Student experience: My first internship experience at KI

Hey! My name is Elina, I’m a second year student in the Bachelor’s program in Biomedicine and this is my experience doing my first internship during the academic year at KI. While I had taken part in a research project before, this was my first time working in a lab at KI.

It all started with attending KI’s annual Research Project Fair, an event that allows lab representatives to present their research and discuss potential projects with students. I was looking for an internship during the semester, particularly working in a lab after lectures, where I could gain hands on experience and dive deeper into a specific field. I knew I wanted to explore neuroscience, so I spoke with several researchers in the field and eventually emailed the lab I found most interesting. And just like that, I got a positive reply and met with my supervisor to discuss my upcoming internship.

After completing the mandatory laboratory safety course, I finally got to work! My schedule was quite flexible and I chose to work once or twice per week, mainly after lectures. The first weeks in the lab were all about familiarizing myself with the techniques used and the theoretical background of the work. I can’t lie, during this time my confusion and fear of messing up skyrocketed. However, with time and practice it all started to make sense. In particular, every result I produced was shared with my supervisor, and we would discuss everything to figure out what could have possibly went wrong.

Over the four months I spent in the lab, I not only got to observe and perform various laboratory techniques used in neuroscience (including immunohistochemistry, genotyping and brain sectioning), but also got invited to seminars, lab meetings and visited the animal facility at KI. Apart from all these opportunities, I learned how to take responsibility when handling brain tissues, working precisely and balancing lab work alongside my studies.

KI is not only a leading institution in research, but also a place with labs willing to take students without prior experience. So to conclude, don’t hesitate to ask your lecturers whether they take students, join networking events (there are plenty!) and of course check out the supervisor list created by SiF.