<p>I've been thinking about taking a gap year to do a post bac or work as an entry level research associate for a year or two before applying to PhD programs in immunology/pathology. I'm interested in applying for a NIH Post-bac position and I was wondering if anybody on CC has been in this program and can possibly tell me their academic stats? Their website says that 10% of applicants get a position and I was just wondering how strong the academic background is of those accepted.</p>
<p>I spoke with someone from that program at a conference a few years ago (there was an NIH booth), and the advice I received was that I should contact PIs I am interested in working with prior to applying. If I remember correctly, you turn in your application and that goes into a searchable database with everyone else’s application. By contacting people beforehand, they know to look out for you and it gives you a better chance of getting accepted (this was for the IRTA program).</p>
<p>I can’t remember for sure what the academic standards were, but he seemed to place an emphasis on the quality of your research experience.</p>
<p>I didn’t but my friend did his post-bac there. He had strong stats - 3.5+ GPA, 2+ years of work experience, was in an undergraduate fellowship program that had research-intensive honors courses, and strong recommendations. The program is almost as competitive as applying to graduate school itself - it’s not really something for a weak student to improve their CV with, but more for a strong student to strengthen their CV even more and get a more focused idea about what they want to work on and decide where they want to apply, or take a year off taking classes.</p>
<p>I’m currently finishing up my 2nd year in the program. Undergrad at UC Berkeley, 3.64 gpa in molecular bio.I applied a year and a half after graduating from college. I worked in a biotech company during that time doing enzyme purification. A lot of the postbacs that I’ve encountered got into the program right after graduation, but they had at least a few semesters of research in college. Not sure if it’s absolutely necessary, I would imagine not as it is supposed to be a training program. Feel free to PM me with questions if you have any!</p>