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 your answer yes 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 91 postbac programs hosted at universities (or EXCEL version of the spreadsheet) and summarizing information on
- Program type (research vs academic)
- 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
Program Announcement: Info Session on the Memorial Sloan Kettering Bridge Program
On Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 3:00 PM (EST) we will be hosting a live info session for our new two-year postbac/gap year research program - the MSK Bridge program. Students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in science and who aspire to pursue biomedical PhDs or MD-PhDs are strongly encouraged to attend this session. Come learn about the program and the application process, and get your questions answered during the live Q&A. The inaugural cohort of 10 Bridge Scholars will start in July 2022, with the deadline to receive all application materials: March 30, 2022. Register for the info session.
The NIH is neither endorsing nor recommending this program
