Endocrine Abstracts

An aspiration for many young researchers is to continue training beyond an advanced degree in another country. The current J-1 exchange visa, available to UK citizens for up to five years, provided a gateway for my exciting opportunity to pursue a career in the US. Attending international conferences, such as ENDO and BES, allowed me to identify research groups that were aligned with my interests and ambitions, setting the stage to apply and ultimately begin my current position in Boston. As a potential research employee, I realised that several considerations had to be addressed up to six months in advance, namely visa and immigration status, social security, healthcare and driving credentials. These are crucial to residing and working legally in the United States, involving multiple visits to the US embassy in London. Healthcare coverage is of paramount importance, from the first day of arrival. Obtaining a social security number is essential for receiving salary and benefits including healthcare insurance, renting an apartment, access to credit, and filing tax returns. The US government, primarily through the NIH, supports medical and basic research, but with limited opportunities for foreign nationals. Permanent residence or citizenship is required for many sources of research funding and should be considered if there is a desire to remain in the US as a researcher in the long-term. I have been able to apply for UK funding whilst residing in the US and was fortunate to receive support from The British Endocrine Society for my on-going research studies through an ‘Early Career Grant’ award. This support has directly contributed to my preparation of at least two manuscripts. Working in the US has allowed me to form pertinent collaborations and network connections with scientists from around the world, and has significantly increased my exposure to the global endocrine community.

Declaration of interest: There is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

Funding: No specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.