I took up an internship program in a biomed research lab for 6 weeks which started in June. Because I decided to do this, I’ve driven 30 miles back and forth 3 days a week and spent a lot on gas. The problem is that I’ve done absolutely nothing but watch. I’m sitting here at the computer typing this right now and my professor said that I don’t have the time to learn anything valuable. I feel like I’ll have done nothing and my parents are the ones who have to drive me over here every single day. I can drop it, but there’s only a week left and because of this program, I’ll miss a week of valuable school time as I have to go to another program that I delayed because of this one.
I feel like I made a huge mistake by joining this; I kept expecting something to happen or to start some project. What should I do?
It certainly isn’t the end of the world. At the very least, you can put it on your college application. I would just ask if there is something you could do, even if it was a basic task
At the very least, it will look great on an application, and you may be able to score a letter of recommendation.
There’s only one week left, so why not see if there’s something else you can do with the rest of the summer that will get you the kind of experience you were hoping for? Is there something else in the same lab perhaps? Start to talk to the people you’ve met there about what else is available.
@iubaccounting@bjkmom I will complete a tiny project that I will gain from it, but it’s surely nothing that can be submitted for any fair. I think the biggest thing I can get out of this, now that you mention it, is “experience” that I can use to get into a much better lab. The techniques in my neurology lab are far too advanced to learn in a week; perhaps in 6 weeks if my professor believed in my ability, but definitely not now.
The professor is correct: it is impossible to work on something serious in 1-3 weeks. The 7-8 weeks program probably will serve this better, but you get a great exposure and it will look good on application.
Perhaps your expectations were too high. Your high school experience in a lab has just introduced you to what some scientists do. This will be useful for the future. It is like shadowing a doctor, except you are shadowing in a lab.
3 days a week for 6 weeks (18 days total) is very little time for a lab-based project…at the very least, it’s a line for your application sounds like you have a project to show for it even if it is small. I don’t know if you would have fared much better in any other lab with the time you put in. As others mentioned, it’s a good experience nonetheless and could help you land a future project. But you will need to commit more time (5 days/week for 8-10 weeks) to have a significant experience.