One of the first things I tell people when I’m asked how I got my foot in the door in academia is that I had a really great mentor. I was in my second year of undergrad, lost and insecure as many of us are at that stage in our lives, and barely even knew what an MRI was. I often say that I have no idea where I would be if my mentor hadn’t taken a chance on me and guided me the way she did. This invaluable mentorship can be hard to find, even if you are actively seeking it. Especially as a new graduate student or early career researcher, it can be intimidating to seek out the help of the “rockstar” scientists we admire - and sometimes we overlook that the best mentorship can come from people that are closer in career stage to us.
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