DPSAC News is reprinting a recent e-mail to NIH staff from Dr. Sharon L. Milgram, Director, Office of Intramural Training & Education NIH, Office of the Director that details important changes to the NIH Summer Internship Program for summer 2019. DPSAC issues over a thousand badges to summer interns each spring,
Dear NIH Colleague,
At the request of NIH leadership, and with the approval of the Scientific Directors, the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE) has made some significant changes to the NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) for summer 2019. I know that many of you talk with neighbors, friends, and others interested in SIP, so I want to take a moment to explain the most important changes. They affect program eligibility, the intern selection process, and the nature of the program itself for participating high school students. Changes affecting our older interns are minimal.
Beginning in 2019, summer interns must be seventeen by June 15th of the internship year. Individuals who are in high school must meet two additional criteria: they must be either juniors or seniors, and, if they will not be 18 by June 15th of the internship year, they must, at the time of application, reside within 40 miles of the NIH campus on which they hope to intern.
High school summer interns will be selected by an IC selection committee, rather than by individual principal investigators (PIs). Each IC will appoint a High School Summer Coordinator and devise a process for making summer intern selections. With limited exceptions, summer interns will not be appointed to ICs in which a parent or guardian works.