Scientific Internships, Fellowships / Trainees and Non-U.S. Citizens
Whether you’re an undergraduate looking to pursue a career in science, a graduate science student seeking experience in regulatory science, a postgraduate looking for fellowship opportunities, or a senior scientist pursuing research experience in your field of expertise, FDA offers you many paths to learning about the exciting field of regulatory science.
FDA Research and Science Traineeship Program (FRST Program)
The FDA Research and Science Traineeship (FRST) Program is conducted under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 379l(b)) and provides practical scientific training for non-employee pre-and post-doctoral scientists and physicians having a background or interest in the natural sciences, e.g. biology, chemistry, the social sciences, e.g. psychology, sociology, the formal sciences, e.g. mathematics, statistics, or the applied sciences, e.g. engineering, animal science, or any other field of science related to FDA mission programs.
FDA’s Scientific Service Fellowship Program for Research and Regulatory Review
The FDA’s Service Fellowship Program provides a flexible alternative mechanism for the employment and professional development of promising research or regulatory review scientists for a period of limited duration. Fellowships provide the opportunity to accelerate and enhance scientists' careers through close associations with leading authorities in health-related research. Fellowships also serve to strengthen the research community by assuring a continuous exchange of talent between the FDA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and other research organizations external to the FDA.
Staff Fellowship Program
Staff fellows encourage and promote research/regulatory review, studies, and investigations related to health. Related health areas include medical, physical, biological, mathematical, social (economic and others), biometric, epidemiological, behavioral, and computer sciences directly related to the mission of the Agency. Depending on the amount and quality of experience possessed by a candidate, he or she may be hired as a Staff Fellow or a Senior Staff Fellow.
Visiting Scientist Programs
FDA’s Visiting Scientist Program provides opportunities for distinguished foreign scientists at all levels of their careers to work on problems of mutual interest. There are two categories of FDA’s Visiting Scientist Program participants: Visiting Associates and Visiting Scientists.
Undergraduate, Graduate, and Post-Graduate Training Programs
- Fellowship in Genomic Science and Health Equity
The fellowship, cosponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s National Human Genome Research Institute (NIH NHGRI) and the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (FDA OMHHE), is designed to prepare fellows to use genetic, genomic and pharmacogenomic approaches to advance minority health and health equity. - Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
- Learn about the FDA ORISE educational and training programs designed to engage students and recent graduates in the research performed at FDA.
- FDA/National Cancer Institute (NCI) Inter-Agency Oncology Task Force (IOTF) Joint Fellowship Program
The Interagency Oncology Task Force Fellowship program trains scientists in research and research-related regulatory review, policies, and regulations to develop a skill set that bridges the two disparate processes. - FDA-National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Translational Science Inter-Agency Fellowship
The Translational Science Interagency Fellowship (TSIF) aims to provide training in both translational science and regulatory science. - Pharmacy Student Experiential Program
The FDA Pharmacy Student Experiential Program (PSEP) provides an opportunity to learn about the FDA’s multidisciplinary processes for addressing public health issues involving drugs, biologics, and medical devices. - Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) Student Internship Program
Learn about the various scientific internships FDA offers in partnership with the University of Maryland. - Regulatory Pharmaceutical Fellowship
The purpose of the Regulatory Pharmaceutical Fellowship is to train selected candidates in one of three tracks focused on the medical and regulatory aspects of drug information dissemination, drug advertising and promotion, or medication safety. - Veterinary Clerkship Program
The program is designed to give fourth year veterinary students a real-world opportunity to see how policies guiding the approval of new animal drugs are developed and implemented by FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). - Federal Information Privacy Internship Program
The purpose of the Federal Information Privacy Internship Program is to give students an opportunity to learn about federal programs and policies with a focus on the application of privacy laws, regulations and policies. - Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program
Learn about the partnership between FDA’ National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) located in Little Rock, AR as part of the UAMS Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program. - Student Volunteer Service Program (SVSP)
This program is for students who are currently enrolled in an accredited educational institution seeking unpaid work experience or education-related training opportunities. - Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) Summer Scholars Program
This program is designed to expose high school students and recent high school graduates to the entire spectrum of oncology drug development and provide an introduction to career opportunities in government, regulatory medicine, and cancer advocacy. - Visiting Pediatric Pharmacology Fellows Rotation Program
This program promotes regulatory opportunities for individual engaged in clinical pediatric pharmacology training and establish formal outreach links to academic training programs. - Regenerative Medicine Fellowship
The Fellowship under the CBER Service Fellowship Program in the Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies (OTAT) aims to enhance FDA's ability to regulate regenerative medicine products and support the development of highly trained scientists and engineers with unique multi-center experience.