I want to study biomedical sciences, but I am not sure which one. But application season is upon us and there are a few things I need guidance with:

If I have only worked in a lab for a semester, is it still appropriate to ask the PI for a recommendation letter? I am confused how I am asked for 3 letters showing my research skills, when I may have worked in 2, but I doubt many have worked in 3.

If someone were to look me up online, they would find that I wanted to be a doctor during undergrad. Do I have to justify that shift in my statement of purpose, or best not to bring it up and expect that if they find out, they will come up with an explanation?

If I am taking a gap year (right now studying for GRE, but otherwise nothing else), do I justify in my statement of purpose or wait until the possible interview to bring it up if they ask? I truly am focusing on my health, but I don't want my statement to become a sob story. When I noticed the applications have no room for personal details (like first-gen, single mother household, etc.) I took that as they do not care what you have or are going through.

If, in a previous lab, I co-authored a paper, but the paper has yet to be published, can I include that in my CV? To make things more complicated, the primary author recently graduated and let another graduate student finish the paper. This means I've likely been bumped from second to third author, but because I don't have the details, I can pretend I am not aware of the situation?

Right now, I am suffering from a pretty serious chronic illness. I'm take a gap year post-bachelors, but I need to be doing something academic or I feel useless. If this condition gets worse, is a Ph.D. something you can quit without too many repercussions? Example, if I am given a stipend and I have to leave, do I have to repay the school?

Yes you can ask a PI for a recommendation letter if you were only in the lab for a semester. You could get other letters from your academic tutor, or a unit leader that you had some decent interaction with.

Don't worry about the doctor thing. You can always explain this in any interview you get if needed. I doubt anyone cares about that.

I would mention your gap year in your statement of purpose, yes.

I wouldn't mention your health in the statement. They aren't supposed to be judging applications on a personal basis, so that's why they aren't in the application form. They can't ask these kind of questions at interviews either (although they may do).

Yes you can include unpublished papers in your CV as 'under preparation' or 'under review in xxx journal' if applicable. You need to be honest about author order. To tell you the truth, no one cares about 2nd or 3rd authors, only first and last.

In the UK, if you take a stipend and quit you don't have to repay.

Thank you for your response.

About my gap year- mention that I'm taking it easy? That won't go over well. lol
For the unpublished paper, I just learned today that the title will probably change and the primary author said if it were her, she would not include it. Do you mean being 3rd as opposed to 2nd doesn't matter, or nobody in the middle matters, period? I thought this would be a fantastic thing to add to my CV to increase my chances of getting in.

I read today that the market is rather competitive for science Ph.Ds (I plan on doing some form of biocemistry/medicinal research.) So I actually fear what I'm getting myself into. Honestly, I was never super passionate about the research I did in undergrad, but I always did better in labs than in lecture as I know what needs to get done and am meticulous in doing so. Is it still worth it?

Hi ACSQueen

Gap year... taking it easy, studying for GRE, preparing for applications, reading up on the area... nothing wrong with any of that. You don't have to justify your life to them - as long as you've got something prepared to say!

Of course the paper is a great thing to add to your CV. First author would be better, but it is still great to be on an author on a paper (I am not yet... my first one is in progress!) .

Your last paragraph/question... the part that worries me is about not having been passionate about research (albeit at undergrad). Read some of the threads on here and see what people are going through (AFTER the competitive stage of getting on a program/obtaining funding). I would only do this if it is something you really want to do. You need that to get you through the hard times.