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OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH HOWARD W. BOND National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
INTRODUCTION
The National Institutes of Health are the principal research facilities of the United States Public Health Service. They are located in Bethesda, Maryland, approximately six miles from downtown Washington, n c-. -. The Institutes had their origin in the Marine Hospital on Staten Island, New York, in 1887, with the establishment of a small bacteriological laboratory. Four years later better facilities were provided in Washington at the Marine Hospital Service Headquarters. Here an entire floor was given to the laboratory, which by this time had become known as the Hygienic Laboratory. Within ten more years (1901) these quarters had been outgrown, and a large building was constructed on a plot of ground overlooking the Potomac River near the Lincoln Memorial. This site was the home of the Hygienic Laboratory for forty years, during which time three additional buildings were erected. In 1930 the name was changed to the National Institute of Health. The Institute was soon becoming cramped even in these quarters. In 1935 Mr. and Mrs. Luke I. Wilson donated a beautiful tract of ninety acres of land in Bethesda to the Institute for a new home. Construction of six large buildings was soon under way, and the Institute was gradually able to move to its new home during 1939 and 1940 as the buildings were completed. With the onset of World War 11, activities were expanded considerably, and an additional building was erected in 194344. Since the end of the war still another building has been erected. It houses the work on infectious diseases and is named the Memorial Laboratory in honor of those members who have lost their lives working on such dread diseases
as scrub typhus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, etc. For a long long time, there has been a real need for clinical facilities a t the Institutes to provide more integration between laboratory and clinical research. This need is now about to be fulfilled. Constmction has just started on an immense 500-bed research hospital a t the Institutes. This hospital will actually occupy the floor space of a normal 1500 bed hospital, since there will be extensive laboratory facilities in the building. When this hospital is completed in 1951, the Institutes will occupy seven times the present floor space. By that time other facilities will no doubt have been authorized. In anticipation of this tremendous expansion skeleton staffs are already being assembled. The National Institute of Health has juSt this year been renamed the National Institutes of Health and is composed a t the present time of the Experimental Biology and Medicine Institute, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Heart Institute, plus several independent Divisions and Laboratories. A National Institute of Dental Research has been authorized by Congress. It is anticipated that a National Institute of Mental Health will soon be authorized. It should be obvious that upon the completion of the new hospital there will be many opportunities for employment a t the Institutes. An estimate has been made that the staff will be increased from the present 1500 to about 2500. What types of positions are, and will be, available? What are the salary scales? What sort of housing is available in Bethesda and nearby? These and similar questions are ones in which you would naturally be interested in connection with employment a t the Institutes' and I shall now attempt to answer them.
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CIVIL SERVICE
For the most part, employees of the National Institutes of Health are in one of the following categories: Civil Service, Commissioned Corps of the U. S. Public Health Service, and Fellows. As of June 30, 1948, there were a t the Institutes 1374 Civil Service employees, and 158 Commissioned Officers,for a total employment of 1532. Approximately one-fourth of the Civil Service employees were in the professional grades. Let us first consider the Civil Service category. I shall point out only those aspids in which the Civil Service procedures a t the Institutes differ from those elsewhere and indicate a few of the advantages which a civil servant enjoys a t the Institutes. The U. S. Civil Service Commission has granted to approximately one hundred governmental establishments the power to set up in their Field Stations individual "Boards of U. S. Civil Service Examiners." These boards have the power to give Civil Service examinations, grade the examinations, establish the eligible registers, and certify employees from the register. The National Institutes of Health is one such agency enjoying this arrangement. The only other agency in the Washington area specializing in examinations for recruiting scientific personnel under this procedure is the Potomac River Naval Command of which the Naval Research Laboratory is a part. The first scientific examinations a t the Institutes under this setup will be given a t the Institutes in the near.future. Eligible registers are to be established in the Professional Grades, P-1 through P-8, in eleven options covering the following biological sciences: General Biology, Physiology, Genetics, Cytology, Histology, Histochemistry, Zoology, Protozoology, Biochemsitry, Pharmacology, and Biophysics. No written examinations are to be given in connection with the establishment of these eligible registers. Applicants will be rated entirely on the basis of their education and experience. The ratings will be determined by a panel of experts in wchparticular option from the Staff of the Institutes. Residents from any section of the country may compete, and, since the Institutes are in the "field service," apportionment according t o states does not apply. An examination will be announced in the near future in the sub-professional categories, SP-2 through SP-8, of Laboratory Aides, and Biological and Scientific Aides. A four-hour written examination including an aptitude test will be given each applicant. These examinations will also be given a t the Institutes of Health, and persons residing in the Fourth Civil Service District, which includes the States of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia, may compete. The big advantage of the arrangement empowering the Institutes and other Governmental agencies to give their own examinations is that it materially speeds up the process of examination, certification from the eligible register, and appointments. When the Civil
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Service Commission handles the examining procedure for agencies, it is not uncommon for six to twelve months to elapse between the time an examination is announced and the time the registers are established and eligibles certified for appointment. This is not a fault of the Civil Service Commission; it is simply a consequence of the immense amount of work involved in grading perhaps thousands of applications, addressing envelopes for mailing out grades, etc. Under the Board arrangement, it is hoped that the eligible registers will have been established and in operation within thirty days after the examinations have been given. This will most certainly be true in the Professional Series, where there will be no written examinations to grade, and it will probably he true with the Sub-Professional Series as well. It should, of course, be emphasized that the optional fields to be covered in the Professional Series examinations are highly specialized-in some cases very much s w a n d many would not be qualified by training and experience for them. I wish, therefore, to call attention to the fact that the regular Chemist and Physicist Examinations will not be given by the Institutes. The Civil Service Commission itself will continue giving these examinations as it has in the past. Applications are currently being accepted by the Civil Service Commission for chemists in positions paying from $3727 to $6235 per year, and from $7432 to $10,305 per year. The closing date of the former is December 31 of this year. There is no closing date for the latter. Applications are also being received for physicists, $7432 to $10.305 Der vear. with no closine date. Residents from , . " , any section of the country who meet the requirements of these announcements may apply. Thereis a plan proposed by the Civil Service Commission whereby persons in professions considered to he "scarce categories" would be offered direct appointments to positions by recruiting representatives of the various agencies. Such a procedure would be resorted to only after a country-wide examination in the subject had been given and had failed to attract a sufficient number of qualified candidates. These are numerous special advantages which the National Institutes of Health are able to offer their Civil Service employees. Probably the most important of these is medical care. Being a medical research center, and being a part of the federal agency charged with furthering public health and the economic standards of workers, the Institutes are naturally very much interested in the health of their employees. Ordinarily, governmental agencies provide medical care for employees only for injury or illness suffered as a direct result of the job being performed. The Institutes, on the other hand, are able to offer their Civil Service employees much more medical care. After six months' employment free dental care is provided in emergencies and also for routine care, including x-rays, extractions, fillings, plates, etc., as time is available. Two fulltime dentists and a dental technician provide this service a t the Institutes. All illnesses and injuries suffered
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on the job are, of course, taken care of in the Institutes' Health Unit, and hospitalization is provided as needed at Providence Hospital in Washmgton or a t the Marine Hospital in Baltimore. In addition, illnesses or injuries having no connection with the job may, with administrative recommendation, be treated. Employees suffering from cancer, tuberculosis, pneumonia, etc., are treated a t the Marine Hospital in Baltimore entirely free of charge, regardless of the duration of the malady. Inoculations and vaccinations are provided free of charge upon request. Medicine is provided free of charge as needed, consistent with the stocks maintained in the pharmacy department. Rocky Mountain spotted fever shots are given to the employee and his entire family upon request. An additional intangible service is free medical advice from the many, many medical doctors carrying on research a t the Institutes. Some of you might be concerned over the location of the Institutes so far from downtown Washington. It is true that the Institutes are located in a high-class residential area, a t some distance from available apartments and low-cost housing. But transportation facilities to the District are very good. Also, some six miles north of the Institutes on U. S. Highway 240 is the town of Rockville, population about 4000. Many employees live in Rockville and nearby. It is estimated that at the present time 5000 homes are being erected between Rockville and the District of Columbia. Despite all of this construction, there is still much good farm land around and beyond Rockville a few miles, and I am sure that the idea of living on a small farm while working a t the Institutes would appeal to a number of you. Those already holding Civil Service positions may be interested in the regulations concerning transferring to Civil Service positions a t the Institutes. To transfer, one must have permanent Civil Service Status, and a suitable vacancy must exist. Permanent status is acquired only through competitive examinations, except in the case of disabled veterans already serving in positions, who may acquire status through a noncompetitive examination. Disabled veterans also obtain a 10-point additional credit in competitive examinations. If the transfer is "for the convenience of the government," all expenses incidental to the moving are paid for by the Government. The National Institutes of Health have field stations in various localities throughout the country. The largest of these is the Rocky Mountain Laboratory a t Hamilton, Montana, which has 130 employees at present. An expansion of research activities a t Hamilton is contemplated soon. Another sizable project is a t the Baltimore City Hospital. Research projects elsewhere are usually small and transitory. Clerical help for such projects is usually obtained locally. The professional personnel is usually detailed from the Iustitutes for the duration of the project. In addition to the Institutes, other agencies of the U. S. Public Health Service have project,^ t,hrnuphnut
the country. These include the Communicable Disease Center at Atlanta, Georgia; Water and Sanitary Investigation Station a t Cincinnati, Ohio; the Leprosarium a t Carville, Louisiana; etc. Employment of scientists a t these installations is usually limited. Those interested should make local inquiry. COMMISSIONED OITICERS
The Commissioned Officers Corps of the U. 9. Public Health Service was created by Congress in 1798 primarily to provide medical care for the Merchant, Marine and later for the Coast Guard. Initially, only Medical Doctors were granted commissions in the Corps. With the passage of time and the expansion of medical knowledge, many new functions were assigned by Congress extending the responsibilities of the, Corps into the fields of public health, medical research, and allied fields. In recent years the scope of the Corps hap expanded as the Public Health Service has assumed still additional responsibilities with regard to the Public Health. These responsibilities call for people with many types of training and experience other than medical. As a result, the Commissioned Corps today includes individuals with quite varied scientific backgrounds, such as physicians, dentists, nurses, sanitary engineers, scientists, etc. The Scientist Corps was established by Act of Congress several years ago to embody the chemists, physicists, psychologists, bacteriologists, and other related scientific specialists. When the Scientist Corps was established, a Doctor's Degree was not a requirement for admission, although a preponderance of those commissioned had such degrees. With the passage of time, however, the advantages of having such a requirement became more and more apparent. As a consequence. an earned Doctor's Degree in a natural or social science was estab.. li>hvd 3s n prcrcquisire. Coincidcntnl wirh this m l i n ~ nus the rsrablishmcnt of the innituriuil ('urps. Conimissions in this Corps are now being granted to persons possessing Master's Degrees in the natural or social sciences. Commissions are granted in the Reserve Corps in certain cases to persons possessing Bachelor's Degrees only. Commissions in all branches of the U. S. Puhlic, Health Service Commissioned Corps are offered on a competitive basis to .my qualified individual, male or female. The Commissioned Corps is quite similar in structure to that of the Commissioned Corps of the Army, Navy, etc. The base pay, allowances, privileges, etc., are. the same as for the comparable ranks in the Ariny (see Table 1). Applicants for all grades in the Commissioned Corps must be cibizens of the United States, a t least 15 years of age. Applicants for the Assistant Grade (equivalent to the Army grade of First Lieutenant) in the Scientist, Corps must be a t least 21 years of age, possess earned Doctor's Degrees in a natural or social science from a university of recognized standing, and must have had at lea& seven gears of education and professionsl t,rain-
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TABLE l Estimate of Earnings-Public Health Service Scientist and Sanitarian Officer with Two Dependents Gde
Base pay
Assistant Senior Asst. Full Senior Director
$2400 2898 3960 5005 6380
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Alloluancel $1411.00 1591.00 2Q26.50 2206.59 1951.00
Total direct payments 53811 .OO 4489 .OO 5986.50 7211.50 8331.00
Retirement benefits for age'
Retirement disabilitz/3
Death gratuity4
$1050 1050 1050 1050 1050
$45.90 59.05 100.24 157.97 232.54
$13.40 16.97 27.58 42.77 63.82
Health Taz a'nmrance5 difemnlialo $102 102 102 102 102
$168.00 229. 20 283.20 375.60 304.80
Total ay a d benefits' $5,190.30 5,946.22 7,549.52 8,939.84 10,084.16
1 Includes allowances for rent and subsistence. a Based on figures obtained from the Mrtssachusetts Mutual and John Hancock Life Insurance companies. To purchase outright at age 64 a life annuity comparable to PHS retirement requires $60,000. Such an snnuity purchased at age 30 requires $35,700 or 34 payments of $1050. This is the figure shown in the table above. The difference between $60,000 and $35,700 represents the smount of interest on the annual premiums and deductions made possible by the fact that a certain number of policy holders will die before the age of 64. A policy taken out at an age earlier than 30 would of course have a lower annual premium. "ost of disability polioy which pays benefit equal to PHs disability retirement benefit. Based on figures from Acacia National Life Insurance Co. Cost of insurance policy which pays, at death, amount equal to PHs 6 months death gratuity. Based on figures from Acacia Nrttional Life Insurance Co. 6 The cost of a civilian health insurance policy providing benefits similar to those made available to a PHS officer. (Group Health Assoei?tion, Inc., figures as of December 1, 1946:) There is no civilian polioy wh~choffers d l the benefits avadable to s. Public Health Service officer. Represents the Income tax dfierent~al between an officers salary and an equivalent civilian salary. Figures are based on deductions for subsistence and quarters. ' This table is not altogether complete because commissary privileges, uniform and travel allowances, etc., are not included.
$102 per year to an officer. No civilian health insuring, exclusive of high school. Applicants for the Senior Assistant Grade (equivalent ance policy offers all the benefits available to a Public to the Army grade of Captain) in the Scientist Corps Health Service Officer. must he a t least 21 years of age, possess earned Doctor's In case of death of an officer, his survivors receive his Degrees, and must have had at least ten years of edu- pay for six months. When all of these benefits are evaluated and added to cational and/or professional training or experience, exclusive of high school. the actual salary received, it is estimated that an officer Entrance pay (exclusive of benefits) for the Assistant in the Assistant Grade receives the equal of $5190 per Grade with dependents is $3811 per year, and for the year, and in the Senior Assistant Grade $5946 per year. .Qualified applicants for commissions in the Regular Senior Assistant Grade with dependents is $4351 per year. Promotions are a t intervals up to and including Scientist Corps are given a written examination in their the grade of Senior Scientist (equivalent to the Army specialty. A limited number of questions in closely grade of Lieutenant Colonel) a t $7019 per year. Pro- related fields are included. Applicants also appear bemotions to grades above Senior Scientist are by selec- fore a board of officers for an oral examination as to tion. Thirty days of annual leave with pay are given professional knowledge and general fitness for the Corps. all Commissioned Officers. Applicants for commissions in the Reserve Scientist The benefits which a Commissioned Officer receives Corps must meet the same requirements as those for the which increase his salary relative to other salaries are Regular Corps. However, they are not required to take quite extensive. For example, retirement is at the rate a written examination, nor must they appear for an oral of $4950 per year for senior and director officers after examination. A memher of the Reserve Corps may he thirty years of service, or a t the age of sixty-four. It ordered to active duty without consent only during is estimated that such an annuity is worth $1050 per time of National Emergency. Upon request, a reserve year, this being the annual payment, starting a t age officer is ordered to active duty at any time, provided 30, on an annuity of $4950 per year starting a t age a vacancy in a position for which he-is qualified exists. sixty-four. An officer pay: income tax only on his Reserve commissions continue in effect for five years base and longevity pay, wlnch for the Assistant grade from date of issuance unless cancelled upon request of is $2400 or more per year, and for the Senior Assistint the officer or by the Service. Applications may be grade is $2760 or more per year. This results in a submitted at any time by qualified persons. The saving of probably $150 to $300 per year, depending on application, physical examination, and other docurank. For those who, through disease or injury, be- ments are considered by a hoard of officers, and the come unable to perform their duties, disability retire- candidate is notified within twenty days of the board's ment a t three-fourths of base pay is provided. An in- decision. In any given fiscal year, ten per cent of those commissurance policy granting similar benefits would cost $46 to $232 per year depending on rank. sioned in the Officers Corps may be in grades above The medical benfits which an officer also receives that of Senior Assistant. Such men are obviously exindirectly add to his income. He receives free medical perts in their fields who are chosen for key positions. and dental care for his entire family. This service is The Sanitarian Corps was established this past provided a t the various Marine Hospitals throughout spring and is composed of scientific personnel who posthe country and a t the Public Health Service clinics. sess Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in the natural or It is estimated that this service is worth more than social sciences. Applicants for commissions in the ,
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for courses taken in connection with these predoctorate fellowships are paid by the Public Health Service. Postdoctorate fellowships are awarded to qualified persons holding Doctor's Degrees in medical or related fields, including the natural sciences. The stipend is $3000 per year; $3600 per year for those with dependents. When renewed for an additional year, the postdoctorate fellowships are increased $300 over the previous year. Tuition fees are not provided with these fellowships. Special fellowships are awarded to persons possessing Doctor's Degrees who have demonstrated outstanding ability or who possess specialized training for a specific problem. The stipend for these fellowships is determined in each individual case. Fellowships are awarded to chemists to conduct research in fields of interest to public health. An example would be the synthesis of compounds of possible chemotherapeutic value. Interested persons should enter an application even though no chemotherapeutic properties have been demonstrated for compounds of the type they are synthesizing. All fellowships are awarded for a period of one year and are renewable in most instances. I t should be made very clear that these fellowships are awarded for study at recognized institutions throughout the entire United States. Only about 10 per cent of the recipients pursue their work at the National Institutes of Health. Fellowships are occasionally awarded for study in foreign countries, principally on postdoctorate and special fellowships. A majority of the fellowships are awarded to American citizens, but citizens of foreign countries are occasionally awarded fellowships for study in this country. Public Health Service fellowships are not awarded or continued concurrently with the awards of other fellowships, except in most unusual circumstances. There are no restrictions on other gainful employment provided such employment does not interfere with the ?ILLOWSHIPS proper conduct of the fellowship work. Fellows are In addition to the regular employment possibilities permitted to carry on not more than one hour of teachat the National Institutes of Health there are pro- ing or lecture per week during one semester. "G. I." visions for temporary employment. Of particular benefits may not be received concurrently with a interest to the chemist would be the fellowships. Public Health Service Fellowship. Vacations are taken in accordance with the rules of Since late in 1945 funds have been made available by Congress to provide fellowships to support promising the Institution with which the Fellow is working but students interested in becoming proficient in research are not to exceed one month during the tenure of the in medical and related sciences. The intent is to en- fellowship. I should like to call your attention to the fact that courage more people to go into research so that an adequate number of properly trained persons shall be avail- fellowships and scholarships in general are wholly exable to staff the rapidly expanding medical research empt from federal income tax. This, of course, increases the value of the stipend relative to other inactivities in this country. Fellowships are of three types: predoctorate, post- comes. There is no obligation on the part of either the Instidoctorate, and special. The stipend of the fellowships varies according to the educational level of the recipi- tutes or the recipient of a fellowship concerning future ent. For those with a Bachelor's Degree, the stipend employment a t the Institutes. As was mentioned is $1200 per year; $1600 a year for those with depend- previously, the program is designed as a means of inents. For those with a Master's Degree (or its equiva- creasing the number of properly trained personnel for lent in graduate work) the stipend is $1600 per year; all medical research activities in this country. I am sure you would be interested in knowing about $2000 per year for those with dependents. Tuition fees Regular Sanitarian Corps must meet the following requirements. For Junior Assistant Grade (equivalent to the Army rank of Second Lieutenant), they must (1) be a t least 18 years old, (2) possess Master's Degrees in a natural or social science from a university of recognized standing, and (3) must have had a t least four years of educational and professional training exclusive of high school. , For the Assistant Grade, they must meet requirement (1) above, and must have had a t least seven years of educational and professional training, exclusive of high school. Applicants for the Senior Assistant Grade must meet requirement (1) above, and must have had at least ten years of educational and professional training, exclusive of high school. Qualified applicants for commissions in the Regular Sanitarian Corps will be given a written examination in their field of study. A limited number of.questions will be given in closely related fields. Applications for commissions in the Reserve Sanitarian Corps are currently being accepted. The requirements for the Reserve Sanitarian Corps are less rigid than for the Regular Corps. Only a Bachelor's Degree is required for all grades; the other prerequisites are the same. Further, the candidates are not required to take a written examination, nor do they have to appear before a board of officers. Candidates for all branches of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps are given a physical examinat'on by Medical Officers of the Corps These examinations are fairly rigid. Vision correctable by glasses is usually acceptable. An appointment in the Commissioned Corps provides an opportunity for a qualified individual to pursue his profession as a life career in association with others with similar training and interests. Wide latitude is usually given the candidate in the selection of the problem which he wishes to undertake.
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how many of these fellowships are granted each year. The data for the three years during which the program has been in existence are as follows: in 1946, 27 fellowships awarded; in 1947, 121 fellowships awarded; and in 1948, 371 fellowships awarded.
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Persons desiring to apply for a research fellowship should request application blanks and general information concerning fellowships from the Division of Research Grants and Fellowships, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda 14, Maryland.
