Unsure about committing to a lab for my PhD.

BacanBan

Hi,

Basically my problem is this. I started a PhD in September and as part of it we had to do two rotation projects in two seperate labs to get more exposure to other lab environments and techniques.
I'm a bioinformatician by training and want to continue down this route. One lab was in a bioinformatics environment, while the other was in a more biological lab. The first rotation went well and I really enjoyed learning some new techniques.
I'm in the middle of the second one now, getting to grips with the lab side of things and though I am enjoying it, it's not where I want my future to head.

However the PI of this lab has offered me a PhD project in bioinformatics that sounds interesting. I like the project and all, but I don't know I guess I'm worried about being the only bioinformatician in a wet lab environment.
There's some niggly feelings also about the lab, the others don't really get what I do, they think computers are easy and fair enough. They all want me to go down the lab route, which isn't me. The two people I get on most with in the lab are finishing soon, and I'm worried I'm going to end up miserbale and alone with a supervisor who has no clear understanding of what I'm doing. But every time I talk to him about this, he somehow manages to convince me to stay. Until I'm by myself again and the worry starts again.

I guess I don't know if it's just general worry about starting somewhere new, or just that the situation isn't a right fit for me and I should go and find a project that suits me better?
Does anybody have any kind of similar situation where they committed to something they weren't 100% sure about and it turned out ok, or should I just be blunt with the supervisor and tell them that I'm really not convinced it's for me? Even after I said I would and it might leave him having to find a new student quickly.

djpbarry

BacanBan wrote: »

They all want me to go down the lab route, which isn't me.

If you're really not interested in devoting your time to lab work, then that would seem to answer your question for you?

BacanBan wrote: »

Does anybody have any kind of similar situation where they committed to something they weren't 100% sure about and it turned out ok, or should I just be blunt with the supervisor and tell them that I'm really not convinced it's for me?

I'm from an electronic engineering background, my PhD was in biotechnology and now I work in a cell biology lab. I was by no means 100% sure about taking either this position, or my last one, but my PhD in particular worked out very well, largely thanks to the dedication of my supervisor (who still doesn't really have a clue about engineering!).

My current position hasn't really worked out quite so well. I'm learning plenty and I get on very well with the people I work with, but I don't have such a good supervisor. But, I still think I made the right decision in giving it a go as I'm in a pretty high profile institute with excellent facilities.

In your case, it really depends on what you want to be doing on a day-to-day basis and what you want to learn. Being a bioinformatician with a good handle on common lab techniques could be highly advantageous.

However, I really can't stress enough how important a good supervisor is at PhD level - they are literally worth their weight in gold. If you think this guy really has your best interests at heart and can help you develop as a scientist, it could be a very good opportunity. At the end of the day, if it doesn't work out, it's not the end of the world - you can always start again somewhere else.

BacanBan

Hi. Thanks for your advice djpbarry. You're right a good supervisor is important, that's what made me even consider this lab in the first place, I believe this guy is one. I told him my concerns about the lab work and he assured me that he stills wants me to do bioinformatics, he doesn't want to turn me into a lab biologist. I can do basic lab stuff, which I'm happy with, but I won't have to do a large portion of my work on it. So it seems like it's working out for me.

I really appreciated your comment as I was feeling particularly low when I wrote this, and it helped. I'm just ignoring some of the other people in the lab, it's my project not theirs. I'm feeling lots more hopeful and put together now.

Thanks.