Seeking advice for gap year and questions about NIH IRTA program

[Rob Biomed]

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Hi,

I am a pre-med student set to graduate in May of 2013. I am going to be taking at least a year off before (hopefully) going to medical school, and I would like some input on my post-graduation options.

I feel like I could use an extra year or two to prepare myself, mature a little more, and give myself a bit of a breather before jumping into medical school. I originally thought my best option would be to remain in my current university's town, get a job, and work on my ECs (ie volunteering at the local hospital) for a year while I work on my med school applications.

However, today I came across the National Institutes of Health's PostBac IRTA program (See https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postbac_irta). I've done a day's worth of research on the program, and I have to say it sounds like the perfect option to keep me productive during my year (or 2) off, help prepare me for med school, and give me a good overall learning experience (as well as a decent financial stipend).


What I would like to know from you is:

1) If you have or are participating in the IRTA program, would you recommend it to a fellow pre-med as an intermediate between undergrad and med school?

2) How difficult is it to be accepted into the IRTA program? They say they are highly selective. (As for me, I have a 4.0C GPA as a biomedical science major, MCAT to be taken in January, and ~2 years of undergrad research with no publications)

3) Do you know of any well-regarded research programs similar to IRTA?

4) If you have suggestions of anything else that might be a good gap-year option for me, I would love to hear them.

Thanks for the help everyone.
Cheers 🙂

 

[latopita]

I had a summer internship at NIH this year through the community college program that they have..they gave me a list of head scientists that were involved with that program. Luckily(not that the list was bad)but someone in the NCI saw my app and decided she wanted me in her lab. I enjoyed NIH for 8 weeks both as a Summer Intern & part of CCSEP. Some of the scientist are really down to earth there is a bunch of everything there (lots of Asians and French scientists too). I've met lots of IRTAs in my lab that decided to stick to research instead of med school. Also living in Bethesda can be very expensive usually the people I've met commuted through the metro...

 

[Rob Biomed]

I had a summer internship at NIH this year through the community college program that they have..they gave me a list of head scientists that were involved with that program. Luckily(not that the list was bad)but someone in the NCI saw my app and decided she wanted me in her lab. I enjoyed NIH for 8 weeks both as a Summer Intern & part of CCSEP. Some of the scientist are really down to earth there is a bunch of everything there (lots of Asians and French scientists too). I've met lots of IRTAs in my lab that decided to stick to research instead of med school. Also living in Bethesda can be very expensive usually the people I've met commuted through the metro...

Thank you for your input. From everything I've read it sounds like a very enjoyable and worthwhile experience. Did you personally live in Bethesda or do you come from a nearby area? I have heard that it is an expensive, yet also a fun place to live.

 

[Tulkas]

I am currently a CRTA fellow (a CRTA is equivalent to the IRTA; the C is because my research is affiliated with the NCI).

1. The experience one can get in a program like this, to my understanding, varies. I am fortunate that I have a great PI and that everyone else in the lab is really nice and very cool. However, as the mandatory post-bac orientation that I attended when I started working at the NCI showed, there are obviously some people who end up being less than satisfied with their experience. If you want to have a great experience, then be sure that the PI/lab you end up with will be a good fit for you in terms of research interest, flexibility (for interviews, taking some time off to see your family, or whatnot), personality, et cetera. Also, it might be a nice thing to consider whether the labs you are interested in will also have other post-bacs besides you. My lab has two others, and I think working with them has made my experience that much more enjoyable.

2. As to how selective it is, well, I recall my PI once telling me that about 10% of applicants get selected. What helped me get my CRTA was that my academic adviser knows my PI very well. So, if you have any connections, use them, and if you dont, try to contact PIs that you are interested in by personally contacting them. I do think you have a good application, however, seeing as you have a good GPA and decent research experience.

And, yeah, living in Bethesda and anywhere else in Montgomery county can be an expensive option. But, you can save if you are willing to room with others or commute a little bit further everyday. Bethesda is nice, but so are a lot of other places. You can send me a PM about this if you would like to know more.

 

[Rob Biomed]

I am currently a CRTA fellow (a CRTA is equivalent to the IRTA; the C is because my research is affiliated with the NCI).

1. The experience one can get in a program like this, to my understanding, varies. I am fortunate that I have a great PI and that everyone else in the lab is really nice and very cool. However, as the mandatory post-bac orientation that I attended when I started working at the NCI showed, there are obviously some people who end up being less than satisfied with their experience. If you want to have a great experience, then be sure that the PI/lab you end up with will be a good fit for you in terms of research interest, flexibility (for interviews, taking some time off to see your family, or whatnot), personality, et cetera. Also, it might be a nice thing to consider whether the labs you are interested in will also have other post-bacs besides you. My lab has two others, and I think working with them has made my experience that much more enjoyable.

2. As to how selective it is, well, I recall my PI once telling me that about 10% of applicants get selected. What helped me get my CRTA was that my academic adviser knows my PI very well. So, if you have any connections, use them, and if you dont, try to contact PIs that you are interested in by personally contacting them. I do think you have a good application, however, seeing as you have a good GPA and decent research experience.

And, yeah, living in Bethesda and anywhere else in Montgomery county can be an expensive option. But, you can save if you are willing to room with others or commute a little bit further everyday. Bethesda is nice, but so are a lot of other places. You can send me a PM about this if you would like to know more.

Thank you very much for the detailed response, this is exactly the kind of information I am looking for. I just emailed some of my advisors asking them about the program, so maybe I will get lucky and they will have some connections. I will continue looking into this program over the coming weeks and will PM you if I think of any further questions. Thanks again!

 

[Rob Biomed]

Any other IRTAs out there with any advice?
I appreciate the help.

 

[leeyuhang]

hey, check this out too. http://orise.orau.gov/science-education/internships-scholarships-fellowships/recent-graduates.aspx

1) NIH is like pre-med heaven. you'll feel pretty motivated when you meet people who are both awesome in academics and are also just cool to hang out with.

2) i only had a 3.6 gpa but i had extensive research experience before. i didn't really contact PI's and received interviews after i submitted my app. if you're interested in specific research its definitely helpful to email the PI's some are definitely more receptive than others. just keep trying if no one responds.

 

[Meli001]

I had a summer internship at NIH this year through the community college program that they have..they gave me a list of head scientists that were involved with that program. Luckily(not that the list was bad)but someone in the NCI saw my app and decided she wanted me in her lab. I enjoyed NIH for 8 weeks both as a Summer Intern & part of CCSEP. Some of the scientist are really down to earth there is a bunch of everything there (lots of Asians and French scientists too). I've met lots of IRTAs in my lab that decided to stick to research instead of med school. Also living in Bethesda can be very expensive usually the people I've met commuted through the metro...

Hey latopita, did you have any research experience before NIH. What kind of research did you do at NIH I am in cc too and may you please offer me with any advice on how I can increase my chances? Thanks in advance.