NIH IRTA Applicant. 107 emails sent and no interview. Please help.

[thewonderer8]

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Hello,

The subject header says it all. I am very distraught and am on the verge of tears. I don't understand what my issue is. I have a complete app (with reccs and everything) from scientific faculty. I have a 3.88 GPA for a BS degree and will be graduating this May. I individalize the emails. 75% don't respond, 20% say they don't need one, and 5% have told me that they are considering me amongst other applicants but this was over a month ago.

Maybe it is because I only have a year of research in a biochem lab and have been searching for a neuroscience lab. I also live in Florida so could distance be an issue? I am looking for gap year opportunities and everything I apply to seems to be a no go for me. I am just so very disheartened.

Any help or confidence booster would be immensely appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Optimus-Prime]

Did you apply traditionally as well?

 

[eteshoe]

You may want to have some other 'fires' going. What I mean to say is that while the IRTA is an awesome opportunity, there are other research opportunities that you could take during your gap year(s).

 

[thewonderer8]

Did you apply traditionally as well?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "applying traditionally". Can you elaborate please?

 

[thewonderer8]

You may want to have some other 'fires' going. What I mean to say is that while the IRTA is an awesome opportunity, there are other research opportunities that you could take during your gap year(s).

Can you please specify what these other research opportunities are? Some friends have told me that I should find research locations (most likely buildings partnered with universities) and email the PIs located there. This seems enticing but I am a little unsure of how to go about such an unstructured process (like where to start and whatnot). I know I definitely want to leave Florida but everything else is incredibly variable.

 

[Optimus-Prime]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "applying traditionally". Can you elaborate please?

Through the web site, I was an IRTA. I tried emailing PIs w/o success, then out of nowhere I got an email for an interview.

You should hop on indeed.com and look for other opportunities as well,

Like...

http://um.hodesiq.com/job_detail.asp?JobID=5229300&user_id=&ViewAll=&emid=3640

 

[hypericum]

Remember this is a program with <10% acceptance rate. I don't think distance is the issue.
I'd say the fact that you have effectively 0 years of experience for the field you're trying to become a research postbac in is. I would recommend trying to target biochem labs instead. Or maybe molecular neurobio that uses the techniques you already know.

Best course of action imo is to ask your mentor if they know anyone at the NIH they can recommend you to. The IRTAs I personally know were largely selected based on the strength of their undergrad PI's name/connections.

 

[ifnotnowwren]

Can you please specify what these other research opportunities are? Some friends have told me that I should find research locations (most likely buildings partnered with universities) and email the PIs located there. This seems enticing but I am a little unsure of how to go about such an unstructured process (like where to start and whatnot). I know I definitely want to leave Florida but everything else is incredibly variable.

Where are you looking to live? Look up medical schools and universities in those states. Then look at the research they offer, check out their PIs, and start emailing. Thoroughly go through their lab missions and maybe read through a recent paper or two so that when you do email them, you have a concrete and valid reason as to why their lab interests you/why you think you can contribute. Really look for labs where you can contribute/you have done some of the techniques that they use. Attach a copy of your CV and maybe letters of rec too if you have those.

 

[eteshoe]

Where are you looking to live? Look up medical schools and universities in those states. Then look at the research they offer, check out their PIs, and start emailing. Thoroughly go through their lab missions and maybe read through a recent paper or two so that when you do email them, you have a concrete and valid reason as to why their lab interests you/why you think you can contribute. Really look for labs where you can contribute/you have done some of the techniques that they use. Attach a copy of your CV and maybe letters of rec too if you have those.

Beat me to it.

 

[thewonderer8]

Through the web site, I was an IRTA. I tried emailing PIs w/o success, then out of nowhere I got an email for an interview.

You should hop on indeed.com and look for other opportunities as well,

Like...

http://um.hodesiq.com/job_detail.asp?JobID=5229300&user_id=&ViewAll=&emid=3640

Well I submitted an application through the website with recommendations and everything. I am in the directory that PI's can see. Is that what you mean?

 

[Optimus-Prime]

Well I submitted an application through the website with recommendations and everything. I am in the directory that PI's can see. Is that what you mean?

Yeah, the funding climate is tricky there

 

[thewonderer8]

Where are you looking to live? Look up medical schools and universities in those states. Then look at the research they offer, check out their PIs, and start emailing. Thoroughly go through their lab missions and maybe read through a recent paper or two so that when you do email them, you have a concrete and valid reason as to why their lab interests you/why you think you can contribute. Really look for labs where you can contribute/you have done some of the techniques that they use. Attach a copy of your CV and maybe letters of rec too if you have those.

Okay, this sounds good. I've heard this before but I suppose I'm just a little scared of going off an "application path". I will start doing this. I don't really have any specific ideas of where to live other than hopefully it has a relatively low cost of living and it has an environment conducive to making friends. I'll use google to find locations like this. Thank you for your help.

 

[thewonderer8]

Remember this is a program with <10% acceptance rate. I don't think distance is the issue.
I'd say the fact that you have effectively 0 years of experience for the field you're trying to become a research postbac in is. I would recommend trying to target biochem labs instead. Or maybe molecular neurobio that uses the techniques you already know.

Best course of action imo is to ask your mentor if they know anyone at the NIH they can recommend you to. The IRTAs I personally know were largely selected based on the strength of their undergrad PI's name/connections.

I didn't have the best time at my biochem lab so I think that's why I am weary to apply to those. It is however my major and you're right, that is what I have experience in research wise. I will start to do that as well.

 

[itsthat1guy]

Hi OP, I'm currently a postbac and remember how discouraging it was to send so many emails without getting a response. I emailed like 170 PIs and only interviewed with ~6. I also had only one year of research and even then it was in analytical chemistry. Just keep sending emails, even if it means doing something in a field that's not your first choice (I was sure I wanted to do something related to immunotherapy/cancer/immunology but am now in a genetics lab doing very basic science). Any lab will teach you how to do research and think like a scientist, regardless of the field. Definitely send another email to the folks that said they were considering you.

Feel free to PM if you want to talk more about it

 

[hypericum]

I didn't have the best time at my biochem lab so I think that's why I am weary to apply to those. It is however my major and you're right, that is what I have experience in research wise. I will start to do that as well.

Sorry, I don't mean to discourage you! You can definitely move away from biochem -- if you disliked it don't resign yourself to it! I'm just suggesting it as a possible reason for why you aren't getting much response from the IRTA PIs, because the IRTA is pretty competitive. Also spots open up weird times of year, so don't count yourself out yet. My friend is an IRTA and her contract's not up until September, so her PI wouldn't seek a replacement for her until September, for example.

 

[thewonderer8]

Sorry, I don't mean to discourage you! You can definitely move away from biochem -- if you disliked it don't resign yourself to it! I'm just suggesting it as a possible reason for why you aren't getting much response from the IRTA PIs, because the IRTA is pretty competitive. Also spots open up weird times of year, so don't count yourself out yet. My friend is an IRTA and her contract's not up until September, so her PI wouldn't seek a replacement for her until September, for example.

You're fine! haha my bad for jumping to conclusions. I think that my bad biochem experience had to do moreso with a mean and inconsistent graduate mentor. I think I was letting that hinder my decisions. I will try to read up on biochem PI's and see if I like what they do. My only concern is that my CV is heavily tailored to neuroscience right now. Do you think it would be wise to generalize my CV to both neuroscience and biochem instead of just shifting it to entirely biochem?

 

[hypericum]

You're fine! haha my bad for jumping to conclusions. I think that my bad biochem experience had to do moreso with a mean and inconsistent graduate mentor. I think I was letting that hinder my decisions. I will try to read up on biochem PI's and see if I like what they do. My only concern is that my CV is heavily tailored to neuroscience right now. Do you think it would be wise to generalize my CV to both neuroscience and biochem instead of just shifting it to entirely biochem?

TBH I have no idea, since I stayed in 1 subfield of neuroscience. I think other people in this thread have given you some great advice about looking beyond the NIH and applying to neuroscience labs at various universities. You'll probably still have to send out quite a few. I remember back in the day sending out 80 emails to be an unpaid summer intern, lol. But that PI was famous and got me into the lab where I spent all of undergrad, won 2 funded summer grants, and eventually published. You just need to get your foot in the door 🙂

 

[peridotthecat]

I'm not overly informed about IRTA, but FWIW, I got my current job as a research assistant by cold emailing PIs and got several interviews. It might help to look for people at your undergrad institution if you're ok with staying there

 

[ifnotnowwren]

I'm not overly informed about IRTA, but FWIW, I got my current job as a research assistant by cold emailing PIs and got several interviews. It might help to look for people at your undergrad institution if you're ok with staying there

+1. Also if you really want to up your chances, look for newly minted PIs, people who only recently completed a post doc position and are starting their own lab for the first time. They will want all of the help they can get.

 

[peridotthecat]

it might also help to ask your professors, especially any in neuroscience, if they know of someone with an opening. a lot of these kinds of positions seem to be filled by word of mouth rather than formal postings, and it always helps to have a reference from someone the PI knows

 

[mistafab]

FYI - I got my spot in ~may/june. You are expecting a response in March for a gap year when most IRTAs will leave their spot in June/July to start med school.

No one leaves the IRTA in March, makes no sense for there to be spots now.

 

[JustAPhD]

it might also help to ask your professors, especially any in neuroscience, if they know of someone with an opening. a lot of these kinds of positions seem to be filled by word of mouth rather than formal postings, and it always helps to have a reference from someone the PI knows

Happens A LOT in research. By the time the opening is posted there's a good chance that is has already been filled and the posting is merely a technicality to appease HR.

 

[GrapesofRath]

What JustaPhD said above is everything. If you are responding to posted ads, odds are you are way too late. And even for professors that havent already filled a job and are posting the position the number of people who reply who you are competing with is absurd(think often >100). Odds are, therell always be someone more qualified than you in the vast majority of cases.

The best way to go about getting any research gig is to cold email like hell and use whatever connections/networking you might have. There's no formal process to this at all; once a PI finds someone he likes, the job is essentially filled period. You gotta apply/get their attention early enough for it to matter. Honestly, if you cold email enough, can interview decently/ express your interests in the lab/goals(youll be amazed at how many people cant do this) and have decent references, you can find something. It's just being in the right place at the right time for the right PI.

 

[eteshoe]

Rule of thumb - it's not (always) what you know but who you know. Cold email like hell as @GrapesofRath and @hypericum mentioned. Good luck.

 

[Gingy]

Current IRTA here; my boss is searching for my replacement and combing through the database. She was surprised how many applicants were looking for something neuroscience-related. So, I'm guessing there's a lot of competition for neuro applicants and a lot less for, say, cell biology or something of that nature.

Your lack of success may be less a result of poor stats and more a byproduct of competition. Don't take it personally and keep looking for other research opportunities. The IRTA position is just one of many gap year options.