# Rotations & Joining a Lab ## expand\_more Our goal for first-year students is to help them integrate with the Harvard neuroscience community and choose a lab for their thesis research. Orientation events in August and September, from the student retreat in Cape Cod to a series of faculty lightning talks and poster sessions at the medical school in Boston and the [Center for Brain Science](http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/) in Cambridge, introduce first-year students to a range of labs across the program. In collaboration with the [HMS Department of Neurobiology](https://neuro.hms.harvard.edu/), PiN also provides regular opportunities for first-year students to get to know upper-year students, junior trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty through the first-year "Discipline of Neuroscience" course, weekly journal clubs, seminars, and happy hours, fostering community and guiding students in selecting rotation labs. Lab rotations help students identify PIs whose research interests, mentorship style, and lab culture are a good fit for their personal and professional goals. While PiN students are required to complete at least two rotations (lasting at least 6 weeks and typically 8-12 weeks each), most students choose to complete three rotations or more. In addition to serving as a basis for the selection of a dissertation advisor, rotations are designed to provide hands-on experience in different research areas and techniques. To help students get the most out of their rotations, PiN connects them with upper-year peer mentors, schedules [SAC advising](/training/advising-mentorship "Advising & Mentorship") meetings throughout the year, and provides resources designed to develop metacognitive skills that will benefit students throughout their career. Students are expected to join a lab by July 1, at the end of their first year in the program. ## Guidelines for PiN Students ### Rotation Requirements expand\_more PiN students are **required to complete at least two rotations** before committing to a thesis lab, though **PiN encourages students to complete at least three rotations** to gather more information about differences in lab environment, PI mentorship styles, scientific approaches, etc. Students may rotate in (and join) any of the [**HILS-affiliated**](https://courses.my.harvard.edu/psp/courses/EMPLOYEE/EMPL/h/?tab=HU_INS_SEARCH&SearchReqJSON=%7B%22PageNumber%22%3A1%2C%22PageSize%22%3A%22%22%2C%22SortOrder%22%3A%5B%22LAST_NAME%22%5D%2C%22Facets%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22Category%22%3A%22HU_INSTR_MAIN_SEARCH%22%2C%22SearchPropertiesInResults%22%3Atrue%2C%22FacetsInResults%22%3Atrue%2C%22SaveRecent%22%3Atrue%2C%22TopN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22SearchText%22%3A%22%2A%22%7D) labs and are expected to **start their first rotation between August 1 and November 1** of their G1 year. Students who wish to start rotating later should discuss this with their SAC advisor. Otherwise, there are no standardized start or end dates for rotations or duration; students may schedule rotations to begin and end at mutually agreed upon times with PIs. Rotations **typically last 8-12 weeks** each, though students can opt to extend or shorten rotations beyond this period. For a rotation to "count" towards the **minimum requirement** it must last at least **6 weeks**. Students should set up an **"exit" meeting** with the PI at the conclusion of each rotation. If students are interested in joining the lab, then they should express interest and ask the PI if joining the lab would be an option once they have completed their rotations. If students remain unsure about the lab, then they should ask any additional or lingering questions about the lab that could help with decision-making and should keep the PI apprised as they finalize their decision. ### Selecting Rotation Labs expand\_more PiN students may rotate in (and join) any of the [HILS-affiliated](https://courses.my.harvard.edu/psp/courses/EMPLOYEE/EMPL/h/?tab=HU_INS_SEARCH&SearchReqJSON=%7B%22PageNumber%22%3A1%2C%22PageSize%22%3A%22%22%2C%22SortOrder%22%3A%5B%22LAST_NAME%22%5D%2C%22Facets%22%3A%5B%5D%2C%22Category%22%3A%22HU_INSTR_MAIN_SEARCH%22%2C%22SearchPropertiesInResults%22%3Atrue%2C%22FacetsInResults%22%3Atrue%2C%22SaveRecent%22%3Atrue%2C%22TopN%22%3A%22%22%2C%22SearchText%22%3A%22%2A%22%7D) labs. PiN encourages students to reach out broadly to PIs to find out more about their lab and to express interest; reaching out does not commit you to doing a rotation in that lab! PIs understand how the system works and will not take offense if you communicate with them and then choose not to rotate. While identifying potential rotation labs, be sure to reach out to the program directors, your SAC advisor, and fellow PiN students to brainstorm ideas and to learn about students' experiences in various labs. A great way to start to learn about labs and to identify potential rotation labs is to sit in on lab meetings. We encourage students to reach out to faculty to ask about attending lab meetings. Collect as much information as you can when planning your rotations by talking not just to PIs but also to current lab members and to students who rotated in but did not join the labs you're considering. The PiN student Slack workspace can help you solicit feedback from your peers. If you begin a rotation and realize soon after that it isn't a good fit, feel free to end the rotation early and move on! Faculty understand how the system works and they won't be upset or offended. Everyone in PiN wants you to find a lab where you'll be happy and successful. It's important that you give yourself the opportunity to do so by trying different labs and being flexible in your plans. ### Scheduling Rotations expand\_more PiN students are expected to start their first rotation between August 1 and November 1 of their G1 year. Otherwise, PiN offers a great deal of flexibility to students in scheduling rotations. In general, rotations should be part-time, and students should prioritize PiN coursework. It might be helpful to consider the timing of required coursework and exams when planning your rotations: - The [Discipline of Neuroscience](/pinphd/curriculum), which forms the backbone of the PiN curriculum, meets early September through mid-December and late January through early May. The fall semester includes a midterm in late October and a final exam in December. The spring semester doesn't include exams and is instead more focused on writing. It culminates with a mock grant proposal in the style of the NRSA that is due near the end of the semester. The end of the semester can be a particularly busy time from a coursework standpoint. - Harvard has a special January term (J-term) during which intensive bootcamp courses are offered. Courses that meet during the regular fall and spring semesters (including NB215) do not meet during J-term. As such, January can be a great time to immerse yourself full-time in a rotation lab. There is also a spring break week in mid-March during which classes do not meet. This week can also be a good time to start a new rotation and have an entire week of full-time immersion before classes resume. ### Joining a Lab expand\_more Students are required to commit to a thesis laboratory by **July 1**, at the end of their first year. However, the program can be flexible with this requirement; our priority is to help you find a good lab home! Students who are not ready to commit to a lab by the July 1 deadline are required to email the program director to request an extension (with the program administrator in cc), to continue rotating with no more than 2 weeks in between any additional rotations, and to schedule monthly meetings with their SAC advisor or the program director or associate director until they've finalized their lab decision. Once students have finalized their decision, they are required to **submit a dissertation advisor declaration (DAD) form in my.harvard**. Students who finish their rotations early are required to finalize their decision and submit their DAD form within two weeks of completing their final rotation. ### Administrative Protocols expand\_more Students are expected to arrange rotations directly with lab heads (PIs), and onboarding is managed directly by individual labs. Onboarding in hospital-affiliated labs can take several weeks, so students are encouraged to begin the process as soon as they have agreed on a rotation with the PI. Prior to the start of each rotation, students are required to submit a rotation registration form in my.harvard. Rotation PIs will be asked to complete a rotation evaluation in my.harvard, which will be shared with the student, their SAC advisor, and the program directors. These forms are designed to facilitate open communication between students and PIs. Students are **required to submit at least one rotation registration form in my.harvard per term** in the fall and spring of their first year in order to receive a passing grade in NEUROBIO 327R, the PiN rotations course. **Within two weeks of completing their final rotation and no later than July 1**, at the end of their first year, students are **required to submit a dissertation advisor declaration (DAD) form in my.harvard**. If students would like to request a deadline extension, they should follow the procedures outlined under "Joining a Lab" above. ## Rotation Resources [ PiN Rotation Guide arrow\_circle\_right ](/sites/g/files/omnuum2066/files/pinphd/files/rotationguide-5-2016_0.pdf) [ Approaching Rotations: Tips & Reflection Exercises arrow\_circle\_right ](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ScuyoFMGkzHbbFCtmyjWNOF5U_atNK4fHb1KnT-R9rk/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000)