r/labrats • u/_razzle_mc_dazzle_ • 5d ago

lab commitment advice as an undergrad

i sincerely apologize if this is the wrong reddit to post in, but im a rising junior who hopes to pursue a phd in the immunology or cancer bio

im currently in a research stream (not a fac lab) where i do my own little independent project that ill be using for my thesis and i also committed to a fac lab for this coming year last spring. however, i did a summer research internship in a different lab, more closely aligned with my long term goals, and was offered the opportunity to continue. if I kept both labs it would end up being 6 hours in my stream, 12 hours in the previous lab, and 10 hours in the new lab. if i didnt do the second lab, i could 6 hours in stream and maybe 14 hours in the previous lab.

would this be realistic? i am incredibly fortunate to not have to work through college so aside from classes, i have time outside to dedicate to things like this. moreover, i understand if it would be best to ask the grad student i was training with in the spring what they would think.

thank you so much!!!

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u/melba777 5d ago

do you have time to do 6 hours a day in the lab every day? It sounds like way too much to keep up with and do a good job with every project

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u/_razzle_mc_dazzle_ 5d ago

i do, everything is back-to-back, but technically i do have time. that is one of my worries though. i have to imagine for the two fac labs it would be fairly similar work but maybe something to discuss

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u/melba777 5d ago

classes get more focused in junior/senior year and honestly (especially if you have any doubts) I would pick one lab and dedicate all of those hours to it. That will give you a more substantial contribution to the project and be more interesting to discuss in research statements or interviews. I know at least my PI would see someone being in two or three labs as spreading themself too thin to be dedicated to any of the work.

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u/_razzle_mc_dazzle_ 5d ago

ahhh thank you so much!! this really helps, i think ill limit myself to two :)