I’m an International Student in Canada and in my year right now.
I pay three times more than Canadians so I just can’t afford UBC or Univeristy of Toronto. I’m at a a small University because that’s all I can afford thanks to International Student tuition. I want to get a PhD degree later or even got I medical school. I try very hard and my grades are good but I need research experience to get accepted for a PhD or to go to medical school.
What can I do if my small University just doesn’t have that? Can I still be a research assistant after graduation for a professor at a Univeristy I never attended as a student? Is it possible to gain research experience for example at the University of British Columbia, although I wasn’t as student there?
(Sorry if the questions are dumb but I really have no idea and I also think it’s kind of different in Europe?)
What are you majoring in / planning on majoring in?
There are quite a few summer programs geared towards undergraduates with little to no research experience which could help you get your feet wet. Without knowing your interests it’s hard to recommend anything specifically, but you should check out the REU (research experience for undergraduates) programs. REUs are held over the summer at various universities and each university’s program is different - the subjects vary from astrophysics to nanotechnology. These programs are also only at US universities so keep that in mind if you’re an international student.
You can also do a Google search for “summer research programs 2016”. You’ll find a lot of different stuff.
You can also look into different schools and email professors whose research you find interesting. Be prepared for lots of unanswered emails (professors are busy people), but it’s always worth a shot.
Yes, after graduation you could work as a research assistant in a school other than the one you attended for undergrad. At by university these non-student research assistants are called " research technicians".
Ok thank you for the answers. Is research assistant actually a job or just volunteering? (after graduation I need a job for one year to get permanent residence and it would be great if that would count as it)?
Research/Lab technologists, technicians, associates, assistants, etc are typically paid positions. The income isn’t very good, but it is a great way to get research experience. Personally, I think working as a tech is a great way to determine if you truly want to pursue a PhD in a given subject. I worked as a tech for 3 years and am now in a top PhD program. Working as a tech not only gives you research experience, but you also get a better appreciation for how labs run and operate, as well as what it takes to get funding for a lab in today’s climate.
^That depends on the field. In the life sciences they are usually paid. In the social sciences, some lab manager or research coordinator positions are paid, but research assistant positions in university laboratories are usually unpaid. If they are, they are part-time and the pay is low.
However, if you are in the social sciences there are other outlets through which to get post-graduation research experience - like think tanks and nonprofits that conduct research.
There are also some post-baccalaureate bridge programs for 1-2 years. Look up Pittsburgh’s Hot Metal Bridge program. Columbia has a similar one although I can’t remember if it’s only for Columbia alumni. Also, if your work is at all related to health - even tangentially - look up the NIH’s IRTA.
Also, if you’re in your first year, is it possible you just haen’t heard of how to get involved in your professors’ research yet? On some level (unless academia in Canada is vastly different)?
Undergraduate (eg student) research assistants can be volunteers, paid, or doing research for credit. It depends a lot on the lab, PI, and school.
Non-student research assistants are generally paid (in the sciences at least), though the salary isn’t exactly glamorous.
Summer research programs don’t necessarily pay, but many do at least offer stipends.