HHMI '15 Summer Fellowship Advice

[Guero]

After much trial and tribulation, I finally found an HHMI PI to sponsor my grant proposal for next summer's HHMI fellowship application cycle, opening this November 3rd. Considering there were 190 applicants and 70 successful grants funded for the year-long fellowship last year, I was hoping to find a successful applicant willing to share advice. I'd like to make my application as strong as possible.

If that's you, please let me know what you'd like to know about my background and developing proposal that would be relevant. I just didn't want to write a lengthy post in case there weren't any bites. Thanks in advance and happy studies.

-G

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[Guero]

No one?

 

[itsthat1guy]

Maybe you'd have better luck getting this moved to the research forums?

 

[sinombre]

If you don't get any bites, you may want to see if you can lurk the CVs of some of the residents at your school, and see if any of them received an HHMI grant. I know you're a personable guy and this kind of strategy would probably work pretty well for you.

Good luck @Guero !

(not sure if I have to leave a space before using symbols like "!" after tagging somebody with an @ symbol or not)

 

[Guero]

Thanks to both of yas I probably should've posted there in the first place but totally forgot since I'm always on my phone these days.

 

[Guero]

Waiting for a mod to help move this over to research, really desperate to find a successful HHMI summer fellowship recipient for advice... @Tots @gettheleadout @Narmerguy @mmmcdowe

 

[gettheleadout]

Waiting for a mod to help move this over to research, really desperate to find a successful HHMI summer fellowship recipient for advice... @Tots @gettheleadout @Narmerguy @mmmcdowe

I gotchu bro.

Edit: Nope, see below.

 

[gettheleadout]

I gotchu bro.

I'm incompetent and didn't realize this was in Allo; I don't have mod powers here! Sorry!

 

[sinombre]

I'm incompetent and didn't realize this was in Allo; I don't have mod powers here! Sorry!

I had to unlike your first post. I'll like the second one though.

 

[Narmerguy]

Got it

 

[Guero]

Lolz, Halloween SDN probz are so real. Thanks to all!

 

[Guero]

Considering the dearth of responses to all previous posts regarding HHMI fellowships, I'll probably just bump this a couple more times in the next month before allowing it to die. From what I can gather, about 50 people apply for the summer fellowship funding, of which 20 are awarded...

 

[Lya]

Considering the dearth of responses to all previous posts regarding HHMI fellowships, I'll probably just bump this a couple more times in the next month before allowing it to die. From what I can gather, about 50 people apply for the summer fellowship funding, of which 20 are awarded...

Anywhere from 40 to 80 people applying for 20 spots, so it will be quite competitive. I am currently working on my summer app now and only had a chance to talk to a local student who completed the summer app, didn't get in, but ended up working in that HHMI lab independently, so I'm also looking for a successful applicant as well.

His advice was to be very clear and realistic about research proposal (don't be too ambitious or unrealistic), explain in your personal statement why this is an important topic/field to you, and have as much discussions with your mentor as needed, so that both of you are on the same page.

(These are all general advice, however, so it wasn't as helpful as I hoped.)

 

[Guero]

Anywhere from 40 to 80 people applying for 20 spots, so it will be quite competitive. I am currently working on my summer app now and only had a chance to talk to a local student who completed the summer app, didn't get in, but ended up working in that HHMI lab independently, so I'm also looking for a successful applicant as well.

His advice was to be very clear and realistic about research proposal (don't be too ambitious or unrealistic), explain in your personal statement why this is an important topic/field to you, and have as much discussions with your mentor as needed, so that both of you are on the same page.

(These are all general advice, however, so it wasn't as helpful as I hoped.)

Nonetheless, it's activity from someone other than myself AND from someone else applying. Thanks for participating and good luck.

To share, I have one mentor from UCSF that has taken me on and one from OHSU that has expressed interest. I'm meeting with them via phone or Skype Monday afternoon. Something that scares me is that the UCSF mentor has had two unsuccessful prior applicants and tends to be more on the "risk" and obscure side of HHMI's mission statement, while the OHSU mentor seems to be working on something much more applicable and potentially high yield. I'm going to ask if that mentor has had successful applicants in the past and might take that one through rather than UCSF. I figure greater potential for success and greater potential for yield is the most important aspect to writing this proposal. Thoughts?

 

[Lya]

Nonetheless, it's activity from someone other than myself AND from someone else applying. Thanks for participating and good luck.

To share, I have one mentor from UCSF that has taken me on and one from OHSU that has expressed interest. I'm meeting with them via phone or Skype Monday afternoon. Something that scares me is that the UCSF mentor has had two unsuccessful prior applicants and tends to be more on the "risk" and obscure side of HHMI's mission statement, while the OHSU mentor seems to be working on something much more applicable and potentially high yield. I'm going to ask if that mentor has had successful applicants in the past and might take that one through rather than UCSF. I figure greater potential for success and greater potential for yield is the most important aspect to writing this proposal. Thoughts?

The student I was referring to in my previous post had a mentor who previously had many successful applicants that got accepted. However, despite the mentor's excellent history of having accepted students, he didn't get in. He said that his research background was cell bio, while his mentor was working on genomics, so there was a gap in research interests/backgrounds. I'm not sure whether this was a factor that didn't make him accepted, however.

I think it has to do more with how compatible you, your mentor and project are with one another, rather than whether the mentor previously had accepted students. But again, the evaluation process was described too vaguely in the HHMI website, so I could be very wrong. I am actually debating if I should directly email HHMI about more details, and I can post them here when I get some answers.


If I were you, I would think about your research background, career plan, research interest, and how these are all relevant to you personally and academically. And then match that with your mentor's. Just my thoughts, though. I'm saying this because if these don't match well, the committee can probably see through your personal statement that you "just want some research experiences in random labs in random institutions just like any other summer internship" rather than you "really need this HHMI experience in this particular lab because....."

I hope it makes sense! Again, I'm just another applicant like you, so I'm just sharing my thoughts here.

 

[Guero]

The student I was referring to in my previous post had a mentor who previously had many successful applicants that got accepted. However, despite the mentor's excellent history of having accepted students, he didn't get in. He said that his research background was cell bio, while his mentor was working on genomics, so there was a gap in research interests/backgrounds. I'm not sure whether this was a factor that didn't make him accepted, however.

I think it has to do more with how compatible you, your mentor and project are with one another, rather than whether the mentor previously had accepted students. But again, the evaluation process was described too vaguely in the HHMI website, so I could be very wrong. I am actually debating if I should directly email HHMI about more details, and I can post them here when I get some answers.


If I were you, I would think about your research background, career plan, research interest, and how these are all relevant to you personally and academically. And then match that with your mentor's. Just my thoughts, though. I'm saying this because if these don't match well, the committee can probably see through your personal statement that you "just want some research experiences in random labs in random institutions just like any other summer internship" rather than you "really need this HHMI experience in this particular lab because....."

I hope it makes sense! Again, I'm just another applicant like you, so I'm just sharing my thoughts here.

That sounds like great rationale. My own background and interests more closely mirror that of my UCSF's mentor's work rather than OHSU. So that really helps. I've emailed HHMI, too. I'll post what I hear back, as well. Team work!

 

[Lya]

That sounds like great rationale. My own background and interests more closely mirror that of my UCSF's mentor's work rather than OHSU. So that really helps. I've emailed HHMI, too. I'll post what I hear back, as well. Team work!

Haha great! If that's the case, it sounds like you should go ahead with UCSF and try to work it out. Even though a project could be "risky," it's better to have a coherent application to explain why that's relevant and important to you.

 

[Guero]

Haha great! If that's the case, it sounds like you should go ahead with UCSF and try to work it out. Even though a project could be "risky," it's better to have a coherent application to explain why that's relevant and important to you.

She sent me the PDF of recommendations for the year-long fellowship, but which also apply to the summer version. The exception is that the summer version requires we apply with an HHMI sponsored mentor. It's all common sense. But I can try to upload it after my test this Friday if anyone is interested.

Also, huge ALSO here, the applications are NOT rolling. Thus, it's wise to take your sweet time on rocking that proposal. All apps are reviewed after the deadline.

 

[Lya]

She sent me the PDF of recommendations for the year-long fellowship, but which also apply to the summer version. The exception is that the summer version requires we apply with an HHMI sponsored mentor. It's all common sense. But I can try to upload it after my test this Friday if anyone is interested.

Also, huge ALSO here, the applications are NOT rolling. Thus, it's wise to take your sweet time on rocking that proposal. All apps are reviewed after the deadline.

Thanks for your info! I would love to see those recommendations. It's great to know that it is not rolling, because I was debating if I should submit it early!

Also, Melanie from HHMI (the contact person for HHMI summer) told me that all the aims in our proposal need to be specific and realistic enough to be completed during the summer. IRB has to be approved, if needed, prior to the start of our fellowship. Make sure to show that you want to be a physician-scientist (or a physician with strong interests in research) and that you want to do basic science research in your personal statement (since HHMI summer doesn't fund clinical research or other areas). Lastly, she told me that if I provide her my information (backgrounds, HHMI people I've contacted, interests, etc.), she might be able to share some contact info of other fellows whom I could contact.

 

[Guero]

Thanks for your info! I would love to see those recommendations. It's great to know that it is not rolling, because I was debating if I should submit it early!

Also, Melanie from HHMI (the contact person for HHMI summer) told me that all the aims in our proposal need to be specific and realistic enough to be completed during the summer. IRB has to be approved, if needed, prior to the start of our fellowship. Make sure to show that you want to be a physician-scientist (or a physician with strong interests in research) and that you want to do basic science research in your personal statement (since HHMI summer doesn't fund clinical research or other areas). Lastly, she told me that if I provide her my information (backgrounds, HHMI people I've contacted, interests, etc.), she might be able to share some contact info of other fellows whom I could contact.

Dude, that's the same person I've been contacting! When you say other fellows, do you mean current/past fellows with funding? Why didn't she offer to put me in contact with fellows? Maybe since I already have a mentor she didn't offer... ::shrugs::

 

[Lya]

Dude, that's the same person I've been contacting! When you say other fellows, do you mean current/past fellows with funding? Why didn't she offer to put me in contact with fellows? Maybe since I already have a mentor she didn't offer... ::shrugs::

Lol, well I asked her if there is any fellow I could contact for advice. I am not sure if that will be useful though, because she knows more about the application process than any other fellows lol.

 

[Guero]

Application tips, as promised.

 

[GFP]

Hey everyone. I'm not intending to hijack the OP's thread, but I'm just curious if doing the HHMI summer program is recommended if I'm particularly interested in the year-out program. Does doing the summer program increase your chances of acceptance into the year-out program? I've already tried searching this, but didn't get a good answer.

Thanks.

 

[Guero]

Hey everyone. I'm not intending to hijack the OP's thread, but I'm just curious if doing the HHMI summer program is recommended if I'm particularly interested in the year-out program. Does doing the summer program increase your chances of acceptance into the year-out program? I've already tried searching this, but didn't get a good answer.

Thanks.

Hah, you're not hijacking it at all. Yes, it does help. And that's the impetus behind and a "requirement" for applying for the summer program. They really want to fund those intending to make a career as a physician scientist rather than the run of the mill students just trying to fill their summers and increase competitiveness for residencies.

 

[GFP]

Ah, okay. Thanks for your answer!

I'm interested in this because I really want a physician-scientist career (mostly research), and since I'm not in an MD/PhD program I figure the year-out research programs are ideal. They just seem so competitive! Do you know how closely they scrutinize your AMCAS/MCAT/GPA?? I had very average stats, but significant research experience then and now and I currently have a co-author paper in submission.

 

[Guero]

Ah, okay. Thanks for your answer!

I'm interested in this because I really want a physician-scientist career (mostly research), and since I'm not in an MD/PhD program I figure the year-out research programs are ideal. They just seem so competitive! Do you know how closely they scrutinize your AMCAS/MCAT/GPA?? I had very average stats, but significant research experience then and now and I currently have a co-author paper in submission.

I have no idea. I'm in the same boat with the MCAT, but have tons of experience and pubs, including 1st author, albeit a clinical 1st author rather than basic science.

I honestly think (and hope) it'll boil down to the proposal and experience rather than MCAT. But you never know. We can only try. Good luck.

 

[GFP]

Hi all,

Last Nov I was discussing with the OP about this HHMI summer program. Well, between then and now there was a lot of confusion about what I would personally be doing this summer in terms of research (my school has some fellowships available). Anyway, it might not plan out the way I thought it would, so I'm re-considering the HHMI summer program, even though I know it is competitive and getting late.

That said, is it absolutely too late to contact and HHMI mentor and write a proposal/application?

Thanks.

 

[Guero]

Hi all,

Last Nov I was discussing with the OP about this HHMI summer program. Well, between then and now there was a lot of confusion about what I would personally be doing this summer in terms of research (my school has some fellowships available). Anyway, it might not plan out the way I thought it would, so I'm re-considering the HHMI summer program, even though I know it is competitive and getting late.

That said, is it absolutely too late to contact and HHMI mentor and write a proposal/application?

Thanks.

Unfortunately, yes it's too late. The submission deadline is 2/15. That's not even enough time to find someone to take you on, let alone collaborate to devise a theory, plan an approach, write and revise a proposal, and complete the application. The mentors must also fill out an application and submit statements regarding why they chose you and how they think the experience will improve the student's future career.

I secured my mentor in October 2014 and have been collaborating ever since. I'm in the final phases of writing and revision before we submit. Early hard work is key. Sorry.

 

[GFP]

Alright thanks for your reply! I guess I'll have to keep finding something to do this summer--my situation is really not bad at all, and I can still most likely do paid research at my institution.

Good luck with your application!