Postbac Programs OUTSIDE the NIH
Should I consider a postbac year (or several) before applying to graduate (PhD, MS) or professional (medical, dental, veterinary, pharmacy, nursing, etc.) programs
Ask yourself the following questions.
- Do I have sufficient experience (research and/or clinical) to know that the programs I intend to apply to are right for me?
- Will my experience convince the programs that I am a good candidate?
- Do I have academic issues, like a low GPA or lack of pre-requisite courses, that I should remedy before applying?
If you answer no to question 1 and/or question 2, you might consider completing a research postbac experience.
A yes answer to question 3 suggests that you would benefit from an academic postbac.
Postbac Options for College Graduates Considering Graduate or Professional School
Research Postbac Experiences
- NIH Postbac IRTA, https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/postbac_irta: a full-time biomedical research experience in research groups at the NIH that prepares participants for graduate and/or professional school
- PREP (Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program), https://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/PREP: university- and medical school-based programs for underrepresented minorities, funded by NIH and focusing on preparation for research-based doctoral degrees
- University-funded research postbac programs
- Research jobs
Academic Postbac Experiences
- Formal academic postbac programs at universities and colleges: these may provide a Special Master’s Degree, e.g., in Biomedical Sciences, or not
- Master’s degree programs, e.g., MPH
Additional Resources
PDF Spreadsheet listing postbac programs hosted at universities (or EXCEL version of the spreadsheet) and summarizing information on
- Program type (research vs academic)
- Program format (in-person, virtual, or hybrid)
- Degree/career goal (programs listed as "Clinical Science" prepare participants for medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary science, PA, PT, etc.)
- Location
- Eligibility (time since receipt of degree, citizenship)
- Financial information
- Focus on underrepresented groups
The NIH is neither endorsing nor recommending these programs.