Questions for self-reflection:

• In what type of environment do I function best?
• What are my personal and professional goals?
• What do I expect of my mentor(s)?
• How would I prefer to interact with my mentor(s)?
• What scientific fields, techniques, and model organisms interest me?
• What are my strengths as a scientist?
• In what areas do I require further development?
• Do I prefer to work independently or with a lot of guidance?
• Would I prefer a large or small research group?
• Is my personality suited for working in a highly competitive field?
• How do I deal with conflict?
• Reflect on past research environments that you've experienced - what did you like about them? What did you dislike?
• Reflect on a strong positive mentoring relationship that you've experienced - what were key elements that you enjoyed? Contrast this with negative mentoring that you experienced or observed.
• What do I find most attractive about the possibility of working in this lab?
• What is my strongest reservation about working in this lab?