Students’ Perspectives on Undergraduate Research: Obstacles, Experiences, and Tips for a Refined Young Scientist

What is the experience of doing undergraduate research like? What are the common expectations and how do you deal with obstacles that you encounter on the way? What do you get out of it? In this piece, we will discuss the importance of mental health while being a research student, the significance of research experience in an undergraduate career, as well as providing personal experiences to attain optimal performance as an experimenter. In exploring the various aspects of research, we also interviewed an U of T PhD Candidate in the department of psychology who worked as a research assistant at Baycrest Hospital for 10 years. Being extensively active in the research community, he had a plethora of research experiences that he loved to share; please find his insight in the “Q and A” after each section.