May - July 2018 • Santiago de los Caballeros, Santiago Province
What I liked
Cultural immersion
What I wish was different
More mentorship
Advice
Be flexible
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Research Assistant
June - August 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I appreciated the relaxed collaborative atmosphere there.
Everyone was very helpful and very friendly
What I wish was different
I wish I could have been paid.
Also, there was some bureacratic holdups that delayed my starting day
Advice
Make sure to apply early so you can get a paid position and so they can get your paperwork in on time.
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Summer Intramural Research Training Associate
June - August 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
The program offers a lot of flexibility in mentors and research projects. You certainly come into contact with a lot of amazing people and get a chance to reflect on your future career aspirations. Additionally, the NIH offers a unique network of renowned researchers as well as supporting peers and excellent mentors that help guide your internship experience.
What I wish was different
Advice
In your time at the NIH, it is absolutely pivotal that you connect with doctors and scientists that peak your interest. Even a simple informational session can lead to a future opportunity. Don't be afraid to reach out!
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Cancer Research Fellow
June - August 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I had a lot of independence working on my own research project related to Graft-versus-host disease in patients following allogeneic stem cell transplant. An excellent mentor guided me through the structure of clinical research and provided me with excellent shadowing opportunities in the clinic. I liked how at the end of the summer I was able to present my research to the NIH community at large.
What I wish was different
I have no complaints!
Advice
I would suggested really taking advantage of all of the opportunities the NIH has to offer, like lectures and career seminars.
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Summer Intern
May - August 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
Good experience for students seeking federal research
What I wish was different
More opportunity to network with other students
Advice
Find a lab that you are interested in, and also make sure that the dynamic of the lab is suitable to your working habits and schedule
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Pathways Intern
February 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I enjoyed expanding my network and meeting doctors and researchers who are at the top of their fields.
What I wish was different
I wish I worked more often.
Advice
Make the most of it!
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NIH Cancer Research Training Awardee
August 2017 • Frederick, MD
What I liked
Flexibility to do your research and prepare for graduate school tests and application.
What I wish was different
N/a
Advice
Email as many labs as possible because the online application is not effective unless you contact the labs yourself.
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Research Intern
June - September 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I was able to do cancer research as well as participate in talks every week on health disparities and emerging research! Also, as the program is sponsored by Amgen, we were flown out to LA to visit the headquarters.
What I wish was different
I wish I had more control over the lab I would be working in
Advice
Working at the NIH is unlike any other research environment! It is definitely a special experience.
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Cancer Researcher
May - August 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
The community was diverse and the staff was amazing at training people.
What I wish was different
I wish that the builidng was closer to the metro.
Advice
Everyone who is science related should have the experience at NIH.
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IRTA/ CRTA Postbac at NIH
September 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I love working with world wide researchers to find solutions that could not be answered by the medical community/
What I wish was different
N/A
Advice
Do your best to prepare yourself during undergraduate so your life will be decent after graduation
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Psychologist Research Assistant
May - August 2018 • New Orleans, LA
What I liked
My mentor was very supportive and open to me starting my own research projects.
What I wish was different
I wish I could go to another state.
Advice
Make sure whoever is your supervisor, you actually enjoy their company and they are actually willing to help you grow in your professional career.
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NIH/NIDA Summer Research Intern
May - July 2018 • Baltimore, MD
What I liked
The office atomosphere and the experience I gained analyzing qualitative data and writing research papers.
What I wish was different
I wish I could hae received help with fronting housing costs before program reimburstment.
Advice
Go in with an open mind because you never know what experiences you might gain.
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Summer Research Intern
June - August 2018 • Frederick, MD
What I liked
I was given a project, and finished it by the end of the summer. I liked how I learned a lot of different techniques, such as microarray analysis and ELISA. The lab had a really great environment, and the NIH itself offers numerous opportunities and career advising for interns.
What I wish was different
Nothing!
Advice
Make sure you map out your summer at the very beginning, so you have a very clear path and can therefore take the steps necessary to achieve it.
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Research Assistant
June - August 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I liked the ability to access to hands on research--this was something I had yet to explore at UNH. I had the opportunity to help frame my research project and work right alongside a post-doc. I was able to see my lab skills improve throughout the summer as I became more independent.
What I wish was different
I wish I had had the opportunity to meet other interns throughout the summer.
Advice
When applying make sure to email labs that you're interested in.
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Biology Research Intern
June - August 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I loved getting not only to dive into my assigned research project, but also getting to explore the other opportunities available to me at the NIH — like attending lectures and career development events during downtime, learning about immunology from my PI during lab meetings, and shadowing my PI on occasion. There were also plenty of other undergrads on the NIH campus, so I never felt out of place!
What I wish was different
Advice
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IRTA Fellow
September 2018 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I have amazing mentorship in my lab as I work directly with a Staff Scientist and have weekly meetings with the Principle Investogator. As time goes on I will become more independent, but initially all methods and assays run were explained at least once. My lab is also culturally diverse with PhD students and scientists from China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Japan, Canada, and the Unites States.
What I wish was different
I wish I had a bit more autonomy in terms of planning experiments. It would have served me better to take time and look up what assays I can run and experiments I can do to answer my research question. Instead I was told what to do for the first few months.
Advice
It is a great experience for young scientists before applying to graduate or medical school.
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Biology Intern
June - August 2019 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
Able to work with leading experts in the field on new research; provided me with ideas for my summer project, learned about the potential impact of my own research.
What I wish was different
Maybe a little more involvement with other departments (although this might be different for different labs, since everything I needed was in one lab).
Advice
Really make sure you understand everything about the process, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
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Research Fellow
May - August 2019 • Bethesda, MD
What I liked
I learned so much about my field and about medicine. I loved getting to be on the cutting edge of medical research with mentors that wanted me to have the best experience possible.
What I wish was different
I wish I had done more research beforehand. I wish there was a class that I could take that would prepare me for the basics of laboratory research.
Advice
In terms of advise, I would make sure that you are committed and motivated. If you are emotionally and mentally invested, then you will make connections and gain knowledge that is invaluable.
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NIH STAR summer student/intern
June - August 2019 • Baltimore, MD
What I liked
Everything!!! Super inspiring atmosphere and summer overall. The NIH is also really great for ANY CV/resume. The program leaders were incredible and really care about your overall success. They still keep in contact with us. The stipend was nice, as well. You are working for the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, so the funding for research is incredible. You will he exposed to a lot of top-tier research that most people aren’t even aware is going on yet. It’s an amazing opportunity. Life changing.
What I wish was different
Nothing, honestly. If I had one complaint, it’s that your first check doesn’t come until you’re there for a few weeks. As you have to find your own housing (they provide us with many helpful resources), see if you can find someone who is understanding of the fact that you won’t have your first paycheck for a few weeks.
Advice
Eat the food on the main campus! But on a more serious note, go willing to learn, network and ask questions! A lot of the other summer interns/students are doing incredible things and can be valuable to your life as both a friend and within your network. Too, the NIH is filled with a lot of big name people who will actually care about you and can provide you with valuable information and guidance. I met some incredible people who I will have in my life forever now! Go open-minded and ready to learn!!!
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Comparative Oncology Research Intern
June - August 2019 • Raleigh, NC
What I liked
I was able to meet and talk to so many different people along the way. We were taught about different computer coding techniques for statistical and analytical purposes! We toured and learned about the NIH main location in Bethesda, Maryland.
What I wish was different
I hope next time I might be able to do more. We learned a lot about coding and such but aside from a few things my job was simple and somewhat repetitive. But it also depends on which university or organization that you partner with.
Advice
Keep your options open and take advantage of every opportunity, every place you go and talk to as many people as you can. This internship gives the opportunity to meet so many important and amazing people!
