How to Get the Most Out of Undergraduate Research as a Premed

When I was a premed student, I wanted to get the greatest possible value out of nearly everything I did because time always felt limited. Between difficult classes, studying, volunteering, research, campus organizations, and trying to maintain some kind of personal life, I knew that I could not afford to spend years in an experience without learning or growing from it.

That focus on efficiency definitely extended into undergraduate research. I did not want to join a laboratory simply so I could eventually place “research assistant” on my medical school application. I wanted to learn how research worked, develop relationships with mentors, attend conferences, write grants, contribute to publications, and understand whether research might remain part of my future career.

At the same time, I quickly learned that undergraduate research is an incredibly mixed bag. Two students at the same university can both say they worked in a laboratory for three years and have completely different experiences. One may design experiments, present at conferences, contribute to manuscripts, and meet regularly with a supportive professor. Another may spend those same years performing repetitive tasks without understanding the larger project or receiving meaningful guidance.

I saw those differences among my friends, and I experienced some of them myself. One of my laboratories led to multiple publications but offered fewer conference opportunities. Another laboratory gave me extensive mentorship and allowed me to attend four or five conferences per year, but it was less productive in terms of publications. Some of my friends were given primarily the busy work of a laboratory, while others were trusted to design experiments and develop their own questions.

I was fortunate to work in two research laboratories throughout my undergraduate years. Across those experiences, I attended more than 20 research conferences, published three papers with additional manuscripts underway, received two undergraduate research grants, and earned the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship.

Those outcomes were not entirely the result of my own planning, and I would never pretend they were. I had research mentors who supported me, taught me, wrote recommendation letters, helped me revise proposals and manuscripts, and encouraged me to apply for opportunities I might not have pursued independently.

However, I was also intentional about choosing mentors whose strengths matched what I hoped to gain. I paid attention to whether they had time to teach me, whether their laboratories were productive, whether undergraduate students received opportunities, and whether the research environment helped me move toward my goals.

Getting the most out of undergraduate research does not mean trying to collect every possible award or publication. It means choosing an environment that helps you grow, showing up as a reliable team member, understanding the science behind your work, and gradually pursuing opportunities that fit your interests.

First, Understand What You Want From Research

Before joining a laboratory, spend some time thinking about what you hope the experience will provide.

You may want to learn hands-on laboratory techniques, determine whether you enjoy basic science, gain exposure to clinical research, improve your statistical skills, explore an MD-PhD career, build a relationship with a faculty mentor, present at conferences, publish a paper, or simply understand how scientific evidence is created.

There is nothing wrong with hoping research will strengthen your medical school application. Most premed students consider how an activity will fit into their future application. The problem begins when that becomes your only goal.

If your only objective is to accumulate hours, you may remain in an unproductive or unfulfilling laboratory because the position technically satisfies the research category on your résumé. When you have clearer educational and professional goals, you can evaluate whether the experience is actually helping you reach them.

Ask yourself whether you want a hands-on or more analytical role. Consider whether you enjoy working with cells, animals, patients, surveys, databases, computer models, or large datasets. Think about whether the research topic is interesting enough that you would be willing to read papers about it and discuss it for several years.

You should also consider which outcomes matter most to you. Are you primarily hoping for close mentorship, publications, conference presentations, grant-writing experience, technical skills, or the opportunity to lead your own project?

You may value all of those outcomes, but few laboratories provide every one of them equally well. Knowing your priorities makes it easier to recognize the right balance.

My guide explaining what undergraduate research is and what student researchers actually do is a helpful place to begin when you are still deciding what kind of research experience you want.

Your Research Mentor May Be the Most Important Part of the Lab

The research topic matters, but your mentor can make or break the entire experience.

Your principal investigator, often called the PI, is the professor who leads the research group. Depending on the size of the laboratory, you may work directly with that professor or receive most of your daily training from a graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, staff scientist, research coordinator, or laboratory technician.

A strong research mentor can help you understand the science, develop technical skills, troubleshoot mistakes, identify conferences, apply for grants, prepare manuscripts, and think through your future career. They may eventually write one of your strongest recommendation letters because they have watched you respond to failure, receive feedback, work with a team, and become more independent.

A weak mentoring relationship can leave you feeling lost even when the research itself is interesting. You may complete tasks without understanding why they matter, wait weeks for feedback, or discover that no one has time to help you develop.

This is why I consider mentorship one of the most important factors when selecting a laboratory. A famous professor with substantial funding may look impressive on paper, but the experience may be limited if they are constantly traveling, managing dozens of trainees, or unavailable for meaningful conversation.

A less prominent professor may meet with you regularly, explain the literature, help you develop a small independent question, and spend time teaching you how to write. For an undergraduate student, that kind of access can be incredibly valuable.

My guide on how to find a research mentor as a premed explains how I evaluate mentorship, communicate with professors, and build those relationships over time.

Questions to Ask About a Potential Research Mentor

Before joining a laboratory, try to learn how the professor interacts with undergraduate students.

You may ask whether the mentor is available for regular meetings, whether they personally train undergraduates or assign another team member to do so, and how students typically progress after their initial training.

You should also find out whether the professor takes time to explain concepts that students do not understand. Research involves specialized methods and language, and no reasonable mentor should expect a new undergraduate to arrive already knowing everything.

Ask whether the professor is physically present in the laboratory or generally works behind the scenes. A PI does not have to stand beside you every day, but you should understand how often you can expect direct interaction.

It is also reasonable to ask whether undergraduate students have been involved in posters, oral presentations, grants, manuscripts, or independent projects. You are not demanding any particular outcome. You are learning whether the laboratory has a history of helping undergraduates develop beyond basic support work.

Current or former students may give you the most honest picture of the mentoring environment. Ask whether expectations are clear, questions are welcomed, mistakes are handled constructively, and students receive increasing responsibility.

You can learn a great deal by noticing whether undergraduates remain in the laboratory for multiple semesters. Frequent turnover may have an innocent explanation, but it may also indicate that students are not receiving the experience they expected.

Evaluate the Laboratory’s Funding and Productivity

Mentorship is crucial, but the laboratory also needs enough resources and active work for students to contribute meaningfully.

Research supplies, equipment, software, participant recruitment, animal care, and laboratory staff can be expensive. A professor may have excellent ideas and a strong desire to mentor students but lack enough funding to move projects forward quickly.

This does not mean that an underfunded laboratory is automatically a poor choice. One of my own laboratories was less productive in terms of papers but offered excellent mentorship and several conference opportunities each year.

However, you should understand the tradeoff before joining. A laboratory without adequate funding may struggle to purchase supplies, replace broken equipment, collect enough data, or complete studies that lead to publications.

Ask what projects are currently active and how far along they are. A laboratory with several studies nearing analysis or manuscript preparation may provide different opportunities than one beginning a completely new line of research.

You can also look at the professor’s recent publications. Pay attention to whether the laboratory has published during the last few years, whether undergraduate students appear as authors, and whether the research topics remain active.

Publication history should not be your only criterion. Some meaningful projects take years to complete, and publication rates vary among fields. You are simply trying to understand whether the laboratory’s stated goals are supported by its recent activity.

Look for a Balance Between Mentorship, Funding, and Productivity

My ideal undergraduate laboratory would be well funded, highly productive, and deeply committed to mentoring every student. In reality, it can be difficult to find all three qualities functioning at the highest level.

A very productive and well-funded laboratory may be large, with the professor spending most of their time managing grants and senior researchers. You may receive excellent technical training from a graduate student but have less contact with the PI.

A smaller laboratory may give you direct access to the professor and allow you to contribute intellectually much earlier, but it may have fewer resources or slower publication timelines.

Your goal is to identify the balance that fits your current needs.

I eventually split my time between two laboratories because they offered different strengths. One was more hands-on, productive, and well funded. The other was more hands-off, strongly focused on mentorship, and less productive in terms of publications, but it regularly attended four or five research conferences each year.

Separately, neither laboratory gave me every opportunity I wanted. Together, they gave me conference experience, mentorship, technical training, grant-writing experience, paper-writing opportunities, and exposure to very different approaches to research.

I am not suggesting that every student should join multiple laboratories. Dividing your time can become overwhelming, and some laboratories expect a substantial commitment. I was able to make the arrangement work because the experiences complemented one another and I understood what I hoped to gain from each.

The larger lesson is that no laboratory has to be perfect. You need enough alignment between the environment and your goals to make the experience worthwhile.

Learn the Larger Purpose of Your Project

Once you join a laboratory, do not remain satisfied with knowing only the steps of a protocol.

You should understand the larger question the laboratory is studying, how your specific task contributes to that question, what the researchers expect to find, and why the outcome matters.

During your first weeks, you may be focused almost entirely on learning how to pipette, enter data, recruit participants, run a gel, review charts, or use a particular software program. That is appropriate because you need a reliable technical foundation before taking on greater responsibility.

As your training progresses, begin asking why each step is performed. Ask what the controls demonstrate, why one assay was chosen instead of another, how the results will be analyzed, and what finding would support or challenge the hypothesis.

Read the laboratory’s recent publications and ask your mentor which papers are most important for understanding the project. You probably will not understand every detail at first, especially when the methods are unfamiliar. Focus on the central question, the major findings, and how the current project builds on that work.

The more deeply you understand the project, the more useful you become to the team. You will also be much better prepared to explain your experience during a conference, scholarship interview, medical school application, or future research position.

Become Reliable Before Asking for Greater Independence

Most mentors will not give a new undergraduate complete freedom on the first day. They need to know that you can follow directions, document your work, protect samples, communicate honestly, and show up when expected.

Reliability may sound less exciting than publishing a paper, but it is the foundation for nearly every later opportunity.

Arrive on time, complete assigned tasks carefully, keep organized notes, and communicate early when a conflict arises. If you make a mistake, tell the person supervising you rather than trying to hide it.

Research errors happen. A sample may be mislabeled, a culture may become contaminated, a calculation may be wrong, or a computer file may be saved incorrectly. Hiding the problem can waste far more time and money than the original error.

Ask questions when you are uncertain, but also demonstrate that you made an effort to find the answer. Review the protocol, check your notes, and then explain specifically where you became confused.

As your mentor sees that you are dependable, they will be more likely to trust you with valuable samples, longer procedures, data analysis, independent work, and opportunities to represent the laboratory.

Keep Detailed Research Notes

Good documentation is one of the habits that separates reliable researchers from students who repeatedly make the same mistakes.

Record what you did, when you did it, which samples or participants were involved, which materials were used, what changed from the standard procedure, what happened, and what you would do differently next time.

Do not assume that you will remember a small detail several months later. Research moves slowly, and an observation that feels obvious today may become extremely important when you are analyzing unexpected results later.

In a wet laboratory, your notebook may include reagent lot numbers, concentrations, incubation times, equipment settings, sample identifiers, and observations about anything unusual.

In clinical or computational research, your documentation may involve inclusion decisions, variable definitions, code changes, search strategies, data-cleaning steps, and reasons certain records were excluded.

Detailed notes also make it easier to prepare a poster or manuscript because you can reconstruct what actually happened rather than relying on memory.

Ask for Feedback Before You Think You Need It

Do not wait for your mentor to approach you only when something has gone wrong. Ask periodically how you are doing and what you could improve.

You might ask whether your documentation is detailed enough, whether you are progressing at the expected pace, and which skills would help you become more independent.

Feedback can feel uncomfortable, particularly when you are working hard and want to believe everything is going well. However, small corrections early can prevent larger problems later.

When someone gives you feedback, show that you applied it. If your mentor asks you to improve your notebook organization, change it before the next meeting. When a graduate student corrects your technique, practice the correct method rather than continuing the familiar one.

Mentors are more likely to invest additional time in students who listen, improve, and demonstrate that their teaching makes a difference.

Attend Laboratory Meetings

Laboratory meetings are one of the best places to understand how research decisions are made.

Even when the presentations are far beyond your current knowledge, you can observe how researchers explain data, respond to questions, troubleshoot unexpected findings, and decide what experiment should come next.

Take notes on unfamiliar terms and look them up later. Pay attention to how figures are organized and how experienced researchers distinguish between what the data show and what they only suspect.

Over time, the discussions will become easier to follow. You may begin recognizing recurring methods, projects, and scientific debates.

When you eventually present your own work, these meetings provide a relatively safe environment to practice before speaking at a conference.

If your laboratory does not hold regular meetings, ask whether you can attend departmental seminars, journal clubs, research-in-progress sessions, or another forum where scientists discuss their work.

Read Papers Strategically

Reading scientific articles is difficult when you first begin because the writing assumes a great deal of background knowledge. You do not need to understand every sentence during your first attempt.

Begin with the title and abstract so you know the central question and conclusion. Look at the figures and captions to see what the researchers actually measured. Read the introduction to understand the background, then move to the discussion to see how the authors interpreted the findings.

You can return to the methods and detailed results once you understand the larger story.

Keep a list of unfamiliar terms and recurring methods. Ask your mentor which concepts are most important rather than spending hours trying to master every detail independently.

You may also create short summaries of the papers most relevant to your project. Record the research question, main method, major finding, limitation, and how the article connects with your work.

This habit becomes extremely helpful when you later write a grant, abstract, poster, or manuscript.

Seek Increasing Responsibility Over Time

A meaningful undergraduate research experience should gradually change as you become more skilled.

During your first semester, you may spend most of your time training and assisting other researchers. Later, you might begin running parts of an experiment independently, analyzing a portion of the data, or becoming responsible for a smaller component of a larger project.

Eventually, you may help troubleshoot methods, train newer students, prepare figures, write an abstract, or propose a small question of your own.

This progression does not always happen automatically. Once you have demonstrated reliability, tell your mentor that you would like to become more involved.

You might say, “I feel comfortable with the current technique and would like to better understand how the data will be analyzed. Is there a way I could help with that part of the project?”

You could also ask whether there is a small subproject you might take greater ownership of during the next semester or summer.

Approach the conversation with humility. You are not demanding independence or authorship. You are showing that you want to continue learning and contributing.

Learn How to Troubleshoot Failed Experiments

One of the most valuable lessons I gained from research was learning that failure is part of the process.

Experiments do not always work. Cells may fail to grow, equipment may malfunction, samples may become contaminated, participant recruitment may move slowly, or an analysis may produce no meaningful result.

During my undergraduate research, I learned how much trial and error could be involved in even a relatively straightforward project. I sometimes repeated an experiment several times, adjusted the procedure, reviewed possible sources of error, and began again.

Initially, this could feel discouraging because I was accustomed to coursework where following the correct steps usually produced the correct answer. Research was different. Sometimes the correct procedure produced an unexpected result, and sometimes the method itself needed to be reconsidered.

Try not to see every failed experiment as evidence that you are bad at research. Ask what information the outcome provides. Review the controls, compare your notes with previous successful runs, and discuss possible explanations with the team.

The ability to remain calm, communicate honestly, and troubleshoot systematically will make you a more useful researcher and can become one of the most meaningful lessons you carry into medicine.

Pursue Conference Opportunities

Conferences allow you to explain your work, receive questions, learn about related projects, and meet students and scientists outside your own laboratory.

My undergraduate research allowed me to attend more than 20 conferences, including opportunities to give both poster and oral presentations. Those experiences were a major part of my development because they forced me to understand the project well enough to explain it to people who had not watched it develop.

Some conferences may be held at your university, while others may be regional or national meetings. Your laboratory may attend professional conferences related to its field, and honor societies or undergraduate research programs may sponsor their own events.

Ask your mentor where students in the laboratory usually present and what stage of data is needed before submitting an abstract. You may not need a complete publication-ready project. Preliminary or ongoing results may be appropriate for some undergraduate symposia.

Universities and professional organizations sometimes provide travel awards that can help with registration, transportation, hotels, or poster printing. Ask your undergraduate research office and department whether those funds are available.

When you receive a presentation opportunity, use my guides on how to create a scientific research poster and how to prepare for an oral research presentation.

Apply for Undergraduate Research Grants

Grant writing helped me understand my projects in a different way because it required me to explain why the work mattered, how the experiments would be completed, what the supplies would cost, and why a reviewer should support the project.

I applied for several undergraduate research grants and received two of them. The successful awards were exciting, but one of the unsuccessful applications taught me an especially useful lesson.

I had performed well in most of the review categories but lost points because I did not provide enough preliminary findings. I had not realized how strongly the reviewers wanted evidence that the project was feasible.

That feedback helped me understand that a strong grant is not only an interesting idea. Reviewers also need to believe that the methods will work, the project can be completed, and the requested funding will produce something useful.

Ask your mentor whether your university, honor society, department, or professional organization offers student research funding. Even a small award can support reagents, participant incentives, software, supplies, or conference travel.

My detailed guide on applying for undergraduate research grants explains how to find opportunities, write the proposal, include preliminary data, build a budget, and respond to rejection.

You can also search my Premed Scholarships and Paid Research Internship Programs Database for funded opportunities and research programs.

Ask About Authorship and Manuscript Opportunities

Publications are not guaranteed, and you should not join a laboratory assuming that a certain number of hours automatically entitles you to authorship.

However, it is appropriate to understand how the laboratory handles authorship and whether undergraduate students have meaningful opportunities to contribute to manuscripts.

Authorship generally depends on the substance of your contribution rather than simply the amount of time you spent in the laboratory. You may contribute experiments, data analysis, figures, literature review, interpretation, or manuscript writing.

Ask your mentor what work remains before the project could be submitted and whether there are sections you could help prepare. Even when you do not qualify for authorship, participating in the writing and revision process can teach you how a study becomes a published paper.

I was fortunate to publish three papers during and following my undergraduate research, with additional manuscripts still moving through the process. Some of those opportunities came from laboratories that were highly productive, while my other research experiences contributed more heavily to conference presentations and mentorship.

A publication can strengthen a medical school application, but it should not become the only way you judge whether your research was valuable. Many excellent undergraduate projects are still ongoing when the student graduates or applies to medical school.

My guide on how to write a research paper for publication can help once you reach the manuscript stage.

Develop Scientific Writing Skills

Scientific writing is different from the essays you complete in many college courses. It emphasizes precision, evidence, clarity, and careful distinction between what the data show and what you believe they may mean.

You can begin developing these skills long before you become an author on a manuscript.

Volunteer to draft an abstract, summarize a paper, write a methods paragraph, create a figure caption, or help prepare a poster. Ask your mentor to explain why they revise certain sentences and how they decide which evidence belongs in the introduction or discussion.

Do not be discouraged when your first draft receives extensive edits. Even experienced researchers revise their writing repeatedly, and feedback is part of the process.

Save versions of your work so you can see how your writing improves. Over time, you will become better at describing the research question, explaining methods, presenting results, and avoiding claims that exceed the data.

Explore Scholarships and Recognition

Your research experience may make you eligible for university awards, national scholarships, honor-society opportunities, summer fellowships, and conference prizes.

I eventually received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, which recognizes undergraduate students pursuing research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

I did not begin research with the assumption that I would receive a national scholarship. The opportunity developed from the work I had already completed, the mentorship I received, and the recommendation of people who understood my goals.

Ask your university’s undergraduate research office, honors program, fellowship advisor, and academic department about awards for which you may be eligible. Some scholarships require institutional nomination, which means you cannot apply independently and may need to begin the process much earlier than expected.

Do not remove yourself from consideration because you assume that other students are more accomplished. Speak with an advisor, review the criteria honestly, and allow the selection committee to make that decision.

Build a Genuine Relationship With Your Mentor

Your research mentor can become one of the most influential people in your undergraduate education, but that relationship requires more than appearing in the laboratory each week.

Meet regularly when possible and update the mentor on your progress, questions, challenges, and goals. Ask about their career path and what they wish they had understood as a student.

Let them know when you are considering medical school, graduate school, an MD-PhD program, a summer opportunity, or a major scholarship. They cannot support goals they do not know about.

At the same time, respect their time. Arrive prepared for meetings, bring specific questions, and complete the work you agreed to do.

A mentor who knows you well can help identify opportunities, introduce you to collaborators, critique your writing, and write a detailed recommendation letter.

My research mentors supported me throughout college by helping with conferences, grant proposals, manuscripts, scholarships, and career decisions. Much of what I gained from research came from those relationships rather than any single experiment.

Learn From Everyone in the Research Group

The PI is important, but they are not the only person who can teach you.

Graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, technicians, coordinators, statisticians, and senior undergraduate students may spend far more time with you during your daily work.

Treat every team member with respect, ask thoughtful questions, and recognize the time they spend training you. A graduate student may be balancing experiments, coursework, teaching, and their own deadlines while still helping you learn a technique.

These relationships can also provide a more realistic picture of research careers. When I was exploring MD-PhD training, working alongside master’s students and PhD-level researchers helped me understand what the research side of that path actually involved.

You may discover that you enjoy the daily process enough to pursue substantial research in your future career. You may also discover that you prefer medicine with occasional research involvement rather than making laboratory work your central focus.

Both outcomes are useful. The purpose of undergraduate research includes learning about yourself as well as producing data.

Consider Summer Research Programs

Summer programs can give you a concentrated period of research without the constant scheduling interruptions of a full academic semester.

I participated in summer research programs at other universities, which allowed me to experience different laboratories, mentors, institutional cultures, and research approaches.

A structured summer program may provide a stipend, housing, professional-development workshops, seminars, graduate-school preparation, poster sessions, or travel support. It may also expose you to techniques and equipment that are not available at your home university.

These programs can be competitive and often have application deadlines during the winter. Begin searching months before the summer you hope to participate.

You can use my Premed Summer Programs and Research Experiences Database to compare opportunities, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and funding.

Track Your Hours, Responsibilities, and Accomplishments

Do not wait until the medical school application to reconstruct several years of research from memory.

Maintain a spreadsheet or document containing the laboratory name, mentor, dates, average weekly hours, projects, techniques, responsibilities, presentations, grants, awards, manuscripts, and publications.

Also record meaningful moments that may help you reflect on the experience later. Write down an experiment that repeatedly failed, feedback that changed how you worked, a question you received at a conference, or a moment when you began understanding the project at a deeper level.

Medical school applications and interviews are rarely interested only in a list of techniques. They want to know what you learned, how you changed, and why the experience mattered.

My free Premed Research Hours Tracker can help you organize your hours, projects, mentors, presentations, grants, and publications as they occur.

You can also use my free CV template for premedical students and undergraduates to maintain a professional record of your scholarly work.

Learn How Your Research Fits Into Medical School Applications

Research can strengthen a medical school application by demonstrating intellectual curiosity, teamwork, resilience, communication, scientific reasoning, and long-term commitment.

However, the value depends on your ability to explain the experience. Listing advanced techniques will not help much when you cannot describe the research question, your contribution, or what you learned.

Be prepared to explain the problem the laboratory was studying, why it mattered, what you personally did, what went wrong, how you responded, and what conclusions were or were not supported.

You should also be honest about the extent of your independence. It is completely normal for an undergraduate project to be designed primarily by the PI or graduate student. Describe your role accurately rather than making yourself sound like the leader of the entire laboratory.

Research should also complement rather than replace clinical experience and service. A strong laboratory background can show that you understand how scientific knowledge is developed, while patient-facing experiences help explain why you want to become a physician.

My article on whether being a research assistant is helpful for medical school explains how research can fit into AMCAS, recommendation letters, leadership, mentorship, and medical school interviews.

Know When It May Be Time to Leave a Lab

Joining a laboratory does not mean you must remain there for the rest of college regardless of how the situation changes.

A mentor may accept a major administrative position and no longer have time to guide students. The laboratory may lose funding, your direct supervisor may leave, or the project may turn out to be very different from what you expected.

You may also discover that you simply do not enjoy the research area or that your responsibilities have remained stagnant despite a long commitment.

Leaving does not need to involve anger or conflict. Speak respectfully with your mentor, complete any outstanding responsibilities, organize your notes and data, and provide reasonable notice.

Explain that your interests or needs have changed and express appreciation for what you learned. Most faculty members understand that undergraduate students are still exploring their futures.

Before leaving, make sure you are not reacting only to the normal frustrations of research. Repetitive work, failed experiments, and slow progress occur in nearly every laboratory. The important distinction is whether you are still learning and whether there is a realistic path toward growth.

Warning Signs That a Research Experience Is Not Helping You Grow

I would become concerned if you have remained in a laboratory for a long period and still do not understand the larger project, no one explains why you are completing your tasks, and there is no plan for increasing your responsibility.

Other warning signs include questions being discouraged, mistakes being handled through humiliation, expectations changing without explanation, students routinely receiving little credit for meaningful work, and the mentor repeatedly making promises that never become concrete opportunities.

You should also pay attention to whether the experience is damaging your academics or well-being. Research can be demanding, but an undergraduate laboratory should not expect you to sacrifice every class, relationship, or personal need.

Discuss concerns with the mentor or direct supervisor when possible. A problem may be the result of unclear communication rather than a permanently unhealthy environment.

If the situation does not improve, seeking another laboratory may be the better choice for your education and enjoyment.

Can You Work in More Than One Research Lab?

It is possible to work in more than one laboratory, and doing so helped me obtain a broader research experience. However, this arrangement should be approached carefully.

Each laboratory needs enough of your time for the training investment to make sense. Splitting six total hours between two highly technical laboratories may prevent you from progressing meaningfully in either one.

You should also communicate openly with both mentors. Some professors may prefer students who commit exclusively to their laboratory, while others may support the opportunity to learn in another setting.

Consider whether the laboratories offer genuinely different experiences. In my case, one provided stronger productivity, funding, and hands-on work, while the other provided extensive mentorship and frequent conference presentations.

Working in both allowed me to combine those strengths, but it also required careful scheduling and a clear understanding of my responsibilities.

Do not join multiple laboratories simply to increase the number of activities on your application. One deep and productive experience is usually more valuable than several shallow ones.

What If Your Lab Does Not Produce Publications?

A laboratory can still provide an excellent undergraduate experience even when you do not publish a paper.

Projects can take years, and publication depends on funding, the field, the type of data, journal review, collaboration, and many factors outside your control.

Focus on whether you are learning, gaining responsibility, contributing meaningfully, and developing relationships. You may still present at conferences, write a thesis, apply for grants, learn advanced techniques, or receive a strong recommendation letter.

One of my laboratories was not especially productive in terms of publications, but it provided some of my strongest mentorship and allowed me to attend several conferences each year.

That experience remained valuable because it developed skills and opened opportunities that a publication count alone would not capture.

Common Mistakes Undergraduate Researchers Make

One common mistake is joining the first available laboratory without learning anything about the mentor, funding, project stage, or student experience. It is often worth taking additional time to find a better fit.

Another mistake is focusing only on completing assigned tasks. You should first learn the procedures carefully, but eventually you need to understand the hypothesis, controls, results, and larger meaning of the work.

Students may also wait quietly for opportunities rather than expressing interest. Your mentor may not realize that you want to write, present, apply for grants, or lead a project unless you tell them.

Another mistake is expecting immediate publications or independence. Research progress is slow, and mentors need time to assess your reliability before increasing your responsibility.

Finally, students sometimes remain in an unhealthy or stagnant laboratory because they believe leaving would look bad. Longevity can be valuable, but staying for years without learning is not automatically better than making a thoughtful transition.

Frequently Asked Questions About Undergraduate Research

How can I get the most out of undergraduate research?

Choose a supportive mentor, learn the larger purpose of the project, become reliable, attend meetings, read relevant papers, seek feedback, and ask for greater responsibility as your skills grow. You can then pursue presentations, grants, writing, and leadership opportunities when the project is ready.

How long should I stay in a research lab?

Many students benefit from remaining involved for several semesters or years because the first months are often spent training. Longer involvement can lead to greater independence, stronger mentorship, and more opportunities to present or write.

However, you do not need to remain indefinitely in an environment that is unhealthy, stagnant, or no longer aligned with your goals.

How do I know whether a research mentor is good?

A good mentor communicates expectations, welcomes questions, provides constructive feedback, explains the science, and creates a realistic path toward growth.

Ask current students about the professor’s availability and whether undergraduates have received meaningful opportunities in the past.

Should I choose a lab based on the research topic or mentor?

Both matter, but I would often prioritize the mentoring environment when choosing between reasonably interesting topics. An excellent topic cannot fully compensate for a laboratory where no one has time to teach you.

How do I ask for more responsibility in a research lab?

Begin by demonstrating reliability with your current work. Then tell your mentor that you would like to understand more of the project or take ownership of a small component.

Ask whether you can assist with data analysis, figures, an abstract, a poster, or a defined subproject.

Do I need a publication from undergraduate research?

No. A publication can be valuable, but it is not required for medical school and is not the only measure of a successful experience.

Your contribution, understanding, growth, presentations, mentorship, and ability to discuss the project also matter.

Can undergraduate researchers attend conferences?

Yes. Undergraduates frequently present at university symposia, regional meetings, honor-society events, and national conferences.

Ask your mentor which meetings fit your project and whether travel funding is available.

Can I apply for research grants as an undergraduate?

Yes. Universities, honor societies, departments, and scientific organizations may offer student research funding.

You will generally need a defined project, faculty mentor, proposal, timeline, and budget.

Is it bad to leave a research lab?

No. Students change laboratories because of mentorship, funding, scheduling, research interests, project availability, and other reasonable circumstances.

Leave professionally, communicate clearly, and complete your outstanding responsibilities.

Is basic science research better for medical school than other research?

No single research type is automatically best. Basic science, clinical research, public health, psychology, education, computational research, and other fields can all be meaningful.

Choose work that interests you and allows you to develop a strong understanding of the research process.

Final Thoughts

My undergraduate research experience became much more than an activity I could list on a medical school application. It taught me how to approach unanswered questions, work through repeated failure, communicate scientific ideas, accept feedback, and function within a team of people at different stages of training.

I was fortunate to work in two laboratories that offered very different strengths. One was more productive, hands-on, and well funded, while the other was more focused on mentorship and provided frequent opportunities to attend conferences.

Together, those experiences allowed me to attend more than 20 conferences, earn two research grants, contribute to multiple publications, and receive the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. None of those outcomes happened simply because I showed up for a certain number of hours.

They developed because I had mentors who supported me, because I tried to understand what each laboratory could offer, and because I gradually pursued new responsibilities once I had established myself as a reliable member of the team.

Your research experience does not need to look exactly like mine. You may care more about clinical research, data science, public health, or a completely different academic field. You may prefer one long-term laboratory rather than dividing your time between two. You may publish several papers, or you may complete an excellent project that is still ongoing when you graduate.

The most important question is whether the experience is helping you become more thoughtful, skilled, independent, and curious.

Choose your mentor carefully, learn the science behind your work, ask for feedback, and communicate the opportunities you hope to pursue. Research is unlikely to hand you every opportunity automatically, but a supportive environment and an engaged student can create much more than a line on a résumé.

You can continue with my guide on what undergraduate research is, learn how to email a professor about research, or explore my full collection of undergraduate research guides covering mentorship, grants, summer programs, posters, oral presentations, publications, and medical school applications.