The Recipe: Getting Involved Outside Academics
Authored By: Janet Z. Li, May 21st 2021
Ingredients
Time management skills
An authentic desire to learn
Courage to step out of your comfort zone
A strong support system (including yourself!)
Preparation
Campus Clubs: Clubs that exist in and around campus are one of the best ways to get involved in degree-related discussions. There is always a huge variety and range of clubs, from academic ones to fun-based ones. These are low commitment and often very fun, so they’re a great way to start off your undergraduate journey beyond classes.
Volunteering in University Labs: Many universities have research based faculties (i.e., such as psychology, physiology etc.) that are constantly looking for volunteers to participate in their studies. Besides being able to make a few extra dollars, this gives you an opportunity to speak to the Principal Investigator and other students working in the lab. Ask them about other projects they are working on and if and how you can get involved either as a participant or volunteer (which they are often looking for).
Volunteering at Hospitals: Many universities are located within walking distance to hospitals and clinics. These health services are normally open to hiring student volunteers and can give you flexible hours. Simply spending time in and around the hospital will give you opportunities to speak with prospective mentors/researchers/health professionals and gives you first-hand experience in a health-care environment. You can kick-start this experience by reaching out to a specific researcher if you have their contact information, or contacting the hospital’s recruitment team via their website.
Job Shadowing: A step up from volunteering, is job shadowing a healthcare provider for a complete day; this is another way to gain first-hand experience in a hospital environment. Normally, you need to contact the physician personally, and introduce yourself before asking if they would take you on for a day or two and show you their daily activities. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get an email reply, many individuals are too busy to answer, and usually the answer would be no anyways! The ones that do answer are more than happy to have you around and allow you to take notes and ask questions about their career. This type of involvement can be helpful for any STEM field, from psychology to cell and molecular biology. Make sure to do some research in advance when looking for the right physicians/researchers to email and discuss their recent publications with them.
Ask your Professors: Many students don’t realize that a significant amount of their undergraduate professors are also lab researchers or something of the like. This means that they run or host a laboratory right there at your university! After asking them about their research and doing some Googling yourself, you can make the leap and ask them if they are looking for students to join their labs in the upcoming semester. It’s best to ask at the beginnings’ and ends’ of semesters, as that’s usually when recruitment occurs. Additionally, in order to ease this process, make sure to make yourself heard during this professor’s lectures; ask questions and raise your hand lots! This way, you’ll stand out of the large crowds that they teach and be memorable when you ask them about a potential position.
Don’t be Afraid: Ask around, and remember that success comes to those who step out of their comfort zones and brave the unknown.
Tips
Acquaint yourself with professors and researchers in your field of study.
Try new things, even if you’re not sure they’re right for you.
Don’t be afraid of rejection, it's normal and necessary too.
Ask for help when you need it, there are many available resources for you, but you have to go find them.
