PREP scholar pipetting in a research lab

Resources

Cheeto the Physics Dept cat
Answer to another frequently asked question: this handsome gentleman is Cheeto, the (un) official greeter at the Physics Department, in his new, improved, and less, er, portly phenotype. You can follow Cheeto on his own page. 

This highly idiosyncratic page that contains miscellaneous bits of information that we think might be useful to some scholars and prospective scholars.

Frequently asked questions

Other postbacc opportunities

  • PhD aspirants only
    • NIH list of other PREP sites 
    • A superb spreadsheet compiled by Dr. R. Behringer, MD Anderson Cancer Center. This list is self-reported and may not include all the NIH PREP sites, but it does include application deadlines and other information not available at the NIH page, all in one place. If you have little research experience: focus on sites that include a two-year option.
    • 10 April 2024: go to our News page for a list of NIH PREP sites still recruiting
  • MD-PhD aspirants
    • Go to the Behringer spreadsheet linked above. Look for sites that fund scholars for two years, are affiliated with medical schools, and/or have more than 6 positions per year. Those are more apt to be appropriate for dual degree students.
    • See also "everyone" below.
  • MD/PhD aspirants or international students -- Neuro postbac
  • DACA recipients or international students: The following sites include positions funded by the university and may be able to support DACA recipients.

Opportunities for everyone:

PREP scholar inspects a sample
Jewel Wilson, a member of the 2024 cohort, conducts research in the laboratory of Janine LaSalle, a faculty member in the UC Davis School of Medicine. Other PREP@UCD trainers are in the School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biological Sciences, and College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Photo: TJ Ushing/UC Davis
  • looking for an academic entry-level lab tech position? Every university handles this differently. At campuses of the University of California, term-limited entry-level positions are classified as "junior specialists" and positions are advertised on the university's academic recruiting site. Staff positions are advertised on a human resources site. Both may include entry-level lab positions. For UC Davis:
    • academic: recruit.ucdavis.edu. Junior Specialists are entry-level researchers with a two-year cap on employment in this position. UC Davis faculty have begun advertising these openings. Go to https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/apply and look for Junior Specialist positions with an "apply by..." date in the future. A large fraction of junior specialist positions turn over annually as the incumbents head to advanced degree programs in the spring through summer, which means that spring is a great time to search this site.
    • staff: hr.ucdavis.edu -- look for "staff research associate" titlesAt campuses of the University of California, 
  • PhD or health sciences degree aspirants: NIH Intramural Research Training Award Program admits both PhD and MD applicants. Rolling admission.
  • PhD or MD/PhD aspirants: six NIH-funded postbac sites that focus on neuroscience specifically "to support individuals from institutions that do not offer undergraduates access to substantive research opportunities." 
  • PhD or MD/PhD aspirants: postbacc program at the Jackson Lab and at Memorial-Sloan-Kettering
  • searchable database at Pathways to Science
  • consider a funded MS program, including ones on the list compiled by Dr. Stacy Farina, Howard University (note that Professor Farina specifically calls out Ecology/Evolution/Organismal Biology but the list includes many programs that include cell and molecular biology)

About Davis: town and gown

Responsible Conduct of Research 

Miscellaneous other resources

Interested in science policy? The California Council on Science and Technology put together a pretty nifty guide to careers in science policy, including educational resources.

Potentially interested in a non-academic career?

See this Nature article for some how-to advice.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science provides information on transferrable skills that you can cultivate through an Individual Development Plan

Funding your PhD: yes, graduate programs pay you but you also can apply for portable fellowships.