<p>I’m a current freshman, and I was wondering about whether I should take 7.391 (introductory biology lab course) or do a UROP during this January IAP. I have a UROP for IAP/spring semester, but I wonder if it’s worth putting it off for a bit while I gain more lab experience (I had minimal lab exposure during high school). However, the UROP will train newcomers so I’ll still be exposed to basic lab techniques. But which should I do?</p>
<p>No way – start the UROP. Even if you took the lab course, or if you had lots of lab experience in high school, you’d still need to be trained in the particular UROP lab in the way they do things. Taking the lab course wouldn’t really save you any time, and there’s really no way to avoid bumbling around in a lab the first few weeks.</p>
<p>The only major way the lab course potentially helps you is if you are ambivalent about the UROP you have set up, and anticipate switching to a different lab after spring semester. At that point, having the lab course could be useful to help you acquire a new UROP. But in terms of future outcomes (PhD/MD admissions, paper publication, career in general), it’s better to stay in one UROP and delve deeply into one or two major projects.</p>
<p>(I doubled in 7 and 9 and am a current PhD student in biology at Harvard. Happy to help with any other questions about research/future outcomes, if you have them.)</p>
<p>I absolutely agree with what Mollie said.</p>
<p>I took 7.391 a few IAPs ago. Valuable class if you don’t have a UROP for IAP, but I’d definitely go for the UROP instead, for reasons Mollie stated.</p>
<p>@mollie & piper, thanks for your responses! </p>
<p>@mollie, what is the difference among doing a UROP for credit, pay, or volunteering? Is it in terms of time commitment (specifically between credit and pay)? </p>
<p>thanks again.</p>
<p>It’s mostly just a difference in what sort of compensation your lab is able to offer and you’re willing to accept. :)</p>
<p>If you UROP for credit, you’re expected by the UROP office to be in lab for the number of hours per week you’re requesting credit (e.g., 12 units = 12 hours per week). Otherwise, you can generally make your own commitment, although your lab may expect you to commit a certain number of hours regardless of the method of compensation.</p>
<p>Personally, I worked for pay except for two semesters I needed credit (I was a double-major under the old system, when you needed 270 units outside the GIRs to double). I worked about the same number of hours either way, but my UROP advisor had been clear when I started in the lab that they expected about 12 hours or so per week from me.</p>