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Office of Education Activities

NICHD, Division of Intramural Research, Office of Education: Activities, Programs, and Professional Development for All Fellows

Writing/Publishing

  • Editorial service
  • Grant preparation
  • Online classes for scientific writing
  • Getting published: strategies and approaches

Science Communication

  • Presentation skills workshops
  • Preparation for all scientific talks (oral, posters, chalk talks)
  • NICHD Annual Three-Minute Talks (TmT) Competition
    • training and awards program
    • emphasizes the importance of scientists communicating their research and its significance to human health
  • Graduate Student Talks
  • Individual session with a public speaking coach

Leadership and Management Course

  • Project management for scientists
  • Team science
  • Organizational dynamics
  • Supervisory skills
  • Setting expectations and goals
  • Improving Lab communication

Careers

  • Job interview preparation
  • Lunchtime sessions for exploration of various science careers
  • Alumni speakers and panels from various career paths
  • Communications of job openings, including personalized searches
  • Review of job application materials (c.v., cover letter, resume, teaching/research statements)
  • Guidance for IDPs/Annual Progress Reviews
  • One-on-one advising and career counseling (mentoring challenges, career transitions)

Teaching

  • Skills workshops and training activities (curriculum design, technology, active learning)
  • Six-week college teaching workshop series, each summer
  • “Becoming an Effective Scientist” course for postbac fellows, 11-week lecture and journal club series taught by postdocs and clinical fellows

Annual Fellows Retreat

  • The next retreat will be held on October 22, 2024, at the Natcher Conference Center.
  • Postdocs, clinical fellows, graduate students retreat, each spring
  • Off-campus, one-day event
  • Current scientific topics, keynote addresses, fellow talks, posters, networking, and career events

Grants

  • Grant writing workshops
  • Mock study section and grants review workshop
  • Practical guidance to application preparation
  • Individualized coaching and reviewing of applications
  • Reference materials
  • NICHD Fellows Intramural Grants Supplement (FIGS):
    • An award for fellows applying for competitive research funding for their research in support of their career development

Research Awards

  • NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE), annual competition
  • Image competition at annual NICHD fellows retreat
  • An annual competitive internal funding opportunity for NICHD postdoc and clinical fellows
  • NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, transition to academe
  • NIGMS Postdoctoral Research Associate (PRAT) Program: Postdoctoral Fellowships at the NIH
  • NRSA (F31 and F32), individual NIH fellowships

Medical and Grad School Preparation

  • Individual consulting on school selection/wait listing
  • Editing of personal statements/ secondary essays
  • Mock interviews
  • Alternative educational opportunities
  • Volunteer shadowing opportunities (genetics and endocrinology)

Research Ethics

  • An established training plan for all fellows
  • Requirements within the initial two years of training
  • Completed by the fellow or facilitated by the mentor or the Office of Education

Be sure to view our monthly fellows’ newsletter, The NICHD Connection, at newsletter.nichd.nih.gov. This is how we communicate with you! It focuses on all aspects of your training experience at NICHD, science careers and our educational support programs.