Lab environment
The composition of a lab can play a huge role in your overall productivity and mental well-being. Your coworkers will be the ones you interact with on a day-to-day basis. Your lab mates can be a huge asset in terms of mastering new techniques, collaborating on a project, or receiving helpful feedback. Thus, it is to your benefit to get along with your lab mates and to choose a lab that has people who you want to work with or don’t mind working with. The reality of postdoctoral training is that you will spend a large amount of time working in the lab, so choosing a lab that has an environment that fits your personality and desired workload and schedule is important. Considering the valuable contribution of lab members toward your research progression, you should give considerable weight to this factor when choosing a lab.
Scientific output
Although labs with high-impact publications are attractive, it is more important to consider the frequency with which a lab comes out with papers. Search Pubmed to obtain the complete publication roster of the PI. This output will give you an idea about the consistency and regularity of publications and overall lab productivity. When querying the lab’s publication list, check if the lab members have coauthorships on manuscripts apart from their first-author ones. It is desirable to be a coauthor on other manuscripts, as this will help increase your publication record. In addition, look for collaborators of the PI. These collaborations might benefit you by broadening your skill set and experience. Be intentional about reviewing the papers from the lab over the last 5 years. If you want to pursue academic research, you will want to be in a lab that publishes frequently in well-respected journals.
Institution
The institutional environment should also influence your decision. Top universities can attract some of the best researchers. Moreover, funding agencies examine the “Environment and Institutional Commitment” as one of the criteria for awarding grants. When choosing an institution, consider its priorities and ensure that it aligns with your priorities (i.e., research, undergraduate education, etc.). Consider the number of PIs conducting research in your field. These other labs may benefit your career development through collaborations, scientific discussions, letters of recommendation, career support, and feedback.
Conclusion
While there are certain key criteria that should be prioritized when choosing a lab, the path to finding (and joining) the right lab will vary from individual to individual. Gather data, ask questions, research what you can online (lab website, publication records, LinkedIn, ResearchGate, or Twitter), and be ready for the interview with a long list of written questions for the PI and lab members. One of the best ways to begin looking for a new lab is to ask your current mentor, committee members, peers, and others in your professional network for their suggestions. Table 1 has questions to keep in mind as you are searching for a lab. You will spend much of your time in the lab of your choosing, so choose wisely.
Dr. Engevik is an instructor in pathology and immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston.
