Yale VIBES Program

Virtual Internships in Biomedical Education in Science

The Yale VIBES program was initiated in the winter of 2024 by Rachel and HHMI-Gilliam fellow Ngozi Akingbesote. Since then, we’ve been grateful to partner with the Yale Liver Center, Yale Cancer Center, and Northwestern University to expand the program. We will be recruiting through January 2026 for our next cohort!

What is the VIBES program?

VIBES is a paid, virtual internship program for college students. We welcome all applicants, regardless of background or citizenship. At the moment, we can offer six internships per year ($1000/semester for the winter and fall semesters).

Depending on their interests and the focus and needs of the lab, projects may include:

Computational/data analysis

Figure making

Commentary/perspective writing

Review writing

Of course, like any other student, we expect for students to have authorship on publications to which their work contributed. Students will have support including virtual social hours, career development programming, connections to in person opportunities at Yale (e.g. paid summer internships) and remotely through the NIH (NIDDK summer of data program) and end-of-semester symposia, which will allow them to network with their cohort and with Yale faculty and students.

Who?

Undergraduate students attending college in the U.S. are welcome to apply (link below). For this year’s cohort, you would need to be an undergrad through the duration of the internship, i.e. not graduating before December 2026. Unfortunately for various complicated reasons we cannot include graduate (including master’s) students.

Why?

We know that there are many funded summer internships, but many fewer opportunities for paid research “side jobs” during the school year. Research experience is essential in graduate school opportunities, and the faculty who volunteer as mentors are committed to your professional development, including generating publications which can be important in your grad school applications. Additionally, you’ll form a network at Yale and potentially identify job or grad school opportunities here. We hope to meet you!

When?

If you are interested, please fill out this brief Google form by 11:59 pm EST on January 31, 2026. Unfortunately we will not be able to consider any applications after that date. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted within two weeks for a brief (20 min) conversation, aiming to ensure that the program is a good fit for you, and you are a good fit for the program. We will make internship matches by the end of February, with the goal that you could begin your lab work around March 1.