NIH SIP this Summer 2009!

[af6060]

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I got an email from one of the staff at a lab through the NIH SIP in Biomedical Research Program. I know this is a competitive program and I'm really excited to have the opportunity for this research experience.

The lab that I will be interning in is at the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland.

I'm having a difficult time planning my living arrangement, because it's hard getting a short term lease!

Any suggestions for those who have already done it?
Or anyone who got into NIH SIP program as well?

 

[Ubergeek]

A couple things:

Not to burst your bubble, but SIP is not competitive in the least. Because of the tremendous volume of researchers at NIH it is extremely easy to find a single researcher interested in having a student. This is not to say that the SIP is not a good program. The learning experience and compensation are top rate.

When I did SIP a few years ago, I made the grave mistake of renting out a room in house for the summer. I wanted to save money, so I picked the cheapest place of craigslist 🙁 and signed a lease before seeing the property since I was at school 🙁🙁. A learning experience, to be sure. If possible, I would recommend renting out a dorm room in a local university. It will likely be more expensive, but you will have more social contact this way and you won't have to worry about showing up to your house and finding out that it's a windowless coffin-sized room.

 

[Katatonic]

Did you have to contact this faculty member and ask them specifically if you could work with them, or did they contact you out of the blue after you had applied? I only ask because I applied for the SIP as well and am not sure whether I need to be shooting out e-mails to labs I'm interested in.

 

[FutureScaresMe]

Did you have to contact this faculty member and ask them specifically if you could work with them, or did they contact you out of the blue after you had applied? I only ask because I applied for the SIP as well and am not sure whether I need to be shooting out e-mails to labs I'm interested in.

From what I've heard, when you submit your application it actually gets put into a database which can be searched by researchers. Unless you actively seek out labs and email the people within these labs directly, the chance of someone finding you in a sea of apps within this database is slim. Everyone I know who has participated in the program said you need to email labs which interest you, and if they agree to have you come and do research with them, they would then seek you out specifically in the database to accept you into the program.

 

[aroen]

Does anyone know how many high school students get accepted into the SIP program? I submitted mine about a week-ish ago and my final recommendation letter was posted a few days ago. I know the website says that ~20% of applicants get into the program, but the applicant pool consists of grads and undergrads. (and sorry for the bump)

 

[Neotoma]

I'm having a difficult time planning my living arrangement, because it's hard getting a short term lease! Any suggestions for those who have already done it?
Or anyone who got into NIH SIP program as well?

I just landed an internship two weeks ago and had trouble finding housing too. My PI sent me a link to an NIH sponsored housing list where I found a place, only 1.4 miles away from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Rockville (sweet! 😀). I didn't see any places for Frederick, although it wouldn't hurt to contact your PI for some advice.

http://www.recgov.org/housing/Roomrent.html

On another note, I didn't have time to email any researchers (full-time work, track & field competition, and low self-esteem, I had NO lab research experience), so I was ecstatic when this researcher contacted me for a position in his lab.

 

[wg2411]

I got an email from one of the staff at a lab through the NIH SIP in Biomedical Research Program. I know this is a competitive program and I'm really excited to have the opportunity for this research experience.

The lab that I will be interning in is at the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland.

I'm having a difficult time planning my living arrangement, because it's hard getting a short term lease!

Any suggestions for those who have already done it?
Or anyone who got into NIH SIP program as well?

Sweet, I just got in a few weeks ago. I'll be in the Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry at the NCI in Frederick. What about you?

 

[DrJD]

I was just on the NIH campus yesterday and it is a really amazing campus, I'm sure you'll all love it there!

 

[acv88]

I got accepted, too. I'll be working at the NICHD in the Poolesville lab...kind of a rural area, so I'm trying to figure out commuting and everything...I wonder if there will be any other interns there??

I'm also having trouble with housing. Also, I just recently got an email with the handbook and I was not aware of all of the safety/prep courses that I have to go through before I can actually start in the lab! Now I'm wondering how early I need to go up there...😕

 

[UCLAzy]

I got accepted, too. I'll be working at the NICHD in the Poolesville lab...kind of a rural area, so I'm trying to figure out commuting and everything...I wonder if there will be any other interns there??

I'm also having trouble with housing. Also, I just recently got an email with the handbook and I was not aware of all of the safety/prep courses that I have to go through before I can actually start in the lab! Now I'm wondering how early I need to go up there...😕

my PI last year didnt really enforce it since i had training at my uni. maybe it's changed since then..or maybe my PI was just nice. i hope i dont have to take it this year..although i think you get a lab coat for free, one of my friends did haha

 

[Neotoma]

I did not know about the training until I got here and that was three weeks ago. My PI was more concerned about my getting trained on culturing cells and starting on my project. He even looked a bit annoyed when I told him I would be away from the lab a few days to take courses at the main campus (I'm at Twinbrook). He stressed that I get that out of the way asap. No worries!

 

[ProtonatedAlchy]

I got in as a high schooler. But you have to be VERY proactive. Email researchers and ask if they have an open spot in the lab, etc etc. If they don't, ask can you give me 10 emails of lab PIs who might. Keep trying, its difficult for them to just "choose" one of hundreds of candidates on the application and most don't do it and will still have empty spaces in the labs.

 

[tjluke25]

im sitting at my lab workspace right now...just had my first week of the SIP -- the NIH is a great place

also, I got contacted by my current PI randomly...so it does happen!

anyone else that is here currently from SDN? im in bldg 4