NIH HANDBOOK GRADUATE STUDENTS POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS RESEARCH FELLOWS CLINICAL FELLOWS Create A MyOITE Account If you have an activated NIH email account, create a MyOITE account. If you would like to register for MyOITE account with user type “NIH Trainee/Fellow” events before you have your NIH email address, you and trainee type “Graduate Student or Postdoc” can do so by selecting the user type “Guest.” for yourself on the OITE website so that you can For more information about OITE accounts go to: register for events, make appointments with career https://www.training.nih.gov/oite_accounts_-_ counselors, participate in OITE classes and events, other_programs and access the Alumni Database. If you do not have To create an account: (and will not get) an NIH email account, watch your https://www.training.nih.gov/register personal email for directions on how to create your THIS HANDBOOK WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE FOLLOWING NIH TRAINEES: • Graduate students • Postdoctoral fellows • Research fellows • Clinical fellows Most of the information presented is applicable to everyone. However, you should keep some key differences between trainee types in mind while reading or searching for information. Some resources and information will only be applicable to certain trainee types; these will be highlighted in the main text as well as the table of contents. In addition, it is imperative that you know the mechanism under which you were hired: 1. Intramural Research Training Award and Cancer Research Training Award (IRTA/CRTA): IRTAs/CRTAs are either US citizens or permanent residents and receive a stipend rather than a salary. They are considered to be trainees, not employees. Only trainees working in NCI are hired as CRTAs. 2. Visiting Fellow (VF): This hiring mechanism is similar to IRTA/CRTA but applies to trainees from countries other than the United States. VFs also receive a stipend in place of a salary and are trainees. VFs comprise over 60% of the trainee population at NIH. 3. Full-time Equivalent (FTE): Individuals who were hired as NIH employees are FTEs and receive a salary and benefits from the Federal government. 4. Special Volunteer (SV): SVs are not paid by the NIH but may receive income from a different source. The following table lists the hiring mechanism(s) by trainee type. A more detailed table describing the differences between trainee type can be found on page 53 of this handbook. HIRING MECHANISM(S) BY TRAINEE TYPE Graduate Students* Postdocs* Research Fellow/ Clinical Fellow IRTA/CRTA, Visiting Fellow, IRTA/CRTA, Visiting Fellow, FTE Special Volunteer Special Volunteer *Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) awardees returning to NIH as graduate students or postdocs are hired as FTEs for the duration of their payback period, after which they will be converted to IRTAs/CRTAs. I | NIH Advanced Trainee Handbook TABLE OF CONTENTS Bicycling ............................................................ 17 Shuttles .............................................................. 17 Getting a Driver’s License ................................. 17 SECTION I: INTRODUCTION .................................1 HEALTH INSURANCE ............................................. 17 FAES Health Insurance Programs ..................... 17 THE OFFICE OF INTRAMURAL TRAINING & EDUCATION (OITE) .....................................................2 Considerations for Graduate Students .............. 18 Considerations for Visiting Fellows ................... 18 Who’s Who In The OITE? ..........................................3 Health Insurance for FTEs ................................. 18 The OITE Website ....................................................3 Preplacement Medical Evaluation ......................... 18 Creating an Account on the OITE Website ........... 3 Who Needs a Preplacement Medical OITE Online Resources ........................................ 3 Evaluation? ........................................................ 18 OITE Orientation for Graduate Students and How Is a Medical Evaluation Arranged? ............ 18 Postdoctoral Fellows ..............................................3 ONLINE Orientation ............................................... 19 The OITE Career Services Center ...........................3 Required Online Training Courses for Scientists... 19 The OITE Careers Blog ......................................... 4 Laboratory Safety ............................................... 19 The Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP) ............4 Bloodborne Pathogen Training .......................... 20 Finding Mentors, Collaborators, and Rotation Radiation Safety ................................................. 20 Opportunities ....................................................... 5 Animal Care and Use ......................................... 21 GPP Electronic Student Records ........................ 5 OITE Support for Visiting Fellows ...........................5 SECURITY INFORMATION ........................................22 OITE Support for Clinical Fellows............................6 Security ................................................................. 22 WHAT IS THE NIH? ......................................................7 AlertNIH ............................................................... 22 Emergency Phone Numbers .................................. 22 NIH Overview...........................................................7 Status Alerts: Snow and Weather Emergencies .... 22 Institutes and Centers (ICs) of the NIH ....................7 Acronyms ................................................................8 SECTION II: SUCCEEDING AT THE NIH ...............23 NIH Campuses ........................................................9 Understanding Institute/Center Organization ENSURING A SUCCESSFUL and Administration ................................................ 10 RESEARCH EXPERIENCE .........................................24 Who Conducts Biomedical Research at the NIH? .. 11 Your Career, Your Responsibility ........................... 24 UPON YOUR ARRIVAL .............................................. 12 Individual Development Plan (IDP) .................... 24 NIH Enterprise Directory (NED) and Mentors .............................................................. 24 NIH ID Badges ...................................................... 12 Networking ........................................................ 24 What You Can Do Before Arriving at the NIH ........ 12 Leadership ......................................................... 25 Trainees at Remote Locations ............................... 13 GPP: Forging a Successful Partnership Between Visiting Fellows: Division of International Services Your NIH and University Mentors ......................... 25 (DIS) and Visa Policy ............................................. 13 If Problems Arise .................................................. 25 Visa Policy ......................................................... 13 Getting Settled in Your New Research Group ....... 26 Campus Access ..................................................... 14 Conducting research in the Intramural Email, Listservs, and Setting Up Your Computer ... 14 Research Program ................................................ 26 NIH Email Accounts ........................................... 14 Publishing ............................................................. 26 Listservs ............................................................ 14 Fellows Award for Research Excellence (FARE) .... 26 Setting Up Your Computer and Work Station ..... 14 Intramural AIDS Research fellowship (IARF) Transportation and Parking ................................. 15 Program ................................................................ 26 Transhare ........................................................... 15 Grants and Fellowships for NIH Postdocs ............. 27 Public Transportation ........................................ 15 NIH Funding for Intramural Fellows .................. 27 Parking .............................................................. 16 Funding Opportunities Outside of the NIH ......... 27 II | NIH Advanced Trainee Handbook Grants and Funding Opportunities for NIH Hispanic Employee Organization (HEO) ..... 39 Visiting Fellows .................................................... 28 NIH Indian Association....................................... 39 European Research Council Starting Grants ..... 28 NIH Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered K43: Fogarty Emerging Global Leaders Award .. 28 fellows and Friends (LGBT-FF) .......................... 39 International Postdoctoral Programs NIH Network of African American fellows at the NIH ........................................................... 28 (NAAF) ................................................................ 39 CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES .............29 NIH Women Scientist Advisors (WSA) ................ 40 Salutaris ............................................................ 40 Communication Skills ........................................... 29 Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/ Teaching Skills ..................................................... 30 Hispanics and Native Americans in Science Professional Skills ................................................ 31 (SACNAS) NIH Chapter ..................................... 40 Committees ........................................................... 32 Women of Color Research Network .................. 40 The NIH Fellows Committee (FELCOM)