Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences – JHIBS
With an estimated 13 million American adults and children afflicted, mental health disorders are a leading cause of disability in the United States often leading to premature death (NIMH Strategic Plan 2008). In addition, with the worldwide aging of the population, it is expected that the prevalence of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders will increase every 20 years (World Health Organization). Better tools to identify and treat those at risk and the development of novel therapies and approaches, which can alleviate suffering, are urgently needed.Currently, diversity within HIV-related and other neurological and mental health sciences remains extremely low. Moreover, ethnic minorities remain disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, particularly in certain locales in Baltimore, Washington DC, and other urban centers and hence, more effort must be made to engage members of these communities in the scientific enterprise, which includes medicine, mental health and behavioral sciences.
Addressing this problem successfully requires harnessing the intellectual potential of all citizens of the United States. However currently, individuals from underrepresented (UR) backgrounds make up only 2-4% of the neurological sciences professional workforce, disproportionately lower than their 12-16% representation in the overall USA population (Hall, ZW Achieving a diverse neuroscience workforce. NINDS Report 2010).
Purpose of JHIBS
The purpose of the Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) program is to contribute in a significant way to feeding the neurological sciences pipeline. Seventy-five percent of college students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) decide in high school to study and pursue careers in these areas. Hence, JHIBS targets students at this early stage by providing a hands-on mentored research experience. We believe that by providing the right pre-college exposure, together with long-term mentoring, educational resources, and encouragement, bright, intelligent, academically capable UR students can successfully pursue the pathway to a profession as a researcher and/or clinician scientist at the doctoral level.
Program Support
Since 2007, this program has been supported by the Cohen Opportunity Foundation. In 2014, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) awarded the program, under grant number MH100711, funding for this initiative. This grant is named Project Pipeline Baltimore.
Program Outcomes
- 83% of alumni have matriculated to into college (contrasts with 42% for graduates of Baltimore City Schools overall)
- 79% have declared a major in a STEM field
- For alumni from cohorts 2007-2011 N=39
- 61.5% obtained Bachelors Degree within 6 years
- 51% completed majors in STEM and have completed post-graduate studies and/or entered STEM related professions (contrasts with 6% for graduates of Baltimore City Schools overall)
- 3 Masters degrees (Social Work, Pharmacy, Biochemistry)
- 1 enrolled in PhD program in Integrated Biosciences
- 4 completed degrees in Nursing; one now in a Nursing Doctoral program
We are eagerly anticipating the continuing progress of our alumni and will update the program outcomes as they become available. A formal evaluation of the program is being conducted and will be completed in 2019.
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences Program: Final Presentations 2014
High school interns from schools across Baltimore City and the surrounding metropolitan area give oral presentations on their mentored research projects conducted at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine campus over a period of 8-weeks during the summer.
Who is Eligible?
Select students from Baltimore City and from Greater Baltimore Metropolitan area schools who have an interest in a career in science and/or medicine are recommended by officials at their schools for the internship which is held at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Department of Neurology on the East Baltimore campus. Over an 8-week period, interns will have the opportunity to participate in a research project guided by faculty, staff and student mentors, as well as participate in clinical rotations within neurology.
This program serves mainly students living in the Baltimore metropolitan area and does not provide housing or pay for transportation or parking. Interns are paid a stipend of $11/hour.
Activities Include:
- Meetings with Hopkins faculty – mentor/mentee selection
- Attendance at scientific seminars
- Weekly educational and professional development sessions
- Preparation of a final oral and poster presentation describing his or her work
For future application cycles, the deadline for submission is the end of February. This is reiterated on the application page.
Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences 
October 19, 2018 at 3:21 pm
Does this mean that student from Prince George’s County Schools can not participate/apply?
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November 7, 2018 at 11:51 am
Hi Jennifer,
You are welcome to apply and participate if selected!
-JHIBS Team
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July 30, 2019 at 11:19 am
Hi I wanted to know if I can still enroll into this program if i live in New York or if there is a second stationery where i can enroll to, run by John Hopkins
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January 15, 2020 at 10:37 pm
Hello I was wondering if I can enroll in this program if I am a New York City resident and if not is there another location?
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February 25, 2021 at 10:02 am
Hello, typically the program is for local students, but we may offer some virtual programming in 2021 which you could participate. Please forward your resume to the email indicated.
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December 15, 2020 at 1:02 pm
Hi, I wanted to know if I can enroll into this program if I live in Michigan. Please advise. Thanks.
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February 25, 2021 at 10:03 am
We may have some virtual programming in which you could participate. Please send your resume to the email indicated.
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November 24, 2021 at 1:36 pm
Hi, I wanted to know if I can enroll into this program if I live in Urbana Frederick Marlyand. Thanks
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