The Grad School Thread

[genny]

Don't sad react me! No one died, and everyone got to leave work on time. I call that a good day.

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[PrincessButterCup]

Tom has 8 and mine has 7, lol: Representations of Bodies as Violence

 

[WildZoo]

I had an expert look over a protocol for part of my project, we discussed it at length, she gave me some pointers and otherwise said it looked good. I started it up today and the protocol was not only not working, I was getting super weird results. So I called her and she was like "Oh you should have done x instead of y" when I had clearly said in the protocol that I was going to do y It was not something I could fix today, so I have to start the whole thing over on Thursday and I'm salty because there have already been so many delays.

At least it's just a small preliminary thing but arg this was so preventable. And I really appreciate having her to help since I would be so so lost otherwise. Just a little frustrating.

Though i guess I shouldn't complain too much because one of my labmates is having a hell of a time with her project and basically having experiences like what happened to me today every day, except there is no one to tell her how to fix it. Poor thing.

 

[Lupin21]

I had an expert look over a protocol for part of my project, we discussed it at length, she gave me some pointers and otherwise said it looked good. I started it up today and the protocol was not only not working, I was getting super weird results. So I called her and she was like "Oh you should have done x instead of y" when I had clearly said in the protocol that I was going to do y It was not something I could fix today, so I have to start the whole thing over on Thursday and I'm salty because there have already been so many delays.

At least it's just a small preliminary thing but arg this was so preventable. And I really appreciate having her to help since I would be so so lost otherwise. Just a little frustrating.

Though i guess I shouldn't complain too much because one of my labmates is having a hell of a time with her project and basically having experiences like what happened to me today every day, except there is no one to tell her how to fix it. Poor thing.

This is why I left with grey hairs. Literally. There are very few wins in research and it can wear you down. I'm glad you are finding the positive in shared misery with your lab mate though. bahahaa

 

[PrincessButterCup]

Ugh, I can commiserate Dubz. I have a project like that. Right now it's in limbo and I'm kind of desperately hoping PI will write it off (someone just published basically the thing we were trying to do, so . . . ) but trying and failing over and over again isn't fun.

I much prefer data analysis to bench work, and writing/editing to data analysis. Basically I never want to touch a bench again once I graduate.

 

[supershorty]

I much prefer data analysis to bench work, and writing/editing to data analysis. Basically I never want to touch a bench again once I graduate.

I too can commiserate but the bolded part is a perfect demonstration of why you will be a PI and I never will. I'd MUCH rather do bench work than writing!

@WildZoo I feel like commiseration with lab mates is the best part of grad school. We're all struggling (and suffering) together! You'll get it, hang in there.

 

[WildZoo]

This is why I left with grey hairs. Literally. There are very few wins in research and it can wear you down. I'm glad you are finding the positive in shared misery with your lab mate though. bahahaa

I'm convinced all the work I did prior to starting the PhD will be the only good things, and it's all downhill from there

 

[supershorty]

@longtailmonkey you should join us in the great grad school commiseration thread. We're all here for each other!

 

[longtailmonkey]

@supershorty Thanks for alerting me to the existence of this thread! It's just what I need

Hello fellow grad students, excited to join you here! I cannot wait to finish and bounce to vet school.

 

[PrincessButterCup]

I'm kind of having a blast writing in my new lab book. My last two books (especially last year's) ended up getting really jumbled and confusing, with everything entered by date instead of organized by project. This time I'm making way more detailed notes for computer work (which I've historically been awful about because it doesn't feel like bench work that needs to be recorded, you know? But inevitably I'll want to remember why I did this thing or how I did it and I won't have any notes about it), and I have all my stats results organized (and color coded!) instead of just saved in an electronic document, and it makes me feel so happy and so organized. It feels like a work diary and I'm having so much fun. There have been a couple times I've been talking to my PI and said "I'll have to look that up - wait! I can tell you right now, I made a note about that!" I feel like I haven't been using a lab book correctly until now.

Also, the other day I was recording something I was doing on the computer and my lab mate kind of laughed at me, like why are you spending time writing this down? And then she ended up having to do something in the same program and couldn't figure it out, so she borrowed my lab book to follow my notes. I was greatly amused and a little smug.

 

[WildZoo]

I'm kind of having a blast writing in my new lab book. My last two books (especially last year's) ended up getting really jumbled and confusing, with everything entered by date instead of organized by project. This time I'm making way more detailed notes for computer work (which I've historically been awful about because it doesn't feel like bench work that needs to be recorded, you know? But inevitably I'll want to remember why I did this thing or how I did it and I won't have any notes about it), and I have all my stats results organized (and color coded!) instead of just saved in an electronic document, and it makes me feel so happy and so organized. It feels like a work diary and I'm having so much fun. There have been a couple times I've been talking to my PI and said "I'll have to look that up - wait! I can tell you right now, I made a note about that!" I feel like I haven't been using a lab book correctly until now.

Also, the other day I was recording something I was doing on the computer and my lab mate kind of laughed at me, like why are you spending time writing this down? And then she ended up having to do something in the same program and couldn't figure it out, so she borrowed my lab book to follow my notes. I was greatly amused and a little smug.

Teach me your ways

 

[supershorty]

I actually got some really nifty data this week that support my thesis.

However, Reviewer 2 next to me seems completely unimpressed.

 

[PrincessButterCup]

I actually got some really nifty data this week that support my thesis.

However, Reviewer 2 next to me seems completely unimpressed.

That's awesome!

I had a consultation with a statistician this week and learned that I really know nothing about stats

 

[WildZoo]

Me before meeting today: *finally might understand everything going on with my project*

Me after meeting today: "I know nothing"

We start I'm 10 days, y'all. I'm gonna die.

 

[PrincessButterCup]

You've got this Dubz!

 

[supershorty]

You got this! You know more than you think you do

 

[WildZoo]

I was kind of amused when we were discussing collecting samples for culture at necropsy and one of my PIs (the non-DVM) was like "just make sure you're collecting your samples aseptically so the cultures don't get contaminated" and in my head I was like... Yes that is one of the few things that I actually know how to do in this whole entire project because I am in fact a veterinarian

 

[supershorty]

How's everyone doing?

 

[PrincessButterCup]

How's everyone doing?

Ask me on Monday. I have an insane paper deadline tomorrow for analysis I literally started on Thursday. This Thursday. Two days ago. I'm somehow supposed to have a paper written and submitted tomorrow?

If I pull this off, I'm going to have EPIC bragging rights.

 

[SkiOtter]

Ask me on Monday. I have an insane paper deadline tomorrow for analysis I literally started on Thursday. This Thursday. Two days ago. I'm somehow supposed to have a paper written and submitted tomorrow?

If I pull this off, I'm going to have EPIC bragging rights.

You can do it!!!

 

[WildZoo]

Winding down my current project, so the dread of doing analysis on that is starting to kick in.

And reformatting my paper again for another submission attempt, which is annoying.

 

[Balesofhay]

How's everyone doing?

Have found a hidden talent for histology(frozen section mounting and microtome slides) so now my job is mostly that but might do the pathobiology program here?

But also back surgery in a month -1 day so that's stressful

 

[supershorty]

Have found a hidden talent for histology(frozen section mounting and microtome slides) so now my job is mostly that but might do the pathobiology program here?

But also back surgery in a month -1 day so that's stressful

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. What are you having done, if you don't mind my asking? I had a laminectomy of L5/S1 a few years ago and remember it well.

 

[Balesofhay]

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. What are you having done, if you don't mind my asking? I had a laminectomy of L5/S1 a few years ago and remember it well.

micro laminectomy discetomy of L4-5 and L5-S so the one you had plus another. It won't be a complete fix because the discs are already arthritic/degenerative

 

[WildZoo]

Have found a hidden talent for histology(frozen section mounting and microtome slides) so now my job is mostly that but might do the pathobiology program here?

But also back surgery in a month -1 day so that's stressful

Yo I love histopath

 

[Balesofhay]

Yo I love histopath

yesss, except when i cut my finger a week ago. Luckily clean blade but man the finger is so vascular. It bled like crazy

 

[lilylilac]

yesss, except when i cut my finger a week ago. Luckily clean blade but man the finger is so vascular. It bled like crazy

Oh I’ve done that, but unfortunately went to the bone and needed stitches. Those blades are so sharp though that it didn’t even hurt!

 

[PrincessButterCup]

We were reading a paper in class that had a ton of ovarian histopath images and we were all like "yeah, we're just going to take their word that these pictures show what they're claiming because wtf who can even tell." Our class is a bunch of animal genetics / physiology / microbiome researchers and we were utterly lost.

I hope your surgery goes well Bales!!

 

[PrincessButterCup]

Paper did not get finished in time for that deadline but that's okay. 👍 PI still wants it done asap so it's my life at the moment.

 

[WildZoo]

Shutdown day 1 went super smooth so we have only a little left to do tomorrow. Sadly I don't really get a break because all the undergrads are gone so there's a lot of animal care stuff to do in the lab still even though my project is done. Womp womp.

 

[Balesofhay]

Oh I’ve done that, but unfortunately went to the bone and needed stitches. Those blades are so sharp though that it didn’t even hurt!

oh man, mine was just a skin flap nick but hurt pretty bad

Shutdown day 1 went super smooth so we have only a little left to do tomorrow

Wait shut down? what did I miss

 

[Balesofhay]

So many slides. So much xylene used

 

[supershorty]

Ooooh they look so good though!!

 

[WildZoo]

Wait shut down? what did I miss

Finished my first project. Shutdown = euthanizing and necropsying the remaining treatment animals and controls.

 

[Balesofhay]

Ooooh they look so good though!!

Just some good old H&E staining, but yesss the neuropathologist always gets excited when I bring him more slides. Not to toot my own horn (yet here I am) but they've said this is the best cutting they've seen in decades which just makes me feel so happy. Particularly when I anted to quit a couple months ago because I was so stressed and anxious at work

Finished my first project. Shutdown = euthanizing and necropsying the remaining treatment animals and controls.

Oh I thought you meant university shutdown

 

[Balesofhay]

So the neuropathologist and head of the pathobiology program here is trying to convince me to do a PhD. Trying to be nice but nahhh I’m good. Cant handle more school or being in this lab but for a degree

 

[BigCats]

Hey guys! So I'm not in grad school or currently planning to be, but I figured y'all might have some advice for me since a lot of you are involved in research. So at my internship at a zoo this fall, we started a new treatment that has been poorly represented in the literature, and I thought we might have a new perspective on it that could be worth trying to put out there. The vets at the zoo don't do research but have given me a pretty free rein and will be supplying me with further data and support, but since they're not involved in research and the submission date for a conference I'm interested in is in just over two weeks, they've suggested I see if I can get advice from people who are more experienced, and I thought of the knowledgeable folks here!

So the journal I'm looking at "will not accept manuscripts that have been previously published in a refereed journal or conference proceedings. It is acceptable to submit manuscripts for consideration based on prior oral presentations or published abstracts that are less than 250 words." So it's common to send off a (<250 word) abstract to a conference for a poster or presentation and then later publish that same work? Is there supposed to be a significant change from what is presented at the conference to what is presented in the publication?

Also, I'm not entirely sure how ambitious research noobs are expected to be- do they try to aim for presentations but accept posters if offered, or do only experienced people shoot for presentations? What experiences have you guys had when it comes to conferences and publishing? Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[supershorty]

I haven't submitted a publication yet, so I can't help you on your first question, but as for your second, my PI has always instilled in us to aim high, and accept what's offered. I've thrown my name in the hat for presentations and been pleasantly surprised to get them (especially when I wasn't in my PhD program yet), and I've had other conferences where I gladly accepted just having a poster. But you won't get the shot at the presentation if you don't try for it!

Go for it!

 

[BigCats]

I haven't submitted a publication yet, so I can't help you on your first question, but as for your second, my PI has always instilled in us to aim high, and accept what's offered. I've thrown my name in the hat for presentations and been pleasantly surprised to get them (especially when I wasn't in my PhD program yet), and I've had other conferences where I gladly accepted just having a poster. But you won't get the shot at the presentation if you don't try for it!

Go for it!

Thank you!!

 

[WildZoo]

@BigCats for your first question yes, it's pretty common! I have had a poster at a conference that was later a published paper and also had a co-author give a presentation on a project we later published as well. It kind of bridges the gap between whatever new knowledge has been acquired and the lengthy time period that publication can be. I'm currently still working on getting a paper published for a project I presented on last August...
I haven't run into any requirement for significant changes, and some journals don't even ask about previous presentations. The audience that will have seen the presentation or poster is usually a lot smaller than the audience that will see the paper, and often you're already submitting for publication right after or even a little before you present, so it's usually the same content unless you presented before you had all your data or something.

 

[BigCats]

@BigCats for your first question yes, it's pretty common! I have had a poster at a conference that was later a published paper and also had a co-author give a presentation on a project we later published as well. It kind of bridges the gap between whatever new knowledge has been acquired and the lengthy time period that publication can be. I'm currently still working on getting a paper published for a project I presented on last August...
I haven't run into any requirement for significant changes, and some journals don't even ask about previous presentations. The audience that will have seen the presentation or poster is usually a lot smaller than the audience that will see the paper, and often you're already submitting for publication right after or even a little before you present, so it's usually the same content unless you presented before you had all your data or something.

Thank you!! You guys are so helpful!!

 

[Musicandhorses]

Most journals know that you are likely going to go to one conference to present your preliminary results. So I don’t expect this to be a problem prior to publication. My papers were published fine after presenting at conferences. It would be a problem if it was already a published study though. I think that is what they mean. I would suggest sending an email to the journal to clarify though.
As far as the second question I’d say go for it. Nothing to lose except some time preparing. The conference might give you a different perspective and feedback. They are there to share ideas and to benefit researchers. Journals are there to make research studies immortal if you will when research is completed. Conferences are there to help researchers and share ideas mostly prior to publication. The presenters can be from undergraduates to graduate students to post baccs to PIs. Most people are there to help you and because they are interested in your research. Most are not there to compete with other researchers

 

[Balesofhay]

Histology nerds and friends, I am buying new brushes for a welcome back to work gift for myself. Which ones

 

[SkiOtter]

Histology nerds and friends, I am buying new brushes for a welcome back to work gift for myself. Which ones View attachment 326279
View attachment 326280

The top ones are pretty
What are they for

 

[lilylilac]

Agree with top ones because they appear more fine. I only used 1 big one for cleaning off excess paraffin, but the small ones in various angles are clutch for handling sections. The top ones also look like the bristles won’t separate as readily.

 

[Balesofhay]

The top ones are pretty
What are they for

For mounting tissue sections on to slides for histology. Both paraffin and frozen sections. Very thin though so delicate

Agree with top ones because they appear more fine. I only used 1 big one for cleaning off excess paraffin, but the small ones in various angles are clutch for handling sections. The top ones also look like the bristles won’t separate as readily.

I actually like the bigger ones to take the sections off the microtome and putting them into the bath. I was shown a couple people’s methods and then left alone to figure out how I do it best. I might be doing it slightly unorthodox but it works

 

[lilylilac]

For mounting tissue sections on to slides for histology. Both paraffin and frozen sections. Very thin though so delicate

I actually like the bigger ones to take the sections off the microtome and putting them into the bath. I was shown a couple people’s methods and then left alone to figure out how I do it best. I might be doing it slightly unorthodox but it works

Interesting. Guess everyone does it differently! In that case, maybe flip everything I said haha.

 

[WildZoo]

Heh, I use forceps or this small metal...idk probe looking thing that's attached to a wooden handle to transfer from microtome to bath. But in any case, the top ones look nicer.

 

[Balesofhay]

Heh, I use forceps or this small metal...idk probe looking thing that's attached to a wooden handle to transfer from microtome to bath. But in any case, the top ones look nicer.

Oh I also use forceps too. I just have a bunch of crap collecting. Hopefully it’s all still there when I’m cleared to go back

 

[Balesofhay]

Interesting. Guess everyone does it differently! In that case, maybe flip everything I said haha.

I use fine too! It honestly just depends on my mood too lol. I did end up getting the top ones bc pretty