To broaden career options, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a scheme to introduce biomedical PhD students to clinical and translational research. The two-week programme at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, began on 9 July. Students will learn principles of clinical and translational research design, implementation and analysis; participate in a mock institutional review board; and learn how to apply for a drug to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. “We wanted to open students' eyes to the fact that there are opportunities beyond core, basic research,” says Frederick Ognibene, a deputy director at the clinical centre. Next year's programme will incorporate feedback and is expected to include more participants.