Unlock Your Career Potential with a Stellar NIH Cover Letter

Crafting a compelling National Institutes of Health (NIH) cover letter is a critical step in securing
opportunities in the highly competitive field of biomedical research. Your cover letter serves as the
first impression, showcasing your qualifications, passion, and unique contributions. To ensure your
application stands out, turn to the experts at [Link] .

Why Choose [Link] ?

1. Industry Expertise: Our team of professional writers specializes in crafting tailored NIH
cover letters. They possess in-depth knowledge of the biomedical field and understand the
key elements that resonate with NIH recruiters.
2. Customized Approach: We recognize that each applicant is unique. Our writers take the
time to understand your background, skills, and career goals, ensuring your cover letter
reflects your individual strengths and aspirations.
3. Attention to Detail: NIH applications demand precision and attention to detail. Our writers
meticulously review your information, ensuring that your cover letter aligns with NIH
guidelines and effectively communicates your qualifications.
4. Proven Results: Countless clients have successfully advanced their careers with the help of
our services. Our track record speaks for itself, with satisfied customers attesting to the
impact our professionally crafted cover letters have had on their NIH applications.

What Sets Us Apart?

1. Tailored Content: We don't believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Your NIH cover letter will
be carefully crafted to highlight your unique strengths and accomplishments.
2. Timely Delivery: We understand the importance of deadlines in the fast-paced world of
biomedical research. Our team is committed to delivering your customized cover letter
promptly, without compromising on quality.
3. Confidentiality: Your privacy is our priority. Rest assured that your personal information and
career details are handled with the utmost confidentiality.

Order Your NIH Cover Letter Today!

Take the first step towards unlocking new career opportunities by ordering your NIH cover letter
from [Link] . Our team is dedicated to helping you present your qualifications in the
best light, giving you a competitive edge in the challenging field of biomedical research.

Invest in your future today and trust [Link] to elevate your NIH cover letter to new
heights. Your dream career in biomedical research awaits – let us help you make it a reality!
Note: Summary statements for new investigator R01 applications are prioritized, and when possible,
released before summary statements for other applications reviewed in the same meeting. Flexibility
is built into the program and PIs are understanding that you may have to take some time off work for
interviews. The cover letter is commonly known as a motivation letter submitted along with the
curriculum vitae (CV) or a job application for employment ( 1 ) or academic position ( 2 ), and it is
not clear why and how it was introduced into the scientific field ( 3 ). If you are a trainee on another
NIH campus, we encourage you to reach out directly to your PI and IC training director for
information. If your reviewers were enthusiastic about your idea and found fixable problems,
revising and requesting the same study section is usually the way to go. Footnotes Authors'
Contribution: Study concept and design, Zahra Bahadoran and Asghar Ghasemi; Drafting of the
manuscript, Zahra Bahadoran, Parvin Mirmiran, and Asghar Ghasemi; Critical revision of the
manuscript for important intellectual content, Khosrow Kashfi and Parvin Mirmiran. The career-path
specific resources we've curated are driven by trainee demand and based on the most commonly
pursued career paths. Here's how to proceed: Highlight your reviewers' comments in your
introduction and the body of your application, usually in the Research Plan. Alternative metrics
capture mentions on social media platforms, news media, blogs and websites, the use of articles in
policy or other official documents, discussions on postpublication peer review sites, additions to
bibliography platforms such as Mendeley, and many other sources. Use the forms from the most
current notice of funding opportunity, and scan the notice of funding opportunity to see if anything
has changed. We strongly recommend that even if your application scored just above the payline or is
on a list for possible selective pay or end-of-year funding, don't wait to see what will happen.
Reviewers will look for their comments and check that you revised accordingly. The stipend is
adjusted by year and is based on prior experience acquired AFTER the completion of your bachelor's
degree. Labs who want IRTAs to start during the summer will generally start looking at potential
IRTA applications during December of the year prior. These latter platforms are at the forefront of
the alternative metrics movement and may give you insights into how articles from a journal are
used, the communities which discuss the papers and other forms of impact, attention, and presence
which are not based on citation metrics. Publication due January 2019 Revision Submitted 15th
November 2018 Decision ACCEPT Open in a separate window How to Identify a Journal The
following sections offer a process for identifying journals, three key methods for creating a list of
potential journal names, and strategies to investigate the details of each. Does the journal allow or
disallow headings and are there formatting conventions. Medical schools are familiar with the NIH
IRTA program, and the NIH is world-renowned as a place of excellent quality research. One unique
aspect of the IRTA program is that there is no centralized selection process. The OITE continues to
support trainees as they pursue all these career paths. If your reviewers were not enthusiastic about
your idea, reassess the study section. Many panel discussions are hosted by the Graduate Student
Council and FelCom and are appropriate for trainees at all levels. Indexing Databases You may wish
to identify journals not referenced in your paper. Even if you take all these steps, you have no
guarantee of success for several reasons: Reviewers are not wedded to their critiques. In the first
paragraph of the cover letter body, to introduce the submitted work, the title and the type of
manuscript, authors’ name, journal name, and manuscript length are presented ( 4 ). For nearly 20
years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into elite institutions. Our NIH Visiting
Fellows Committee hosts the Science Voices From Home series to connect trainees with information
on international jobs. This route is the most common one and works well when the points of
contention are limited. It serves not only as an introduction to your resume or CV but to you and
your writing style. If you wait to submit for the Cycle 3 receipt dates (May Council) instead, you
could lose just a month or two before you actually get an award.
You may be able to start revising right away, but take the time to do the best job you can. Keep in
mind you might not have a study section choice for some notices of funding opportunities, e.g.,
PARs. Revising and Requesting the Same Study Section. Reviewers will look for their comments
and check that you revised accordingly. Context The Cambridge dictionary defines a cover letter as
“a letter that contains information about the thing it is sent with”. The main contents of the first
cover letter are described in Table 1. Table 1. Components of a First Cover Letter (Submit Letter)
Variables Values. World Summary of instructions for authors: Clinical trial reg. [Link]
statement. Applying in February or later does not mean that you will not get accepted to the program.
Inclusion in an NLM database does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with. Spending enough
time to draft an informative, comprehensive, and concise cover letter is quite worthwhile; a poorly
drafted one would not persuade the editor that the submitted work is fit for publication and may
lead to immediate rejection. They are advised to avoid too many details and keep it within one page
(less than 200 words), like an introduction or a brief overview ( 4, 11 ). Lastly, my coursework in
upper levels of neuroscience, biochemistry, anatomy, and psychology has given me an extensive
background in the fields of neurobiology and neuropsychiatric illnesses. Therefore, spending an
adequate amount of time to write a coherent and persuasive cover letter is worth it. Word limits are
another of the more important aspects and these may differ between article types. If so, it is likely
that your paper is within the scope of the journal. The stipend is adjusted by year and is based on
prior experience acquired AFTER the completion of your bachelor's degree. Start early and engage
throughout your NIH training experience. The novelty statement should not exaggerate or overstate
the findings of the work; furthermore, any conclusion stated should be completely supported by the
data provided in the manuscript ( 23 ). Cautionary Notes About Resubmissions Consider the
following words of caution: Use the most recent version of the NOFO and forms, even if it's not the
one you used originally. If the authors disagree with a point raised by a reviewer, a rebuttal or
counterstatement may be in order. Research Strategy Section They made the corresponding changes
are described in the introduction. The cover letter should be initiated by addressing the editor (s) and
the target journal; however, the author’s affiliation and contact information may also be included at
the top of page ( 4 ). Follow the guidance they provide, as the application process differs in each IC.
Training fellows that work with the National Cancer Institute are referred to as postbac CRTAs
(Cancer Research Training Award) rather than IRTAs. Accessibility and Discoverability Does the
journal describe any social media presence, marketing activity, and the indexing databases in which it
is listed. Meet with a career counselor or advisor to take career-related assessments and to talk about
your unique needs Attend workshops and courses related to specific careers and employment
sectors. When you resubmit, you're playing by new rules: Rule 1: You have just one opportunity to
resubmit. A well-written cover letter is an effective tool for authors to sell their work to the journal
editor and make a “good first impression”. Depending on the journal’s policy, other statements,
including “conflict of interest statement”, “funding source declarations”, and “permission note”, may
also be required to be included in the cover letter ( 8, 11 ). In fact, some high-quality and prestigious
journals pay specific attention to the cover letter ( 3 ). The authors should carefully check the letter
for any spelling and grammatical errors ( 11, 20 ).
Medical schools are familiar with the NIH IRTA program, and the NIH is world-renowned as a place
of excellent quality research. Do you allow postbac trainees to co-author publications. What
opportunities are there to attend conferences and present posters. There may also be limits to the
number of keywords, figures, tables, and references. Use the forms from the most current notice of
funding opportunity, and scan the notice of funding opportunity to see if anything has changed. This
information should be no more than half a page but will efficiently convey to the editor why your
paper is suitable for the journal and how it will be of interest to its readers. It is important to look for
this information first in case you are met with an invoice for payments during the production stages.
The timing depends on the anticipated length of your NIH training experience, but generally should
be within the first year so you begin developing critical core competencies early in your training
experience. Labs who want IRTAs to start during the summer will generally start looking at potential
IRTA applications during December of the year prior. The third paragraph of the cover letter body
includes some statements including authorship agreement, conflicts of interest, funding source, and
ethical considerations. How to email Principle Investigators (PIs) After submitting your application,
including your letters of recommendation, we recommend that you reach out to PIs in order to show
your interest. The NIH Transhare program can provide funds for public transportation to work.
Therefore, we strongly encourage applicants to seek other internship and employment opportunities.
Just keep in mind that you'll still have to wait for your summary statement before you resubmit, and
you may have to revise your application further based on what reviewers note. The postbac IRTA
program differs from a gap year spent conducting research at a university in two main ways.
Interview Process for the NIH IRTA The interview process for each lab varies. Note: Summary
statements for new investigator R01 applications are prioritized, and when possible, released before
summary statements for other applications reviewed in the same meeting. Throughout this process,
be sure to participate in OITE well-being programs and reach out to talk with a well-being advisor if
you notice that your stress level is increasing or you become aware of issues getting in the way of
your success. The authors should also avoid including unrelated personal information or glorifying
their past research papers or any of their academic accolades ( 20 ). If the verdict is no for any of the
above, the study section may not have been the best fit. Checking the recently published papers on
similar topics in the journal provides new insights for the authors to clarify in the cover letter as to
how the manuscript follows the publication trends of the journal and will add something new that
would be relevant to the trend ( 12 ). Research groups are located on all NIH campuses, including
the main campus in Bethesda, MD. For applications requiring our approval to submit, state that you
have attached a copy of the NIAID acceptance letter to the PHS 398 Cover Letter attachment for. In
the database, one can also screen based off a minimum GPA threshold. To answer this question, this
article will discuss several aspects of research publishing which may help guide or influence the
decision on which journals are suitable for any particular paper. Will it help to continue this trend, or
will it add something new and relevant. Ensure that you are eligible for this program before clicking
'Start Application.' To complete your application, import any relevant information from your profile.
The core problem of these journals is perhaps in identifying what they lack, rather than how they act.
A scientific and polite approach should spell out why the authors disagree, never losing sight of the
reviewer’s opinion ( 19 ).
If you are looking for a resource and don’t see it, set up an appointment with a career counselor or
reach out so that we can point you in the right direction. Available from:. 31. Huisman J, Smits J.
Duration and quality of the peer review process: The author's perspective. Deferments cannot be
granted for training conducted by any entity that imposes another service obligation, such as a
branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. You can also learn more about our 1-on-1 medical school
admissions support here. For example, you must address all your reviewers' points and highlight
their comments in the introduction and usually in the Research Plan (unless too much has changed).
During the morning, they interview with current postbacs to determine fit with the lab and better
understand the applicants’ interest in their lab. Students interested in biology, engineering,
epidemiology, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, physics,
computer science, bioinformatics, and other health-related fields are invited to apply. When you start
revising, discuss the reviewers' points one by one. When you resubmit, you're playing by new rules:
Rule 1: You have just one opportunity to resubmit. Learn more at Late Applications and Post-
Submission Materials. When one application is funded, NIH automatically withdraws the other.
Therefore, we strongly encourage applicants to seek other internship and employment opportunities.
Visit OITE events for detailed information and find archived videos on the OITE YouTube channel.
We strongly recommend that even if your application scored just above the payline or is on a list for
possible selective pay or end-of-year funding, don't wait to see what will happen. To gauge whether
the study section may have been unsuitable, use the roster attached to your summary statement to
view the committee members' names, and check out their publications. One unique aspect of the
IRTA program is that there is no centralized selection process. Some sample questions to ask the PI:
What projects are currently active and what might I be working on here. Your program officer may
be able to advise you as you consider application changes. However, the survey also reported that
“one reason why authors find journal selection so difficult is that they struggle to find a journal that
both has the required Impact Factor and is likely to accept their manuscript.” This finding illustrated
that although Impact Factor is desired criteria for various reasons, it is not an efficient or effective
means by which most authors can, or should, use to determine which journal to select. The authors
also should declare if any part of the submitted work has been previously published elsewhere, even
as an abstract ( 16 ); e.g., “there is some overlap in the content of the introduction section, which we
have noted in the text”. The main contents of the first cover letter are described in Table 1. Table 1.
Components of a First Cover Letter (Submit Letter) Variables Values. To assist you in transitioning to
NIH we offer comprehensive moving guides for: All Maryland campuses, including the main campus
in Bethesda, as well as Frederick and Baltimore Rocky Mountain Labs in Hamilton, MT National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Checking the
recently published papers on similar topics in the journal provides new insights for the authors to
clarify in the cover letter as to how the manuscript follows the publication trends of the journal and
will add something new that would be relevant to the trend ( 12 ). Reach out to the HS-SIP
coordinator in the NIH IC you want to work. References 1. Beatty RH. 175 high-impact cover
letters. Word counts can often apply to titles, abstracts, main text, and figure captions, so be sure to
make a note of what the word count includes. Talk to colleagues and mentors to get their take and
before you decide whether to request a new study section, keeping the following points in mind: You
have no guarantee of anyone's presence at the meeting—including past reviewers—because
participants rotate on and off, and NIH uses ad hoc reviewers. While in this lab, I have become
familiar with molecular biology techniques, neuroimaging, and GraphPad Prism data analysis. You
can also use these databases to retrieve a certain amount of useful information to add to your journal
information spreadsheet. The NIH Transhare program can provide funds for public transportation to
work.
Taken alone, the validity and integrity of using all metrics discussed in this section for assessment
purposes and journal selection is questionable and inadvisable; however, these metrics do offer some
function when using the database sources of these metrics as search tools in combination with other
factors discussed in this paper. The timing depends on the anticipated length of your NIH training
experience, but generally should be within the first year so you begin developing critical core
competencies early in your training experience. The amount depends on prior experience acquired
AFTER the completion of your bachelor's degree as well as your cumulative GPA. Research ethics
are likely to be requirements you will need to state when submitting your article, such as evidence of
institutional review board acceptance of methodologies or patient consent. Though the numbers
diminish rapidly when considering one specific field these figures still indicate the scale of the
journal selection task, as well as the competitive nature of article submission, and the question
remains: does journal choice matter. Successful candidates will be informed by the hiring IC. You
may also name any individuals who provide feedback or presubmission comments on your paper.
State the title if you're responding to an initiative. Research groups are located on several different
NIH campuses, including the main campus in Bethesda, MD. While you must address all the
reviewers' comments from your summary statement, you can start adding new data or making other
improvements to the application. The postbaccalaureate NIH IRTA would a great opportunity for me
to expand my knowledge and contribute to innovative research. In the meantime, please let us know
how we can help you crack the medical school admissions code. Can you obtain them to determine
whether you are happy with the conditions. Collaborators whom the authors have published with in
the past five years should not be suggested either; an editor may easily be informed of such
associations by a quick search of PubMed or other databases ( 22 ). If you wait to submit for the
Cycle 3 receipt dates (May Council) instead, you could lose just a month or two before you actually
get an award. Publisher Websites To identify journals within a specific publisher you may use their
own platforms to search for keywords and topics. In the first paragraph of the cover letter body, to
introduce the submitted work, the title and the type of manuscript, authors’ name, journal name, and
manuscript length are presented ( 4 ). Alternative metrics capture mentions on social media
platforms, news media, blogs and websites, the use of articles in policy or other official documents,
discussions on postpublication peer review sites, additions to bibliography platforms such as
Mendeley, and many other sources. Pressure to publish is choking the academic profession. After you
have researched PIs, write an email to them that references their work and why it interests you.
Several labs can cover the cost of an FAES course for a trainee to advance their scientific
knowledge, and these courses can be submitted as part of your AMCAS application. We also offer
guidance and programs tailored to specific career paths and sectors. If there are several coeditors,
you could address the person you feel is the specialist on the topics of your paper. Also, certain labs
may not be accepting postbac IRTAs in the upcoming summer, so it’s best to avoid mentioning lab
names in your cover letter. We offer two samples R01 resubmission applications that scored well.
You'll still have to address reviewer critiques from the first review even though that critique came
from a different study section. The licensing and copyright options of the journal should also be
made clear. Will it help to continue this trend, or will it add something new and relevant.
Additionally, enter any courses in which you are currently enrolled. They must not be rude towards
the editors or complement the editor’s accomplishments ( 4 ).
We offer research opportunities in biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences with opportunities to
explore basic, translational, and clinical research. While in this lab, I have become familiar with
molecular biology techniques, neuroimaging, and GraphPad Prism data analysis. Read more about
timing at Timelines and Due Dates. Students interested in biology, engineering, epidemiology,
psychology, mathematics, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, physics, computer science,
bioinformatics, and other health-related fields are invited to apply. Resubmission Timing If you are
on a list for possible selective pay or end-of-year funding, resubmit—don't wait to see what will
happen. Additionally, IRTA is designed as a gap year before students move on to their next steps.
This lab collaborates closely with another lab, so they coordinate their application process together.
Don’t list too many disparate research interests so you don’t come off as scattered and unfocused.
Will it consider papers that are already available as a preprint. The stipend for CRTA trainees are
slightly higher than that of IRTA trainees. It serves not only as an introduction to your resume or CV
but to you and your writing style. I am excited at the opportunity to become a member of the NIH
research community and would love the chance to talk in greater detail about my qualifications and
your research. In addition, it is explained why the work would be attractive for journal readers. For
Cycle 1 receipt dates (September-October Council), you often have to wait several extra months
before you get an award because the Institute does not yet have a budget for the following fiscal
year. The authors should also avoid including unrelated personal information or glorifying their past
research papers or any of their academic accolades ( 20 ). If the journal claims to be indexed in
particular databases, can you verify this is the case by searching and finding them. Furthermore,
informing the editor (s) regarding any information that will support the submission (e.g., original or
confirmatory data, supplementary materials, relevance, topicality) can be helpful ( 8 ). Inclusion in
an NLM database does not imply endorsement of, or agreement with. It is important to look for this
information first in case you are met with an invoice for payments during the production stages.
With the exception of the HiSTEP program, these are full-time research positions within one of the
NIH Institutes and Centers (IC) in the NIH Intramural Research Program. If the verdict is no for any
of the above, the study section may not have been the best fit. You can find more information about
IC-specific programs on the additional summer programs page. Is the journal intended for primary
researchers, society members, people working in applied settings, industry, or the public. How to
email Principle Investigators (PIs) After submitting your application, including your letters of
recommendation, we recommend that you reach out to PIs in order to show your interest. World
Summary of instructions for authors: Clinical trial reg. [Link] statement. This research
experience enhanced my critical thinking skills through trouble-shooting different aspects of the
research study as well as my scientific communication skills through lab and conference
presentations. To maximize your chances of admission, aim to have your application complete six
months in advance of when you want to start. Regardless of the novelty and significance of the
submitted manuscript, editors may miss those points without providing insights in a cover letter ( 5 ).
3. The Content of a Cover Letter 3.1. First Cover Letter (Submit Letter) One point of view is that
the cover letter’s content should be covered in the manuscript’s abstract ( 3 ). Enter the date on
which you completed, or will complete, your service into the field requesting date of receipt of your
bachelor's degree. The results from these platforms may include book titles, conference proceedings
publications, or other formats which you are not interested in.