And just like that, my first week in the lab has concluded. As far as what I expect from this experience, this week has helped me to form some expectations.
First of all, I expect to get a better idea of what day to day is like for someone who works in a lab. I’ve obviously already gotten a taste of this, but I have yet to settle into a routine and have a “typical day” in the lab. So far, I’ve been bouncing around places and people trying to get oriented to a million new things, and I’m looking forward to having the newness die down and digging into our research.
Second, I would like to learn some new lab techniques and get to use them. This has already happened some this week (I was taught how to do a PCR and should be running one next week!), but there is still so much more for me to learn. In this process I want to continue to make sure I know and understand what I’m doing and why I’m doing it over simply performing steps; it’s much more fun if you know what’s going on.
I would also like to get a better grasp of what it is like to actually start a project (Ie do all the planning and procedures). I think this is important for the fundamental understanding I mentioned, and I would like to see the flow of things.
Finally, I would like to become an expert, at least in terms of my project. By the end of the summer, I hope I will know a most of what there is to know within the project I’m working on. I want to master it and be someone that others in the lab can come to with questions.
