“…if you have a goal that is very, very far out, and you approach it in little steps, you start to get there faster. Your mind opens up to the possibilities."
— Mae Jemison, MD, first African American woman astronaut
A science background can prepare you for many professions, so broaden your horizons. Take the time to learn about what is needed for biomedical career opportunities in small liberal arts colleges, research universities and medical schools, large pharmaceutical companies, the biotechnology industry, teaching, science policy and science communication, for example.
Research careers also involve more than science skills. Seek opportunities to learn how to communicate and find funding for your ideas. NIH training and research education programs and professional organizations help you build skills appropriate to your career stage, from CV preparation to grant writing. Learn more about professional development:
- American Physician Scientist Association
- Executive leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM)
- BioSpace
- Science Communication Program
- Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training
- NIGMS Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards (IRACDA) (K12)
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Careers
- U.S. OPM - Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows Nomination, Review and Appeal Process
- American Chemical Society, Career Fields, Professional Education
- Burroughs Wellcome Fund - Moving On: Managing Career Transitions Burroughs Wellcome Fund (and related guides on staffing the lab, and on giving science talks)
- Preparing Future Faculty
- AAMC Minority Faculty Career Development Seminar, and Grant Writers Coaching Group
- FASEB Postdoctoral Preparation Institute: Career Transitions
- NCI Team Science Toolkit
Seek advice and mentoring at each career stage by reaching out to role models and networks of scientists. Explore professional societies and affinity groups that connect researchers from diverse backgrounds to mentors. In addition to the resources provided below, visit the Meet NIH-Funded Researchers page to find out more about scientists from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds and learn about their path to successful careers in research.
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Careers
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows Nomination, Review and Appeal Process
- American Chemical Society, Career Fields, Professional Education
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
- American Medical Women's Association (AMWA)
- Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS )
- Association for Women in Science (AWIS)
- Association of Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD)
- Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in Information Technology (CMD-IT)
- Ciencia Puerto Rico (CienciaPR)
- Council on Undergraduate Research
- Ford Foundation
- HHMI Gilliam Fellowship
- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
- IMDiversity
- Minority Postdocs
- NIGMS Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards (IRACDA) (K12)
- NIH Hispanic Employee Organization
- NIH Women of Color Research Network (WoCRn)
- PharmaDiversity Job Board
- PhRMA
- Preparing Future Faculty
- Society for the Advancement of Chicanos & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
- The Leadership Alliance
- U.S. OPM - Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)
- University of Wisconsin Program for Scientific Teaching: Entering Mentoring
- Women in Cell Biology (WICB)
- NIH Women in Biomedical Careers Website