Apply for the 2019-2020 NLM Associate Fellowship Program

Posted by Hannah Sinemus on October 23rd, 2018 Posted in: Education, Employment, News from NLM/NIH

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The National Library of Medicine Associate Fellowship Program is a one-year residency program for recent library science graduates interested in a career in health sciences librarianship. The program combines curriculum and project work and is located at the National Library of Medicine on the campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

The Program offers a formal curriculum with exposure to library operations, research and development, intramural and extramural research, development and lifecycle of the NLM web-based products and services, and the extensive outreach and education program reaching consumers, special populations, health professionals and librarians. In the second half of the year, Associate Fellows have the opportunity to choose projects based on real-world problems proposed by library divisions and work with librarians and library staff over a six-seven month period. Successful projects have led to peer-review publications and to services that have become a regular part of the services and product of the National Library of Medicine.

The Associate Fellowship provides knowledge and skills in project work ranging from:

• Fundamentals of data science, and projects in data wrangling, data analysis, data visualization, programming, and data policy
• Creation of online tutorials and educational videos, conducting user needs assessments
• Development of an in-depth understanding of the development, production, implementation of NLM product and services

The Associate Fellowship offers opportunities for professional development through:

• Participation in lectures, exercises, conferences, short and extended visits to other health sciences libraries
• Workshops on work style, resume review, negotiation, and presentation skills
• Mentorship from a program coordinator and NLM staff who serve as preceptors

Applicants that are selected for the Associate Fellowship will:

• Select projects ranging from operations to research and development; project opportunities are in data science, data management, open science, public access, vocabularies and ontologies, consumer health, common data elements, genetics, natural language processing, imaging, digital humanities, software preservation, exhibits, policy, and digital communication
• Grow professionally and learn in a cohort, participating in an established curriculum, as well as through informal facilitated learning workshops, and informational interviews
• Rotate to the NIH Library (by arrangement); Clinical Informationist experience at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
• Network and shadow senior staff at the National Library of Medicine
• Develop leadership skills through a leadership curriculum, behavioral assessments, and regular self-development activities
• Receive support from experienced mentors
• Attend national professional conferences, including the Medical Library Association’s annual meeting, the American Medical Informatics Association annual meeting, and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of MLA annual meeting
• Potentially complete a second year fellowship at a health sciences library in the United States (based on funding)

Details

Between 3 and 6 Associate Fellows are selected each year. NLM is currently accepting applications for the 2019-2020 program, September 1, 2019-August 31, 2020.

Eligibility:

• Master’s degree in an ALA-accredited library/information science program, earned by August of the year of appointment or within 2 years. (Undergraduate degree can be in any major.)
• United States or Canadian citizenship
  *Note: Canadians with ALA-accredited Master’s degrees should use the same application process as U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens will receive first preference.
• Desirable, but not essential: work experience in a library or health sciences environment; demonstrated interest or experience in leadership

Benefits:

• Annual stipend of $56,233
• Additional funding to support purchase of group health insurance
• Up to $1,500 in relocation support
• Full support for attendance at local and national conferences

Deadline for applications: January 25, 2019.

Interested parties can submit an application online. For more information about the program, contact Kathel Dunn, Associate Fellowship Program Coordinator, via email: kathel.dunn@nih.gov or telephone: (301) 827-4284.

About the National Library of Medicine

The National Library of Medicine is located on the campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. The 317-acre campus boasts plenty of green space, where they have regular cultural events for staff and the public. Excellent restaurants, shops, transportation, and entertainment make Bethesda a great place to work, and the wealth of museums, monuments, parks, sports and cultural activities in the Washington metropolitan area provides ample recreation opportunities. A metro subway station (Medical Center on the red line) and bus stops on the NIH campus provide access to DC, suburban Maryland, and North Virginia. They also have free parking.

NLM and NIH are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects diversity. NLM hires, promotes, trains, and provides career development based on merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity), parental status, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, or political affiliation.