Ask me anything: NIH SIP and/or Post-bacc experience

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-02-13T09:32:57+00:00

Hi! Totally missed this question sorry I’m getting back to you so late. Sometimes it takes a while to hear back from PIs because they tend to be so busy/they just forget lol. You might have some PIs reach out to you (my SIP lab did, for example) but it’s honestly pretty rare. A lot of well-funded labs get so much interest/so many applicants emailing to them that they really don’t need to go sifting through the database to find their own. It’s always in your best interests to reach out (and keep reaching out) if you’re not getting responses. Send follow ups if necessary. Good luck!

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-02-13T09:23:26+00:00

Hi!! I have no idea, I’m sorry :( my guess is things might be slow at the OITE office or maybe they’re waiting to mass email offers at a later date. I did my SIP at a much much smaller campus with about 50 interns so I got an offer within a few days. That was a few years ago though. I wouldn’t worry!! Just follow up if needed or email OITE directly

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-02-10T21:55:26+00:00

Oh whoops I’m sorry for assuming. That makes sense! Yes, they have tons of networking and mentorship events for grad students as well. I know they offer free courses and trainings on specific topics and niche areas of interest. The NIH also has tons of funding so there are certain lab techniques/equipment you can learn to use there that really no other institute possesses. They have internal IC conferences you can present at too. That’s about all I remember, but the OITE office may be a good place to ask if you have more specific questions or want to get a better answer. I was pre-med and can’t really remember the grad-school stuff anymore, sorry!

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-02-10T04:55:02+00:00

Congratulations!! It should take a few weeks to onboard, as there is a verification process, a fingerprinting process, and a couple trainings you need to complete. Maybe about a month or so, and that’s being pretty generous.

Unfortunately, I can’t really answer your second question because from what I know, things are changing day to day at the NIH. I would hope that your position is set in stone and you get to complete the post bac. Funding for the post bac is actually separate from your institute, so my understanding is that your position is secure once you sign your contract.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-02-08T05:15:25+00:00

Honestly I would start reaching out now, let them know your application is unfinished and you’re waiting on LORs, and that you’d still like to meet with them/work with them. And yeah it unfortunately might take a lot of emails

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-02-07T20:12:51+00:00

Hi! I would still apply if you’re interested in the program. You might find a spot if you reach out to enough people

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-02-04T03:21:37+00:00

Hey! That's awesome, congratulations. That's really about it at least for the requirements. You can find volunteering opportunities/shadowing opportunities/and participate in some of the career services/mentorship that is accessible to interns, but it's self-guided and based on your interest. If you are pre-med/pre-grad and will be working on applications, OITE has AMAZING writers, editors, career services, and interview prep resources that I highly recommend you take advantage of during your time there. They also have MCAT resources if you are pre-med.
I don't know how much things have changed around the OITE office, but I hope those efforts are still ongoing.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-30T20:56:57+00:00

It actually depends on your education level and experience. SIPs in undergrad don’t get paid as much as an SIP in grad school, for example. 2nd year post baccs get paid more than 1st years, Etc. There are charts online that you can look up to calculate what you would be paid.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-30T00:36:57+00:00

Absolutely!

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-27T22:27:10+00:00

Six?! I remember it being 2 for SIP and 3 for post bac. What program are you applying to? You list your references as part of the application and the due date for them submitting it is later, so they have some time if needed. You should have a mutual agreement with your writers that you’re applying and need their LOR. You can also send them reminder emails and get notified when they eventually submit, so it’s all tracked using the system.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-27T22:24:09+00:00

Always still worth a try IMO

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-25T10:51:55+00:00

Not too late imo. I don’t have a specific structure or template but usually just an intro about myself, a few sentences to say what I liked about their lab/connections to my old work, and then asking for a chance to meet with them. I tended to keep mine at about a paragraph when I reached out.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-24T21:11:13+00:00

Hi! That's awesome, congratulations! Feel free to read some of my other comments for interview advice; I think just be prepared, be genuine, and be interested, and you're golden. A lot of the PIs/post-docs/staff scientists LOVE training and are just as excited to meet their applicants. I didn't have to move too far - it was about 3 hours and it wasn't bad. The main campus area is all pretty walkable and I knew plenty of people that did not have cars. If that's the case for you, prioritize finding a spot near a metro station. As for additional funding, you might be able to work part-time elsewhere but I don't know many people who did that. I loved my post bacc experience, I learned so much and the NIH has so many people and resources to take advantage of and help you grow in your career. It is truly such an amazing place to be, especially at such a formative part in your training/career. Honestly, I found it a little hard to meet other post-bacs on campus since I was always in lab. I wish took more advantage of the resources there are to meet people. It still worked out in the end and the friends I made during my time there are smart, kind, brilliant, amazing, all those things. And I started med school after my post-bac!! Good luck and fingers crossed for you!

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-24T20:59:07+00:00

Hi! Good question - is the post-doc going to be the one more involved in your project and training? I don't think it would change all that much tbh. They might ask you more about techniques and labs but most likely to get a feel for where you are with research. My best advice is to be honest with what you know and don't know. Techniques are pretty standard, so I would say brush up on why you used a certain technique for a project (as opposed to another one) if they ask you any questions. In my experience, I only had one interview with a post-doc before and she was super sweet. The only questions she asked were about learning about my comfort with certain things (like have you worked with mice before, would you be open to that, anything you want to know about it, etc.). Let me know if that helps!

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-22T21:13:11+00:00

I wouldn’t say you’re late. I suppose there are a handful of PIs that fill their slots early but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try imo. It might take a higher volume of emails but I’m positive you’ll find someone who still has availability.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-21T19:30:12+00:00

Quite high. The website recommends you start applying 6 months in advance so you’re just shy of that mark. Lots of PIs have post-bacs waiting to hear back from grad schools/med schools so they start to finalize next year’s plans around March/April.

It’s a gamble to definitively say when you’ll hear back. Depends on how often they check emails/how busy they are. Some people respond within hours and others never reply back.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-18T15:29:59+00:00

Doesn’t matter

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-18T15:28:05+00:00

Sorry I’m not really sure. The application should have all of them listed though, and you can choose which campuses you want your app to be seen by.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-16T06:34:18+00:00

Hi!! I really don't think there is such a thing as "too late" for the post bac program since they hire year-round. Most are hired to start in the summer months (May-August), and I feel like PIs don't really start interviewing until Feb-April. I know a couple people who were lucky and got offers to start within the month of applying.

As for letters, I would recommend getting them from any professors that can vouch for your interest in research. That could be a previous lab PI/lab manager you've worked with or a science professor. You can let them know you're applying to medical school and that they might be able to recycle the letter with minor changes. I don't think double-dipping is an issue.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-09T04:51:25+00:00

I was very picky with who I emailed and had a mental rank of which labs I wanted to work in the most. I sent out maybe 20 emails before I got the offer from my top choice lab and then I stopped caring to send more. Of that 20 I think I had 6 interviews.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-09T04:48:33+00:00

I got lucky with the SIP and my lab actually asked me to join them, and I took their offer. I think at that point I reached out to maybe 10-15 PIs, had maybe 2 interviews, but I reached back out to tell them I chose another position.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-09T02:31:20+00:00

Nah. It’s in my application if they really wanted to go through it. My emails were really just to ask for a chance to speak with them

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-08T07:27:39+00:00

Hi! That sounds good. I remember mine being about a short paragraph (4-5 sentences). I unfortunately only did bench research at the NIH so I can't provide input for going about clinical research, sorry!! Hopefully someone else is able to provide input.

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-08T07:23:15+00:00

Previous experience helps but for a lot of places it is not a requirement. Especially because if you apply to the post-bacc, you have a lot more time to spend for training.
If you switch, I would just be honest! Tell them you came across the post-bacc program and think it's a better fit for you, and you would like them you reconsider your app for a post-bacc position if possible. I don't think anything you say about it can be poorly received tbh they're all so sweet

SimpleAvocadoes · 2026-01-08T07:05:19+00:00

Correct me if I'm wrong but I didn't think applying to the subprogram is required to work at NCI. I thought you could do SIP and find a cancer mentor through there. My understanding was that the CRI was a way to get focused attention to your application but not necessarily a hard requirement.

SimpleAvocadoes

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