<p>Please post -</p>
<ul>
<li>Which area you completed your research in</li>
<li>Strengths of the program, what you liked </li>
<li>Some weaknesses, any issues you didn't like (too much time in glassware washing less time spent on meaningful research? Mentors were MIAs?)</li>
<li>General advice about living arrangements/safety</li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks much</p>
<p>Haven't done it but I heard you should become close with the PI because their LOR could be very valuable later on when applying to medical school, esp if they are well known in that field.</p>
<p>I spent the summer at the NIEHS down in NC through the Summers of Discovery program. This was last year, before my senior year of high school.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Which area you completed your research in: I was in the Laboratory of Respiratory Biology, studying the genetics of asthma in mice.</p></li>
<li><p>Strengths of the program, what you liked: Very flexible, I feel like it was pretty much what you made of it. I was lucky to have a great mentor and PI, so I was very involved. We got an abstract out of the work this summer; in fact, I am in San Francisco as I type this -I will be presenting my research at the ATS annual conference tomorrow!</p></li>
<li><p>Some weaknesses, any issues you didn't like (too much time in glassware washing less time spent on meaningful research? Mentors were MIAs?): I feel like this is pretty much the luck of the draw. From what I heard from others in the program, there were pretty positive experiences all around.</p></li>
<li><p>General advice about living arrangements/safety: If you are going to be on the Bethesda campus I can't say much...pretty sure that you have to supply your own living arrangements, but I'm sure that they have someone you could contact to help you out.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Cheers.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Which area you completed your research in: **PET Radiopharmaceuticals Section in the Molecular Imaging Branch of the NIMH</p></li>
<li><p>Strengths of the program, what you liked: The responsibility and feeling that I was an equal in the lab. Lots of tiny perks like visiting other labs/going to presentations</p></li>
<li><p>Some weaknesses, any issues you didn't like (too much time in glassware washing less time spent on meaningful research? Mentors were MIAs?): Mentor was rarely around, relied on the IRTA and postdocs to understand what I was doing (organic synthesis/analysis of compounds for developing radiotracers to bind to amyloid-beta receptors in mice to detect Alzheimers). Washing glassware is something you have to do. There's no way around it. Suck it up and do it, otherwise everybody will hate you.</p></li>
<li><p>General advice about living arrangements/safety: **Bethesda campus is great. Really pretty, large. Bethesda itself is pretty active and fun to live in, nice malls and just in general the richest part of Montgomery County, MD. It's safe, the metrobuses/trains are fast and NIH pays for them if you fill out the appropriate forms :]. As for living - didn't have to because I was 20 minutes away.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>^Glad to see you liked it.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Which area you completed your research in: Endocrinology/Stress reaction</p></li>
<li><p>Strengths of the program, what you liked: Basic freedoms and the feeling like I was doing something decent with my summer. I also learned a **** load about bio, biochem, and a billion lab techniques</p></li>
<li><p>Some weaknesses, any issues you didn't like (too much time in glassware washing less time spent on meaningful research? Mentors were MIAs?):
I just didn't enjoy the work I was doing. My PI gave me a really difficult assignment then was angry when my results were inconsistent. Also, some days I'd work like 10 hours and others I'd have nothing to do. It was more of an issue with my lab though</p></li>
<li><p>General advice about living arrangements/safety: Be smart like me and fengshui and live at home. I was 10 minutes away. Also, I <3 Bethesda. It's more of a yuppie/high school place though, but DC should have a fair night life.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Down at the NIEHS they had a glass washing service :P</p>