ABSTRACT
There are many reasons why foreign postdocs come to NIH, but they are all associated, in one way or another, with the international networks linking scientists across the globe. The interviews provided a window to the increasing internationalization of biomedical education and postdoctoral research, as manifested in the cross-national nature of doctoral studies in the United States, as well as in European and Asian countries. Asians are as prone to study in Japan as are students from all over the world to choose European or North American uni versities for their education or to engage in postdoctoral training. Equally remarkable is the ease with which recent graduates are willing to go to another country to pursue postdoctoral training. These deci sions are invariably influenced by the desire of young scientists to acquire international academic and research experiences to help ad vance their careers. This is true whether or not visiting young trainees eventually choose to stay in the countries where they receive training or decide to return to their home countries.
