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I plan on majoring in psychology on a pre-med track. I will be attending college in Boston beginning in the fall of 2025. I would like to be involved in as much professional research as possible. I am concerned about university research funding with everything I have been reading about and seeing on social media. Is this a legitimate concern?

I plan on majoring in psychology on a pre-med track. I will be attending college in Boston beginning in the fall of 2025. I would like to be involved in as much professional research as possible. I am concerned about university research funding with everything I have been reading about and seeing on social media. Is this a legitimate concern?
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Suzanne’s Answer

I feel like your concern is, unfortunately, a legitimate one, Mason. Federal funding of research is being threatened, severely cut back, and in some cases, actually eliminated. Of course, sometimes there are ways a lab/researcher can "back-fill" from other funding sources like other college resources, alumni, states, non-profits, foundations, donors, etc. but there will be a lot of need and fewer dollars to go around in many cases. It would not surprise me if university labs and research operations had fewer undergrad employees in the coming academic years. Your plan to be a psychology major while following a pre-med track may still well make sense for you ultimately leading to a very fulfilling career in medicine, but you may have to really look into many more research sites before you come up with a paid position. (Volunteer positions, I assume, may expand as a result of fewer dollars and would still, if you can afford to work without pay, be an option).

I wish you all the best in these challenging times.

Suzanne recommends the following next steps:

Look into research options which interest you and contact the principal investigators now, even before your school year starts. Let them know of your interest and see if they will keep your CV and contact info on file. Followup again after the school year starts. Be (pleasantly) persistent.
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