<p>What can anyone tell me about the NIH Summer Internship Program? Do you need to have participated in medical research? Does your research need to be published? What other summer programs are similar to this one? Is there anyone who has done it that you know?</p>
<p>Thank you</p>
<p>My daughter applied and is fine tuning where she will be this summer. It's open to anyone age 16 or older.<br>
It's too late to apply for 2007. The deadline was in March.</p>
<p>It helps if you're a minority.</p>
<p>I'm thinking of applying next year, and, yes, I am a minority. Is research required?</p>
<p>I think NCG means an underrepresented minority, which... well, they're underrepresented on CC, too.</p>
<p>Yes, I'm an underrepresented minority.</p>
<p>I am pretty sure no previous research experience or publication is required.</p>
<p>Applications will become available for 2008 in mid-Novmeber.</p>
<p>LWMD, I've heard that if you don't have any connections, you will have a hard time getting in. Is this true from what you've experienced?</p>
<p>A lot of the people working at the NIH get in based on connections but it's possible for others (like me) to get a position as well.</p>
<p>norcalguy, did you get in?</p>
<p>I didn't apply for a summer internship. I applied for a one-year fellowship to do research at the NIH for a year. And, yes, I did get that with no connections.</p>
<p>Oh, I was also worried about having no research experience. I'll see if I can apply next year.</p>
<p>From the various interviews I've done, I get the feeling that previous research experience isn't a huge priority. The reason is that the PI has to train you anyway and some students, who've had past research experience, are so set in the way they do certain things that it makes it harder for the PI to train them. </p>
<p>The best way is to get research experience by doing research at your undergrad school during the school year since those positions are easier to find and then apply to competitive internships after you've accumulated some coursework/research. </p>
<p>For example, I'm going to be working in a lab that uses biophysical techniques. I think the PI was more impressed that I took a graduate biophysics course as an undergrad than by my past research experience. So coursework is as important as previous research experience (and probably more important) when trying to secure a research position.</p>
<p>Is this still the case for high school students (I'm in 10th grade, BTW)?</p>
<p>Also, on the website it says you have to submit a list of your publications. Is this required, and do they mean research publications?</p>
<p>They do mean research publications. Everything is up to the PIs (publication, connections, minority status???). There wasn't a specific box for publications (unless I don't remember). I don't understand how being a URM helps substantially. There's one separate program for URMs. (Biomedical Research Training Program for Individuals from Underrepresented Groups @ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone's help, but I won't be applying to this program next year because I'd be out of state and I don't know anyone in MD (seeing as how no housing is provided to students, so I'd have no place to live while doing research).</p>
<p>I'm currently still trying to figure out whether I can get an NIH lab to take me.
I'm an out of state high school junior with previous research experience and I'm going to ISEF this year. But I'm not sure what the Bethesda area is like safety, housing and transportation wise. Does anyone know?</p>
<p>Safety: It's consistently ranked as one of the best cities in the US. No slums or ghettos here. It has the most PHDs per capita than any other city in the US (most definitely due to NIH). I would feel safe walking down the street at night there.</p>
<p>Housing: Expensive. That's all I know.</p>
<p>Transportation: Parking is extremely hard at NIH. You usually park at mid-pike plaza and a shuttle picks you up from there to NIH campus. Other public transportation is good in the city with metro buses and rails. Not as great as NYC and other big cities though obviously.</p>
<p>Entertainment: Great restaurants and what-not in the area.</p>
<p>I was accepted for the HHMI/NIH/MCPS internship for the 07-08 year (summer + during school year). I haven't started yet, but I have visited my lab station.</p>
<p>It's too late to apply for this summer's internships but for next year, get your application and essay ready on time.</p>
<p>Prior research experience and/or publications are extremely rare among high school interns.</p>
<p>I honestly do not think it is worth it to travel from your normal home to somewhere else just to go to NIH. I don't even know if NIH has any out-of-state interns. Try to find more local opportunities.</p>
<p>If you have prior internship experience and/or research experience, then you are a good contender.</p>
<p>Some basics to have:
-highest sciences possible
-good essay with passion
-mostly A's
-great grades in sciences and good grades in math
-dedication (on some applications they ask for your attendance record)</p>
<p>GOOD LUCK!</p>
<p>Sorry to bump this, but just wondering, do people have to send in transcripts after being submitted? What’s the deal with transcripts because they arent required in the originial application</p>