How to Apply to the NIH CBSTP
PLEASE REVIEW THE INFORMATION BELOW CAREFULLY BEFORE FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION.
Admissions Process
Admission to the CBSTP requires acceptance by both the NIH and one or more university partners. We encourage applicants to investigate our university partners directly to help familiarize themselves with university offerings and to initiate acquaintanceships within the university.
Consideration for admission is initiated by submission of an application through the NIH Application Center (NIH-AC). Applications are shared with university partners during trainee evaluation. Applicants should indicate their preferences for partner universities to train at in the “Personal Statement” section of the application. The final match between an accepted applicant and a university partner is made by the CBSTP, taking into consideration the student’s preferences, university evaluation of the student, and program needs. Trainees who are accepted will be required to apply subsequently to their partner university for formal admission to the university’s graduate school. The graduate school application process will be guided by the advice and timeline of the matched university partner.
Please note that applicants who also wish to be considered for university-supported training positions at a particular university partner (i.e., positions that not CBSTP-supported fellowships) should apply for those positions according to relevant university program requirements.
Admissions advice
Some characteristics frequently possessed by CBSTP applicants:
- Highly motivated, well-rounded veterinarians with accomplished backgrounds who share a vision of integrated clinical and research training in preparation for a career in comparative biomedical research as a clinician-scientist.
- Students who have had one or more research/investigative experiences, have given presentations (poster or oral) at regionally or nationally attended meetings, and who may have published manuscripts in scientific and/or veterinary journals.
- Students with outstanding recommendation letters, particularly those from mentors who have supervised an applicant's laboratory research or other clinical investigative projects.
- Students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher (in both undergraduate and veterinary school) and GRE scores in the 70th-96th percentile. Please note additional information about submitting GRE scores for applications below.
- Students capable of effectively communicating their research interests, reasons for seeking training, their specific interest in seeking training in the CBSTP, and what they plan to do with the training once obtained.
- Students with a passion for clinical and basic investigation and for seeking an understanding of disease mechanisms by taking the problem solving beyond the first tier.
Application to the CBSTP
Applications should be submitted through the NIH Application Center (NIH-AC). In the NIH Application Center, create login information and select “Comparative Biomedical Scientist Training Program” to begin your application.
Application timeline for 2024 application cycle:
- June 12, 2024: Application website opens.
- August 8, 2024: Submission deadline for applications to receive full consideration.
- August 29, 2024: Submission deadline for letters of recommendation directly from referees.
- September 2024: On-site or virtual interviews. If interviews are conducted on site, CBSTP will provide transportation, lodging, and meal costs consistent with government travel policies. Candidates invited for interviews must receive direction from program officials prior to initiating any travel arrangements.
The CBSTP uses a soft deadline to evaluate applications for admission. For full consideration of your application, be certain that your application and reference letters are submitted by Noon ET on the dates listed above. We can continue to consider new applications until the class is filled, however please note that this applicant evaluation timeline will differ from applications received by the submission date for full consideration.
You will be asked to provide the following Application components to be considered in any admissions decision:
- Contact Information
- Relatives at NIH
- Education level
- Education Experience
- All university coursework & grades
- CV/Resume
- Names and contact information for three professional references
- Personal Statement
- Research Interests
Special instructions:
Personal statement: please be sure to address the topics listed below. It may be best to avoid submitting a generic personal statement developed for other schools or programs.
- Research interests and career goals
- Scientific research experience, pathology and/or other veterinary medical clinical focused experience, and other relevant professional, educational, and volunteer experiences
- Reasons for applying to the NIH CBSTP
- An indication of which university partners are of interest for your training experience
- Perspective on your career goals/plans after completing your training
GRE Scores: The CBSTP requests self-reporting of GRE scores if the applicant took the GRE as a requirement for admission to veterinary school. A more recent exam score is not necessary for application to the CBSTP but may be required by individual university graduate schools. In this case, accepted trainees will be expected to meet all graduate school requirements for admission.
Notice regarding application review timeline:
NIH CBSTP fellowships encompass fellowship support from the NIH and enrollment in a partnership university graduate school along with training as a diagnostic pathologist or other specialty residency track. Training is accomplished on both NIH and university campuses. CBSTP extends fellowship offers in accordance with NIH policies and through an admissions process that entails independent admissions decisions by our multiple NIH institute sponsors and our university partners. The admissions matrix created by virtue of this multi-institutional consortium is a complex process and the number of open training slots varies from year to year. In order to accomplish this multi-institutional recruiting and placement process, the NIH CBSTP is regrettably unable to adhere to a uniform candidate acceptance date and our application timeline is among the earliest of all post-DVM training programs. As a result, applicants in some cases may be asked to make acceptance decisions about NIH fellowship offers in advance of uniform acceptance dates for other programs. The CBSTP hopes that its unique multi-institutional consortium training experience provides opportunities to benefit the profession and individual candidates that outweigh this necessary nonconformity.
Requests for information or assistance:
Questions about application technical issues should be directed to Dr. Patricia Wagner (wagnerpa@od.nih.gov), GPP Director of Admissions and Registrar.
- Questions related to the CBSTP and applications to the CBSTP should be directed to CBSTP leadership and the administrative team at ncimolpathol@mail.nih.gov.
How To Apply to the Summer Internship/Externship Program
For Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (8-12 weeks, May-August)
(Online Application process opens in mid-November the previous year)
Fill out online application at: OITE Summer Internship
Note: Select graduate school for university level and include keyword “veterinary” in application.
Also send an email with your intent to apply to: ncimolpathol@mail.nih.gov
Items required for application:
- Self-reporting of all courses and grades or transcripts from all universities, including all undergraduate and graduate studies
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal letter of interest and curriculum vitae
Application Time Line:
- Mid November – Application website open to receive applications
- January 24 – Early deadline for complete application (for full consideration)
- February and March – Telephone interviews
- March and April – Offers for summer internship
For Externships (1-3 weeks), to be scheduled during the the rest of the calendar year,
send an email to ncimolpathol@mail.nih.gov and you will receive further instructions for applying.