Career Services Center: About Us
How can OITE assist you in your career development
- Mission
- Services
- Career Services Libraries
- Career Services Staff and Contact Information
- Office Hours and Locations
- Make an Appointment
Mission
The OITE Career Services was created to meet the career development needs of all trainees across all Institutes and Centers of the NIH.
Services
NIH Trainees have access to individual appointments to discuss a wide variety of topics, including but not limited to:
Getting to the next stage in your career:
- Assistance in investigating career options
- Resources for identifying possible employers
- Assistance with the process of applying to graduate or professional (medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, nursing, etc.) school
- CV and resume review
- Personal statement and cover letter review
- Mock interviews, including group mock interviews
Skill development:
- Preparation for informational interviewing
- Networking skill refinement
- Interpersonal skills development, e.g., assertiveness
- Having difficult discussions
Knowing yourself:
- Wellness issues such as resilience and self-confidence
- Administration and interpretation of formal assessments
- The Strong Interest Inventory, which identifies career interests
- The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a tool for analyzing personality type
Tools:
- Jobs database - on the OITE website and the "NIH Intramural Science" LinkedIn Group
- OITE Careers Blog
- Alumni Database
Overview: What to Expect When You See a Career Counselor
Please visit our program-specific pages for additional information on services for
Career Services Libraries
Career Services Libraries are maintained in the following locations:
- Bethesda Campus - Main circulating library on the 2nd Floor of Building 2
- Baltimore in the Biomedical Research Center - NIA, Room 04B409B; NIDA, Room 2A641
- Frederick in the Science Library in Building 549
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, MT, in Building A, 3rd Floor, Room 313A
- Research Triangle Park, NC, in the Basement of Module A in Building 101
The OITE Career Library is a "branch" of the NIH Library
To search the OITE Career Library collection online, go to the NIH Library website (https://www.nihlibrary.nih.gov/agency/nih). Then, under “Resources,” from the “Other Research Tools” menu, chose “Online Catalog”. Type your inquiry into the search bar and press enter or click the magnifying glass icon. On the left-hand side of the screen, under “Refine my Results,” scroll down to “Library” and select “NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education.” NOTE: The OITE Library will only show up under the lists of libraries if it contains the book you are looking for. You may find searching by topic productive.
Career Services Staff and other OITE staff who can advise on career issues
| Name | Title | Expertise | To Make an Appointment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lori Conlan, PhD | Deputy Director, OITE; Director, Career Services Center | Dr. Conlan is also Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Services, so her particular focus is the career development needs of postdocs. | email directly |
| Amanda (Dumsch) Langer, MA | Career Counselor | Experienced in all aspects of career services | request appointment online |
| Anne Kirchgessner, MSEd, LCPC | Career Counselor | Experienced in all aspects of career services; meets trainees in Bethesda | request appointment online |
| Denise Saunders, PhD | Career Counselor | Experienced in all aspects of career services; located in Research Triangle Park, NC | request appointment online |
| John Taborn, PhD | Career Counselor | Experienced in all aspects of career services; meets trainees in Bethesda, Baltimore, and Frederick; also an advisor on the medical school application and admissions process. | request appointment online |
| Elena Hernandez- Ramon, MD, PhD | Director, Pre-medical Program | Advisor on the medical school application and admissions process and medical careers. | request appointment online |
| William J. Higgins, PhD | Pre-med Advisor | Advisor on all phases of the application process for medical and dental programs | request appointment online |
| Yewon Cheon, PhD | Director, Postbac and Summer Research Programs | Advising for trainees in SIP and the Postbac Program; career advice, including careers in public health, clinical psychology, and genetic counseling; NSF and NIH grants in support of graduate education; getting into graduate school | email directly |
| Natasha Lugo-Escobar, PhD | Programming for high school students | Career development and career exploration advice for high school students; help with the college admissions process | email directly |
| Sharon Milgram, PhD | Director, OITE | Help with any serious problem; advice on the academic job search and related job packet materials | email LaToya Myers |
Office Hours and Locations
OITE Career Services is housed on the second floor of Building 2 on the Bethesda campus. Most career counselors and advisors are available between the core hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. However, some may begin work earlier or remain at work later, so appointments may be available outside these times. If you prefer a virtual appointment (via Zoom), please select an appointment time and then indicate, in the "purpose of meeting" space, that you would like a phone or Zoom appointment. Include the telephone number at which you can be reached.
Career Services staff members visit Baltimore and Frederick on a regular basis. Denise Saunders provides career assistance to trainees at NIEHS. If you are at another location, counselors/advisors will come to you or, we will arrange phone or Skype appointments.
