http://www.hms.harvard.edu

Harvard Medical School

Microbiology Laboratory Assistant

May - August 2021 • Boston, MA

What I liked

I really liked the ability to work with researchers in a laboratory setting. I was able to learn a lot from the people I worked with and got experiences with a variety of techniques and data presentation.

What I wish was different

The only negative was that the social experience of working in the lab was diminished due to COVID regulations. Even with the restrictions it was still a great experience.

Advice

Your ability to learn and work independently can really determine how meaningful your experience is.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Visiting Undergraduate Research Fellow in Bioinformatics

June 2020 • Boston, MA

What I liked

What I wish was different

I had a lot of fun learning what I did, but I still mourn not being able to do so in Boston and form a bond with the others in my program

Advice

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Lab Intern

July - August 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

Friendliness of the researchers as well as the other students interning at the lab.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more experience going into the lab. Most of the work did not require an in-depth knowledge of neuroscience, but it would have been helpful to better understand what I was helping with.

Advice

Make friends when and where you can. People are usually happy to talk and interact so take advantage of that as much as possible.
1 One person found this helpful

Research Intern

June - August 2019 • Boston, MA

What I liked

I liked it a lot, especially the freedom that came with doing research. I liked having a lot of responsibility, and the freedom that came with it.

What I wish was different

Nothing, I loved it!

Advice

Make sure you stay on top of everything!
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Technician

September 2017 • Boston, MA

What I liked

I love the laboratory I work in; the community is great, I have been trained on many different techniques in molecular biology, and systems/molecular and behavioral neuroscience and have contributed to multiple different research projects.

What I wish was different

I wish my hourly wage was higher.

Advice

Get involved in research as early as you can!
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Summer Intern

June - August 2017 • Boston, MA

What I liked

learning experience, lab mentorship, shadowing

What I wish was different

communication with program participants, organizational skills of administrators

Advice

ask questions and take advantage of your time there
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research intern

June - August 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

Everything. It was a stupendous experience.

What I wish was different

My ability to live on my own while balancing everything.

Advice

Highly recommend going to a new city to do an internship.
1 One person found this helpful

Neurobiology Summer Student

May - July 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

I liked the independence I was given to explore cerebellar networks.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have participated in a program-like experience where I had been with more summer students.

Advice

Make sure to read recent papers that are relevant and understand the science you are studying! It took me a few weeks to actually grasp the biology, and I wish I understood it earlier.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

BCMP Summer Scholar

June - August 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

Great experience, got to work on amazing, cutting edge research, got great mentorship.

What I wish was different

Really not much. All in all a very positive experience

Advice

Depending on the lab you're placed in, it can be a pretty serious time commitment. Wet lab science like this can work on a weird schedule that you can't always control for.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Student Intern

June - August 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

I loved the people in my lab and the research we were doing.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have made a little more money.

Advice

Make sure you learn and remember how to speak about the research you conduct, and what it's significance is.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Assistant

May - August 2016 • Boston, MA

What I liked

Working on my own research project under the mentorship of a postdoctoral fellow.

What I wish was different

I wish there could have been more undergraduate students at the lab.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask when you don't know something.
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Fellow

June - August 2017 • Boston, MA

What I liked

The people were great as well as the city and everything else as well.

What I wish was different

Nothing, everything was perfect.

Advice

Enjoy both the experience and the city!
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Intern

June - August 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

I was able to work on a lot of different projects at once. I was exposed to a lot of different things at such a young age. It was an eye-opening experience.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more time in the summer to to work and expand on my research project.

Advice

Never think you are too young to try. I was a freshman who was given an internship for seniors. I persuaded the committee to give me an interview, and they were impressed. They let me be a part of it. Always try!
Be the first to mark this as helpful

Research Intern

June - September 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

I liked the entrepreneurial side of this internship. Essentially it was me pitching ideas with the Harvard Med research team and the professor taught me how to pose research questions and I even tried pursuing a few. We’re still pursuing some of my ideas.

What I wish was different

I wish I knew R or Stata so I can work more with the RAs on getting data and creating graphs. I was working more with the professor on creating ideas.

Advice

Be patient. Be open. Investigating is hard. Make connections. Be eager.
Be the first to mark this as helpful