Choosing a thesis lab that works well for you is critical for having a sustainable and productive time at UCSF. Making the most of your rotations will put you in the best position to prepare to choose a thesis lab.
Are you currently doing lab rotations?
Our Conducting Successful Rotations page is for you! Get the most out of your rotations by learning about what to reflect on, ask about, and pay attention to. Our guidance can help before, during, and after each rotation so we recommend checking back on this page throughout your first year.
Choosing a Thesis Lab
It's common for students to start thinking about their thesis lab choice even before their last rotation begins, because the options you have so far can influence what kind of experience you want to have in your last rotation. In addition, the first year in a PhD program is a period of new experiences and steep learning curves, so it's common for students' values and priorities to change. This means we recommend starting this process earlier in the year and iterating. The resources below can guide you in your decision-making process.
- Use the Decision Matrix for Lab Rotations to reflect on what's important to you in your thesis lab and then score your rotation labs on the criteria that are important to you.
- Not sure you’re considering enough factors? Use our “21 questions to get to know your rotation lab” checklist to make sure!
This process can be difficult to do on your own, so we are here to support you! Every year we offer workshops, office hours, and 1:1 consultations to work on this process with you. View our upcoming events on Handshake or make an appointment with a career consultant.
Looking for guidance from another perspective? The articles and podcasts below are from faculty and senior students.
- How to Be a Graduate Advisee paper by Indira Raman
- How to Pick a Graduate Advisor paper by Ben Barres
- Double Shelix podcast "Next Level Mentorship"