{"id":26830,"date":"2015-12-11T12:06:58","date_gmt":"2015-12-11T17:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=26830"},"modified":"2016-03-03T00:00:03","modified_gmt":"2016-03-03T05:00:03","slug":"life-sciences-undergraduate-research-how-do-i-even","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2015\/12\/11\/life-sciences-undergraduate-research-how-do-i-even\/","title":{"rendered":"Life Sciences Undergraduate Research: How do I even?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a Life Sciences student, I understand the pressure and trepidation you feel when someone in class goes \u201cSo in my research lab\u2026\u201d Meanwhile, you\u2019re screaming internally about how you can barely fold laundry properly let alone have your life so put together as to be in a research lab.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"Meme
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Whether you plan on pursuing a career in healthcare or science research itself, having research experience on your CV and learning lab skills are a bonus when you apply to professional or graduate programs. But where does one even start? It\u2019s daunting trying to maneuver the Interwebs to find viable and worthwhile positions. I\u2019ve compiled a list of possible scientific\/medical research opportunities by the year you might think of applying. But first, a few preliminary questions to ask yourself:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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Are you even interested in research?<\/em><\/strong>\r\n<\/span>Seems silly, but many students participate in research positions just because they feel like it\u2019s something they have to do. Sure this may look good on your resume but if your heart isn\u2019t in it, you won\u2019t gain much from the experience and it will show during interviews. It\u2019s much easier to sit through an interview and talk about something you did\/want to do that you\u2019re truly passionate about, so do yourself a favour and don\u2019t put yourself through it if you can\u2019t see yourself dissecting mice, mixing solutions, or filling out endless Excel spreadsheets in the future. Focus your efforts on other opportunities that you genuinely enjoy!<\/p>\r\n

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What research areas are you interested in?<\/strong><\/em>\r\n<\/span>Seems like an easy question to me now but in first year, my answer to this question would have been like \u201cUh, brains? Science? Lol idk\u201d. It\u2019s totally okay if you\u2019re not sure where you\u2019re most comfortable yet, but research certain disciplines you think you might want to pursue. From there, you can go over research position descriptions. There\u2019s a bit of trial-and-error here, and with more experience, coursework, and research, you\u2019ll hopefully have a better idea of your niche. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Are you worried about your GPA?<\/strong><\/em>\r\n<\/span>While most research opportunities require that you submit a transcript, don\u2019t be discouraged if you think your GPA is low. Applying early and persistently is bound to get you somewhere if you act professionally. Once you have your foot in the door, it\u2019s easier to find more opportunities. You only need one supervisor to say yes so email as many as you want! <\/span><\/p>\r\n

If you\u2019ve found satisfactory answers to these questions, let\u2019s get started: <\/span><\/p>\r\n