Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Sciences

Opportunity Description:

Program Description: Summer programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide an opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research (At the NIH "biomedical research" includes everything from behavioral and social sciences, through biology and chemistry, to physics, mathematical modeling, computational biology, and biostatistics). The NIH consists of the 240-bed Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center and more than 1150 laboratories/research groups located on the main campus in Bethesda, MD, and the surrounding area as well as in Baltimore and Frederick, MD; Research Triangle Park, NC; Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; Phoenix, AZ; and Detroit, MI.  NOTE: the number of positions in Hamilton, Framingham, Phoenix, and Detroit is limited.

Internships cover a minimum of eight weeks, with students generally arriving at the NIH in May or June. The NIH Institutes/Centers and the Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE) sponsor a wide range of summer activities including an orientation to help interns get off to a good start, lectures featuring distinguished NIH investigators, career/professional development workshops, and Summer Poster Day.

To increase your chances of being offered a position, please do four things:

1. Watch the Applying Successfully to the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) Video. 
2. Read the SIP FAQs carefully.
3. Read our suggestions for creating a successful SIP application.
4. After submitting your application, if you applied to the General  SIP Program, contact NIH investigators with whom you would like to work and explain why you would be a good addition to their groups. (IMPORTANT NOTE: applicants to SIP subprograms should NOT contact investigators.)  You can identify NIH investigators with projects that interest you by searching the NIH Intramural Annual Reports. Use the text search feature to find project descriptions that contain the key words you enter. You can also visit the NIH Intramural Research Program website for a list of investigators organized by scientific focus area.  You can then find contact information for the investigators in the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Stipend Information: The stipends for trainees are adjusted yearly; the level depends on education completed prior to starting at the NIH. For details, see the Trainee Stipends page. The Institute/Center (IC) in which you work or your research group pays your stipend.

Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements: 

Eligibility: The 2020 Summer Internship Program is for students who

• are 17 years of age or older on June 15, 2020,
• are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, AND
• are enrolled at least half-time in and accredited college (including community college) or university as an undergraduate, graduate, or professional student at the time of application*, OR
•  have been accepted into accredited college or university program for the fall semester.

*Individuals who are U.S. permanent residents must be attending or have been accepted into institutions in the U.S.

Students with disabilities; students from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the NSF to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Native Americans, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders); students who identify as LGBTQ; students who are Pell-grant eligible; and others disadvantaged by circumstances that have negatively impacted their educational opportunities, including recent natural disasters, are encouraged to apply.

Background Check: In order to be approved for logical and physical access to NIH facilities and systems, candidates must be able to pass a Federal background check, using Standard Form-85 (read SF-85). NOTE: Section 14 of the form asks “In the last year, have you used, possessed, supplied, or manufactured illegal drugs?” The question pertains to the illegal use of drugs or controlled substances in accordance with Federal laws, even though permissible under state laws.    

Application Process: 

Application Procedure: Prospective candidates must apply online. The application is available from mid-November to March 1. It requires submission of

• a curriculum vitae or resume,
• a list of coursework and grades (please note: we do not need a transcript at this time),
• a cover letter describing the applicant's research interests and career goals, and
• the names and contact information for two references.

Candidates may also specify the general subject areas, scientific methodologies and/or disease/organ systems that interest them.

Selection: The NIH Summer Internship Program is highly competitive.  In 2019, 4523 completed applications were submitted by students in college and graduate and professional school, and 1025 interns were selected. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis from November through April by scientists in the Institutes and Centers of the NIH.  Individual scientists select their own summer interns and provide their funding; there is no centralized selection process, and the OITE plays no role. Data for 2017 indicate that applicants who submit their materials in the first two weeks have a success rate almost 3 times greater than those who submit during the 2 weeks just before the deadline.  For additional suggestions on how to increase your chances of being offered a position, please read the SIP Frequently Asked Questions. You can find a YouTube video entitled "Finding an NIH Mentor", which demonstrates how to use NIH investigator databases, on the OITE YouTube page.

Candidates will be informed of their selection by the hiring Institute or Center, generally by May 1. Successful candidates will be required to submit the following documentation to their Institute or Center prior to beginning their training:

• Official college or graduate/professional school transcripts
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status. U.S. citizens may submit a copy of their birth certificate or passport. Permanent residents will need to provide a copy of their permanent resident (green) card.