<p>no you don't need previous experience. I didn't have any, at least.</p>
<p>Wow, that's great to know. I guess it really does depend on making yourself known to the right people. </p>
<p>Willyshakes, you said that grades doesn't really matter because everyone has the same grades. Okay, what about the kids who don't have average stellar grades, such as a 3.8 to 4.0 and up, but instead 3.4 to 3.7 gpa? Will grades still not be an important factor? </p>
<p>Also, when you email them, what should the email include?</p>
<p>For those you that have done research at NIH, I wanted to know:</p>
<p>1.) Which center did you work at?
2.) How did you like it?
3.) What was a typical day like?
4.) What were your stats at the time that you applied?
5.) And any other useful information</p>
<p>Thanks a lot!!!</p>
<p>and housing info</p>
<p>Private_Joker: Honestly, I don't exactly know how much they weight GPA, scores, and other factors--only that, like college admissions, they put much more emphasis on how much interest you show. I would think that a 3.4 to 3.7 GPA would be fine; my friend applied with about a 3.5, and was accepted; however, she contacted numerous labs and had interviews with a few. I don't want to give you false information, or build up your hopes and say that they don't consider GPA too much, but just know that it IS possible to get in without stellar stats. As for the email, I told them a little bit about me (my educational background, my scientific interests, etc) and then I talked about what aspect of their research attracted me- whether it was the subject matter, the laboratory environment, the specific research work (experiments, etc), and so forth. For example, over the summer I interned at the Clinical Center, which is designed to bring research from the "bench to the bedside" so that the clinical research directly benefits the most critical of patients. I discussed the aspects of the clinical research that I found interesting, and then wrote about how I believed I could both contribute to the work and learn as well. Just be completely sincere, and passionate, about the work and highlight this passion in your email. Most laboratories (at least on the NIH main campus) love to take in interns (and there are hundreds and hundreds of different labs, both large and small) because not only do the students help the researchers with their work, but they also enhance the general atmosphere of the lab. I hope that helped, and feel free to PM me with any more questions. If you want, I'd be happy to look over any emails for you before you send them.</p>
<p>Przfer: </p>
<p>1) Over the summer-Critical Care Medicine Department at the Clinical Center (it's not part of any institute, but part of the research hospital); during this school year- NCI</p>
<p>2) I love it! Very educational and fun at the same time, and the opportunities available to interns are great. </p>
<p>3) Over the summer, I worked 9-5, helping my mentor on her lab research and then shadowing her on patient rounds, some small surgery procedures, etc. during the day. Right now, I work from around 12:30 to 5:00 and do basic benchwork (run PCRs, bacterial transformations, gels, etc), as I am in a hardcore biochem lab (very different from my summer experience, but fun nonetheless)</p>
<p>4) I had a 3.8 or so GPA, 1460 SAT, hadn't taken SAT IIs; not perfect grades, and some of my peers had better scores and others had lower ones. </p>
<p>5) Um, if you look at my previous posts I give some advice on the application process. If you have another question, feel free to PM me. </p>
<p>JJKitty-- Since I am from Maryland, I didn't need special housing, so I couldn't give you information on that. My advice is to contact the NIH intramural activities office (go to <a href="http://www.nih.gov%5B/url%5D">www.nih.gov</a> and do a search), and find out what options are available for housing.</p>
<p>Great Information! I wonder if they have anything in Southern California though.</p>
<p>Yeah. Is there like a website that says where they are located all over the US</p>
<p>I was offered an internship! WooHoo!</p>
<p>JJKitty, when did you apply and what were your stats?</p>
<p>Well I haven't applied yet with an application. But I emailed a director and they hooked me up with a scientist in their unit. I emailed them my resume and told them my career goal and all that stuff Willy said and they said I could work in their lab.</p>
<p>if i have a low sat should i put that in my application or should i just leave it blank?</p>
<p>Hey, JJkitty, I sent you a PM about the NIH stuff. Guys, if anyone can help me get into the NIH-National Cancer Institute, I would be very grateful. I know I should send my resume and call as many people as possible. I'll keep doing that. If you guys have any other tips please do help. Thanks!</p>
<p>Is there a center in Dallas Texas?</p>
<p>I'm having trouble finding the contact info for a scientist in CBER (center for biologics evaluation and research). Can someone please help me?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Hey should we tell them who we contacted on the application on the cover letter or just leave it out</p>
<p>I found this chart of fax and phone numbers for the different offices. Maybe they could help you contact your scientist.
<a href="http://www.fda.gov/cber/inside/orgover.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.fda.gov/cber/inside/orgover.pdf</a></p>
<p>Has anyone been recently accepted to NCI or any other NIH lab? If so, what lab. I want to work at NCI and I have great grades, experience, etc. but it seems that every investigator has slots filled up or not enough money.......the lack of funds is a big problem in NCI.....</p>
<p>any thoughts or comments?</p>
<p>Do you have a much lower chance to get in if you're a sophmore/junior in high school because the internship is also for college students?</p>
<p>Guys, I have been blessed to have gotten an internship recently at the NCI! The paperwork is in the process, but the scientist gave me the thumbs-up. Przfer, I would encourage you to persevere and KEEP CALLING! Believe in luck. I was desperate, and finally God has seen fit to reward my efforts. </p>
<p>Nilvedxd, I don't know, but if I were a scientist, I would prefer a college student who had real-life experience to a fresh high school kid.</p>