Overview

Setting up structure is key to make sure you get the data that you need on the lab you are rotating in. This sample schedule shows the types interactions you want to set up and the approximate frequency and timing of these interactions. The total number of weeks and days of the week of each meeting can be adjusted to fit your schedule. There is no one right way to structure your rotation, but this sample is meant to give first-year students a sense of what is reasonable and useful. We recommend using this sample as a guide when setting up your first rotations, and then adjusting it to include more or fewer of different interaction types as needed based on your experience and your rotation schedule.

The sample schedule

Eight weeks are shown. Each week has Monday through Friday, with one meeting per day, but that is of course up to you and the lab's schedule. The important thing is the number of times the meetings happen across the whole rotation. What we are trying to avoid is students waiting too long to have these meetings, which is not a productive use of limited rotation time.

Week 1

Monday: Meet with PI to set expectations
Tuesday: Talk with supervisor(s) to coordinate your schedules
Wednesday: Go to lab meeting
Thursday: Coffee chat with a lab member
Friday: Check-in with classmates

Week 2

Monday: no meeting
Tuesday: Talk with supervisor(s) to discuss papers
Wednesday: Go to lab meeting
Thursday: Coffee chat with a lab member
Friday: no meeting

Week 3

Monday: Meet with PI to ask about the lab
Tuesday: Talk with supervisor(s) to get and give feedback
Wednesday: Go to lab meeting
Thursday: Coffee chat with a lab member
Friday: Go to a lab social event if they have one

Week 4

Monday: no meeting
Tuesday: Talk with supervisor(s) to ask about the lab
Wednesday: Go to lab meeting
Thursday: Coffee chat with a lab member
Friday: Check-in with classmates

Week 5

Monday: Meet with PI to ask for feedback
Tuesday: Talk with supervisor(s) to write up your project
Wednesday: Go to lab meeting
Thursday: Coffee chat with a lab member
Friday: OCPD counseling appointment

Week 6

Monday: no meeting
Tuesday: Talk with supervisor(s) to prepare for your lab meeting
Wednesday: Go to lab meeting
Thursday: Coffee chat with a lab member, or member of a nearby lab
Friday: Check-in with your academic advisor

Week 7

Monday: Meet with PI to discuss how the rotation went
Tuesday: Talk with supervisor(s) to get feedback on your writing and/or your lab meeting presentation
Wednesday: Go to lab meeting
Thursday: Coffee chat with a lab member, or member of a nearby lab
Friday: Check-in with classmates

Week 8

Monday: no meeting
Tuesday: Talk with supervisor(s) to get and give feedback about the whole rotation
Wednesday: Present in lab meeting
Thursday: Coffee chat with a lab member, or member of a nearby lab
Friday: Reflect on what worked for you and what didn't