In 2013, international fellows came to the NIH from 93 countries; if you just relocated to the NIH from abroad, it can be a challenge to adjust to a new culture, new city, and a new lab.

Many international fellows can experience culture shock, but each person will respond to a new culture differently. Every new trainee at the NIH will experience a transition period to their new environment and some may find they adjust easily; however, others struggle to acclimate. Once the initial luster of being in a new place wears off, individuals can find themselves feeling increasingly irritated by their new setting.

Many also report feeling very isolated. At times, individuals can feel lost or not sure about what to do in various situations. In an article in Science Careers entitled “International Scholars: Suffering in Silence,” one postdoc noted that adjusting to the new cultural norms was the hardest part. For example, it took a year before she felt comfortable calling her PI by her first name; this lack of formality wasn’t commonplace in her home country. Many trainees, no matter where they are from, hesitate to ask for help adjusting to a new setting. They often feel responsible for figuring things out on their own. If they run into a roadblock, they don’t naturally think of finding a resource which only increases their isolation. Maybe your graduate school did not have many resources to help with career or interpersonal concerns. Fortunately, the NIH has many services to help you:

The NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE)

• Look for Upcoming Events Orientation, Career and Professional Development Workshops and English/Cultural resources are regularly offered. Become active on campus in order to help you not only meet more people but also to become acclimated to the NIH campus culture. https://www.training.nih.gov/events/upcoming
• Join an OITE Listserv Joining and regularly reading these email will make sure you get up-to-date information about training events and career development activities that are taking place. https://www.training.nih.gov/listservs

The Division of International Services

• The Division of International Services provides immigration-related services to theNational Institutes of Health for visiting foreign scientists and the NIH research community. http://dis.ors.od.nih.gov/index.html

The NIH boasts a very diverse work environment, so remember that you are not alone. Give yourself time to adjust to your new place. In dealing with culture shock, it is important to remember to keep an open mind and try to maintain a positive attitude. Adapting to cultural differences does take time, so be patient during this adjustment; however, it is extremely important to take ownership of this time. It will help immensely if you make an effort to get involved and connect with your new community around you.

International Fellows – What helped you adjust to life in a new place? What resources did you take advantage of to help learn English? Let us know by commenting below!

Post written by Amanda Dumsch, Career Counselor at OITE. After graduate school, I applied for a job I really wanted. In preparation, I did everything I was supposed to – I extensively researched the department and I practiced interview questions at length. On the day of the interview, I was nervous; however, by the end of the day, I was relieved I hadn’t been asked any unexpected questions.

A week later, I got a call that I hadn’t gotten the job. I was very disappointed, but again, I did what I supposed to and I asked for feedback. Here is the feedback I received: “You came across as professionally competent, but at the end of the day, none of us got a sense for your personality and what you would be like to work with day in and day out.” While hard to hear, I realized this was true. I had become so worried about answering all of the questions perfectly, that I forgot to smile, relax, and connect with the interviewers. 

I share this story because it is a good reminder. When you get called in for an interview, they already think you are professionally qualified. Much of the time, the interview is to test your personal fit with the team; it is also a chance for you to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the position. Interviews are anxiety provoking though. As it happened to me, your nerves can get the best of you making you come across as serious and somewhat robotic. So, how can you be memorable during your interview and not bore your interviewers to tears?

Don’t be afraid to show your personality

In an interview, the easiest way to accomplish this is by answering questions with anecdotes. People don’t tend to remember facts and figures, they remember stories. Create your personal narrative for them by walking them through your past experiences, especially your accomplishments.

Demonstrate enthusiasm

Positive energy is infectious, but don’t go overboard. Simply remembering to smile and explicitly state your excitement about this opportunity can go a long way. Employers will be excited about individuals who genuinely seem passionate about their organization and motivated by their work.

Stand out for the right reasons

Interviewers will positively remember candidates who came across as professional, pleasant and prepared. Sometimes the best way to stand out is not only by answering the interview questions in stride but by asking them great questions as well. It is important to remember that you are interviewing them as well.

Some good questions to ask include: How would you describe the work environment and company culture? Generally, how is performance measured? How did you choose to work at this organization? In your opinion, what are some of the strengths and challenges in your work? What types of opportunities, for career advancement or professional development, might open up? Nobody expects you to be perfect in your interview, so take a deep breath, do some power poses, and most importantly be yourself!

First, take solace in the fact that you aren’t alone. According to the AAMC, there were over 48,000 medical school applicants in 2013. From that pool of applicants, less than half of them (20,055) matriculated into their first year of medical school.

Secondly, be heartened by recent reports like the one just released in March 2015, “The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections from 2013 to 2025.”

The conclusion of this study suggests “that demand for physician services is growing faster than physician supply and that by 2025 demand will exceed supply by 46,100 to 90,400 physicians.” Presumably, this also means that medical schools will continue to add spots in their programs to help meet the demand for future physicians.

Not only will the demand for physicians grow, but so too will the demand for other health-care related positions like nurses or physician assistants. If you are really interested in helping people in a medical setting, then there are lots of career possibilities.

Don’t let one rejection get you down for too long; however, it is likely that you are asking yourself what you should do now. Should you apply again? If you are willing to tackle the application time and cost yet again, then here are a few other things to consider:

• What were the true deficits in your application? Can these be remedied by the next deadline? The other applicants aren’t going to be less competitive next year, so you must take ownership of this process in order to improve your application. That means that there must be a marked improvement in: MCAT score, clinical hours, new publications or awards, or an increase in your science GPA. These can be difficult areas to quickly improve in a year’s time, even though it can be done with dedication and focus.  However, if some of your mistakes included applying late in the cycle, having a poor personal statement, or bombing an interview, then you can take steps to help overcome these challenges more quickly and easily.
• Did you overlook schools/programs that could be a good fit? Make sure you have a realistic understanding of your credentials versus the admissions requirements at various medical schools. Sure, it would be wonderful to be admitted to you first choice school, but it is important to honestly assess these chances. Perhaps during the first round of applications, you ignored osteopathic schools or you didn’t even consider other medical routes like becoming a nurse, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Take some time to reflect on all of your options and open up your mind to the possibilities.

Whether you need help handling the stress and anxiety of this process, talking through your options, or better understanding the medical school application process, then come into the OITE*.

Here, you can meet with wellness counselors, career counselors or medical school advisors to help you during your next step planning.  

* OITE services are only available to NIH intramural trainees. If you are at a university, check with your school for the resources they offer.

Whether you are seeking a career in academia, industry, government or the non-profit sector, it is important to communicate your skills to employers. There are skills that almost every employer seeks no matter the sector. These often include: analytical, writing, leadership, communication and problem solving skills. Your work as a trainee has given you many opportunities to develop these skills. As emphasized in a Science Careers article, “The Transferable Postdoc,” don’t underestimate these abilities.

You can identify skills that you have already developed which will transfer to your next professional position. If you think about examples that show when you used these skills, you will be more confident about presenting these skills to potential employers.

In a training position, you may have strengthened your skills in a variety of ways. A postdoc experience is deconstructed as an example in the chart below:

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) has determined six core competencies and they even created a self-assessment checklist to help you rate your current level. This can help you identify any gaps in your skills set. If you haven’t yet taken time to focus on some of these skill areas, particularly the communication and leadership skills, you can find opportunities now to get involved. Organizations like Felcom, your professional associations and NIH Institutes or Centers can provide good opportunities to develop skills.

• Volunteer to work on a committee or group to plan an event or program.
• Volunteer to mentor postbacs or summer students.
• (Professional Development) workshops and events also provide ways to strengthen skills or learn new ones. At the NIH, the OITE offers workshop on topics that include: teaching science, leadership, how to deal with conflict and many others. Check with your institutions to see what services they provide.

There are many other resources available to help you identify your strengths and skills. Start with myIDP*, http://myidp.sciencecareers.org/. This assessment tool will get you started thinking about skills interests and values, and can help you start planning your next career step with more confidence.

As a follow up, then meet with a career counselor, who can help you with goal setting and career planning as well. If you are an intramural trainee, you can make a free individual appointment with a career counselor by going to: https://www.training.nih.gov/career_services.

*Noting this resource does not constitute an endorsement by NIH OITE