and now ranks 6.5 because of what I've seen in lab. I don't find their work fascinating as much as I find the techniques they employ really cool. I think I could enjoy it more if the lab environment wasn't so stressful and if the PI was a better mentor.  

I'd appreciate it if someone could give their input on what they would do if they were in my shoes. I'm not going to slack off for the rest of the rotation but I'd like to decide whether I should invest any time over the course of the year to prepare for becoming a grad student in the lab.

 

Edited October 22, 2015 by amethyst23

[TakeruK]

These would all be warning signs for me too that the lab's culture is not a good fit with my personality. 

However, this is why you have rotations right? My advice would be to work hard through the rest of the rotation. Do you have your next rotation set up? If not, I would invest a bit of time talking to students and trying to find a lab with a culture very different from this one. My personal preference is that i place a lot more value on lab*/PI fit than research fit---I'd gladly change my topic to be in a better work environment (*note: I'm not in a bench science, so "lab" to me would be a "research group"). 

If you do have a rotation set up already, does your program do 2 or 3 rotations? Or more? Try to make sure you get at least one rotation that is significantly different to this one. You should try a wide range of lab environments to see what you like best (after all, maybe despite these hesitations, this might still be the best lab for you but you won't know if you don't try something way different). 

One question: The students I know in bench sciences with rotations on my campus don't generally feel like they need to decide within the first few weeks of their rotation whether or not they must commit he rest of the year preparing for this to be their "chosen lab". Many of them say they do not think about any commitment until the end of the first academic year (3 rotations) unless they find a rotation that is just so amazing they know it's "the one". 

In my opinion and based on the above, unless there is some other factor that is making you rush, I don't really see the point in deciding now that you will prepare for becoming a grad student in this lab. Why not wait until you've experienced all the rotations (i.e. at least a few weeks into your last rotation) and then decide? Even if this means you are a few months behind in your preparation, it's better to be a few months behind than to commit the next 5 years in a lab environment you hate.

[Eigen]

The only two points I find warning flags are 1 and 2- the PI and Lab Manager. 

Now, since this is a new PI, they may get better as time progresses. I have also found that having a PI that's overly strict but with a supportive group of grad students/post-docs can be quite doable- even more so than a PI you like but lab-mates you can't stand. 

1 NIH grant a year into a lab is fantastic, as far as things go. Using FACS when it's cheaper is just being smart about your money.