Rresearch experience as a post-bac IRTA at NIH THAT much better than being a RA?

[reese07]

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I am having trouble finding labs with open IRTA positions at the NIH for the fall so I might end up having to be a research associate at a lab instead. I have 2 years of genetics research during my undergraduate but I dont think it has the depthness and independence that most other students had for it to be impressive at all. I really want to find a position where I can have my own independent project and not just be a lab technician and since the NIH door is looking pretty closed right now I dont know if being a research associate at a random lab would help me out application wise to an md/phd program..

 

[delirium81]

Have you tried e-mailing and/or calling PIs at the NIH yet? The mistake I made when I applied to be a post bac pre-IRTA was that I just waited for PIs to contact me. I ended up in a lab that I really wasn't happy with. However, once I was in Bethesda, I ended up contacting and meeting with a bunch of PIs who worked in areas that were of more interest to me. A lot of them offered to meet with me even though they didn't have positions open. This was great because not only did I get to talk to them about their research and career choices, but they were also able to recommend other labs that might work out for me. It was a recommendation from one of those PIs that helped me land a different lab that I was ultimately much happier in.

I don't know how close you are to the NIH or if you could take a few days to head over there and schedule meetings with a few people, but that would be my recommendation. Even just e-mailing or calling a bunch of people would be a good start. If they don't have any positions, ask them if they can recommend any other PIs who work in areas of interest to you.

I'd say it's worth the effort to try to find a position where you'll have more autonomy. Admissions committees are definitely looking for people who had ownership over their own projects. Still, being an RA is better than nothing, and some RAs are actually given a lot of autonomy. It just depends on the PI and the position. Good luck in your search!

 

[reese07]

Well, I've been aggressively emailing PI's for about a month now and I ended up having 5 phone interviews. It always ended up where my research experience did not match what they do in the lab, they found someone better, or that they do not have enough budget. So I'm actually losing hope in finding a position at the NIH, especially because it seems like most of them already filled their position by now and that the economy has made budgets very tight..

 

[delirium81]

I wouldn't lose hope yet. I mean, my undergraduate research was in physical organic chemistry, which was a far cry from the skill set I needed for the labs I wanted to work in. Keep contacting PIs at the NIH. It took me a long time to find a lab to switch to when I was there. I can't even tell you anymore how many people I contacted. At least 50. A lot didn't write me back. Most didn't have positions. I was hopeful about one lab for a while, but they ultimately turned me down for lack of experience. I kept at it though and was able to find something that I was really happy with.

It's probably a good idea to be looking into RA positions simultaneously. Just tell potential PIs what you're looking for and ask if there's any chance that you could work on your own project.

ETA: If a PI tells you that they don't have any positions open, don't forget to ask if they could recommend any other labs worth looking into.

 

[whiteshadodw]

I am having trouble finding labs with open IRTA positions at the NIH for the fall so I might end up having to be a research associate at a lab instead. I have 2 years of genetics research during my undergraduate but I dont think it has the depthness and independence that most other students had for it to be impressive at all. I really want to find a position where I can have my own independent project and not just be a lab technician and since the NIH door is looking pretty closed right now I dont know if being a research associate at a random lab would help me out application wise to an md/phd program..

i don't know if this is an option to you, but have you considered teaching in a HS and volunteering at a lab? that for me seemed to be the best option, except some schools want you to be certified, etc etc. however, some private/charter schools don't have the same state certificiation requirement.

edit: i want to add something about the IRTA positions at the NIH. if you can get your own project there, then it would be AWESOME to work there because you essentially have unlimited funding. i'm working with a great PI right now, and i have my own project and what not. however, funding is a big issue in our lab. we run on a TIGHT budget, so sometimes i can't even buy the stuff i want to buy for my project (we don't even have that many pipettes). however, one of the post-docs who was in bethesda but is now at the lab i'm at said that there was so much money at NIH labs that you could literally buy pipettes every yeah and other random stuff you didn't even really need. i'm sure you'll have access to great equipment and facilities there.

 

[bd4727]

There is no inherent advantage to working in a NIH lab for one year versus working in a top tier University lab for a year. What really matters is the kind of experience you will get, but no one on an admissions committee (people who's research career is at a University not at NIH) is going to think an applicant is better than another for working at NIH.

The most important thing is finding a lab where the PI will write you a good LOR and you will have some semblance of autonomy, even though you probably won't in reality. This can be done almost anywhere that gets R01 funds.

 

[barcamdphd21]

I second bd4727 coments. Instead of applying to the NIH IRTA, i decided to be an RA in a local biochemistry lab and I could not be happier with my decision. I have my own projects and my PI believes there is a good changed to be published by the end of the year.

The most important aspect is the real lab experience you get, that you learn how to actually engage effectively in research and how intelligently you can talk about what you did in your interviews, plus good LOR.

 

[reese07]

Thanks for the input guys. As a backup to if I can't get a paid RA job, how would volunteering to do research for a year, for lets say my current PI, with a different independent project look? Do you think PIs at top tier universities are more open to having volunteers and allowing to give them the experience that they need, minus the money?

 

[delirium81]

I don't think there's anything wrong with volunteering to stay with your current PI if you can't find a good paid position. Although you did say you didn't think you had enough independence in your current lab? If you switched to a different project, or perhaps proposed your own pilot study to your PI (ad coms LOVE this, btw), do you think your PI would be willing to give you more autonomy?

As long as a PI has bench space, I think most would be open to having a motivated volunteer working in their lab. I mean, hey, free labor for them.

Bottom line, admissions committees are looking for high quality, independent research. As long as that's what you're getting, and the PI can write you a stellar LOR (as others have said), it doesn't really matter what your job title is.

 

[warypremed]

Would any of you who replied be willing to PM with me about the experience? I am looking to apply for the 2012-2013 year and wanted to ask a few questions about it, as well as if any of you had lab recommendations. Please let me know, thanks!