<p>What do PIs usually ask about during research interviews (for molecular bio type lab)? How should I prepare? And what are the chances of getting the lab position once you get past the interview?</p>
<p>werent you selected for the interview to begin with? as in didnt you email the person needing this position and they responded back requesting an interview?
I think as long as you sound competent in the interview you should be golden.
Also what did you write when you submitted you email? ive sent like 3 out and i havent gotten any responses for a really long time.</p>
<p>I sent out mass emails too and only got like one reply, lol. and I think it’s because I’ve taken a seminar on a topic that’s really close to the research project. I think it also helps if you tell the prof that you are interested in a long-term commitment instead of just a one quarter thing.</p>
<p>I am not sure how many people the PI asked for interviews though, so I don’t know what I am going up against.</p>
<p>this is for my cardiac anesthesiology lab:</p>
<ol>
<li>here’s what we do in the lab. any questions?</li>
<li>are you willing to learn and work hard?</li>
<li>what does your schedule look like. </li>
</ol>
<p><em>shrug</em>. if anything, make sure that you send them a resume/CV prior to the interview so they know more about you.</p>
<p>lol how can you apply to a research position without a resume >.></p>
<p>HAY PICK MEEH</p>
<p>^it does happen, strangely. they think its just a regular ol volunteer position (which it is in some ways, but hay you can get published if lucky).</p>
<p>(This is for molecular biology-ish labs.)</p>
<p>Yeah. They want long term commitments.</p>
<p>For me, I guess I got help cause I got a recommendation from a lab that I previously worked in & my counselor talked to the PI herself, so the interview wasn’t that long and such. (Or maybe my PI is just like that XD)</p>
<p>Anyways, for the interviews, I think it depends on what they expect of you. Because both labs that I worked/ am working in really want me to be proactive and independent and eventually get my own project and stuff, the tended to stress the same things. Basically, they want to know that you are committed and truly interested in the sciences. They want to know why and how being in the lab will help you achieve your long-term goals. And then one of the PIs asked me what my GPA was, cause the PI has a GPA requirement for undergrads in the lab and basically said that if my GPA drops then I get kicked out of the lab. Not all PI’s really care that much about their undergrads though. Also, they want to make sure that you have the time for the lab. And then they want to make sure that you can think independently and solve things by yourself and such (eg. be able to make simple calculations for PCR reactions, etc. –> some people actually can’t do this).</p>
<p>So yep… I think that’s basically it. Oh, and then it’s a lot harder to get into the lab if you have no experience and you didn’t finish the LS core. But again, it depends on what they expect from you.</p>
<p>Oh, and I didn’t apply with a resume :P</p>
<p>Oh yeah, and then labs usually start to have openings in at the end of spring, summer, to the beginning of fall. It’s harder to get into a lab during Winter quarter or Spring quarter in general since PIs are busy with other more important things besides handling undergrads. 
But again, it depends on the lab.</p>