Graduate Student and Postdoc Resources

Student Portal

Mistreatment Reporting

Mount Sinai Institutional Policies

Social Resources

Mental Health and Wellness Resources

Housing Resources

Financial Resources

Child Care Resources

Career Development

Grants and Fellowships

Conflict Management

How to be a Good Mentee

How to be an Effective Mentor

Student_Survival_Guide_2024



 Mistreatment Reporting

Ombuds Office Link
The Ombuds office is a safe, informal, impartial, and strictly confidential place where students and postdoctoral fellows in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, medical students at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, residents and fellows in the Graduate Medical Education programs, and faculty can freely discuss any issue of concern. The office functions independently of any organizational structure. Tel: 212-659-8848

Mistreatment Reporting Form Link
Mount Sinai has a zero tolerance policy for mistreatment, harassment, or discrimination of students and trainees. Any instances of these behaviors can be reported using this feedback Form. This form can be completed anonymously.

Trainee Mistreatment Resource Panel Link
The Trainee Mistreatment Resource Panel is a student-run organization founded in 2016 that is dedicated to extending the resources available for all research trainees (graduate students and postdocs) to report mistreatment and thus assist students and postdocs in reaching out for Institutional support. Engaging with this resource permits the trainee to remain anonymous, unless he or she chooses to reveal their identity.

Peer Infection Prevention Mediation Committee
Students can report conflicts with peers regarding infection prevention policies here. The IP Mediation Committee is a student-run, peer-to-peer system which acts to consensually resolve disputes in efforts to maintain everyone’s safety. This committee serves to offer another route of processing conflict rather than the formal mistreatment committee.


Mt. Sinai Student Policies

Student Policies and Graduate Student Handbook Link

Student forms


Social Resources

Trainee Health and Wellness (THAW) Link

Other Student Groups at Sinai Link

Sinai Recreation Office Link

Get the Nudge to text you weekly ideas for plans in NYC

Join the postdoc WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/ALdw5vIGCYwCCX4rfy9tmu

Join the postdoc Slack group: https://join.slack.com/t/mssmpostdocs/shared_invite/zt-dxg5ed0k-Xo~tTdoMVIhMMY~uDrwlgA


Mental Health and Wellness Resources

***Find student health insurance info here***

Please note that you if you are a STUDENT and signed up for health insurance through Sinai, you will not receive an insurance card, but you can obtain a digital copy through aetna’s website. Use your life number as your student ID. Questions about insurance policies can be addressed to stephanie.autenrieth@mssm.edu.

Student Trainee Mental Health: Link
STMH is currently offering confidential telehealth services which are available to all students and postdocs regardless of insurance plan.
Call or email to set up an appointment.
STMH@mssm.edu

9 am-5 pm*: 212-659-8805  

Meet the Team

Cancellations: If you know in advance that you can no longer make your appointment, please cancel as early as possible so that other trainees can be given that time slot. Appointments canceled day-of or one day before generally cannot be filled.

* Evening Hours: STMH is now offering limited appointments within EVENING HOURS! The newly extended hours run from 9am-7pm on Tues/Fri and 9am-8pm on Mon/Wed/Thurs.

Wait Times: STMH is working to reduce wait times for intake appointments. If you are unable to schedule an intake appointment within 1-2 weeks, please email STMH.

Telehealth: At this time STMH may not be able to provide care to students not residing in NY state due to telehealth regulations that vary across states. Please see the WellConnect section below if you are outside NY state.

WellConnect + 24/7 Hotline
Learn more here

You can also access resources at WellConnectForYou.com

Through the dedicated 24/7 phone number 212-241-2400 or 1-866-640-4777 (School code: ICAHN) you can obtain the following:
–          Urgent or crisis mental health help
–          Short-term mental health support from trained behavioral health counselors who use evidence-based policies and practices
–          Referrals to outside mental health resources
–          Connection to a therapist when outside NY state

Key points:
1)    This 24/7 support line and the online portal are for ALL students and trainees at MSHS
2)    STMH will still continue to provide mental health services to students and trainees as we currently do from Monday to Friday during our work hours for all ongoing mental health needs
3)    The support line will provide after-hours and weekend support to all STMH service utilizers
4)    The support line and online portal provide a variety of additional resources

Trainee Health and Wellness Link

Sinai Calm Events (Weekly Yoga, Meditation, Art) Link

Social Workers 1:1 Support Get in touch with some of Mount Sinai’s amazing social workers for one-on-one support. Learn more about them and their areas of expertise here: Link

Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal Growth Link

*NEW* The center now offers mental health services to all sinai employees, students, and postdocs with no out of pocket costs or copays for the first 14 visits, and accepts student and employee insurance plans thereafter. Available services include psychotherapy and medication management.

Telephone: 212-659-5564
    Email: MS-CSRPG@mssm.edu

** You can now also download the app by navigating to “wellness hub” under employee self service in Sinai Central

Sinai Center for Spirituality and Health
Email: infospiritualcare@mountsinai.org

External Mental Health Resources

Resource created by the student council diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism subcommittee to help students learn about mental health resources and find mental health providers with BIPOC identities.

Websites to help you find an affordable local mental health provider:

Headway

Alma

Zencare
Plus, use these links to specifically find providers who specialize in care for medical professionals and students:
Zencare for medical professionals
Zencare for Students

Mywellbeing – help finding providers outside insurance

therapyforlatinx

inclusivetherapists 

therapyforblackgirls

Loveland Foundation – financial support for Black women seeking therapy

Detox Local – An extensive list of mental health and substance use resources specifically for the AAPI (American Asian and Pacific Islander) community.

Live Another Day – Extensive information on mental health and substance use resources for people of color. Their mission is equal access to life-saving resources. They have guides for black peopleLatinx peopleindigenous people, and Asian Americans.

Disability Services Link
Christine Low, MSW, LCSW-R Director, Disability Services
Phone: 212 241-4785  Email:christine.low@mssm.edu

Student Health Link
Open to all students regardless of insurance
Email: studenthealth@mssm.edu
Phone: 212-241-6023
Address: 17 East 102nd St, 4th Floor, Room D4-246
Schedule appointments online via MyChart
and find more info about hours/services on MARC via blackboard

Alcohol Misuse

Signs of Addiction

Other Physical Wellness Resources:
92y Pass  
Citi Bike Membership Lottery (Look out for an email in ~July)


Housing Resources

Student Housing Link
Student Housing Manager: Cynthia Morales cynthia.morales@mountsinai.org
Housing application Link

See the Postdoc Housing page for more floorplans for other Sinai owned buildings

Pay Rent for Rose Associates Properties

Visit buildinglink for maintenance requests

NYC Apartment Resources Link

Housing Locator Map Link

Housing Office General Contact Info: 1249 Park Avenue, 1st Floor, New York, NY 10029.
Email: housing@mountsinai.org
Phone: 212-659-9630


Financial Resources

*NEW* GSBS Emergency Support Fund for Students and Postdocs

This program offers financial support to graduate students and postdocs who encounter severe, unanticipated financial difficulties. Examples of serious unanticipated expenses may include childcare costs due to COVID-19-related school closings, costs related to dealing with a sudden illness or death in the family, or household expenses following unexpected job loss of a spouse or other financial provider.

You can apply and access more information here

Emergency Loans from the Office of Student Financial Services

The ISMMS Student Emergency Loan Fund has $50,000 available for rotating loans.  A rotating loan account requires the loans be repaid, so new loans can be made to students on an ongoing basis. There are two types of loans available:

Short Term Loans ($500-$2,500)

Short term loans are awarded to students with immediate unexpected financial needs (delayed paycheck; unexpected travel costs).  Loans must be repaid within 90 days or before graduation, whichever is sooner.

Financial Aid Refund Advances ($500-$5,000)

Students with financial aid awards pending are able to receive an advance on their refund.  Once the refund is available for processing, the loans will be automatically repaid to the fund.

If any unexpected financial issues arise, please reach out to the Office of Student Financial Services (studentfinancialservices@mssm.edu) to discuss next steps in requesting an emergency loan. Loan requests are processed as they are received.

Banking Resources:

Best Banks in New York City 2017 Link

Opening a Bank Account in the U.S. Tips for International Students Link


Child Care Resources

ISMMS Parent and Family Services Link

ISMMS Child Care Center Link

Mt. Sinai Child Care Resource Directory Link


Career Development Resources

Office of Career Services & Strategy

Reach out to Long Wu, Program Manager for Career Services & Alumni Relations (long.wu@mssm.edu) to schedule a career coaching appointment, and look out for the newsletter from the office for updates on upcoming events and job postings. 

Levy Library Link (Note that you can use this link to download papers off campus without a VPN!) Plus find other resources and workshops for research, writing, and more. 

BioCareers Link
BioCareers enhances ISMMS’ professional development resources and provides job postings in the life sciences as well as a variety of career options available nationwide to PhDs and MDs. This can be a good source of job listings for positions in pharmaceutical research, museum-based research, and academia. Registration is required.

New York Academy of Sciences Link
All first-year postdocs receive a complimentary membership to the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), which has extensive web-based and on-site professional development resources.

Individual Development Plan Link
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs strongly encourages postdoctoral fellows to take an early and active role in generating a concrete plan for their future, and Individual Development Plans (IDPs) can be of great assistance in this process. An excellent IDP has been generated by FASEB and AAAS. Ideally fellows will discuss their plans and steps they are taking toward achieving their goals with their PIs and other mentors.

Career options for PhDs (National Postdoc Association) Link
This site provides useful resources for 10 categories of careers available to postdocs

15 Career paths for PhDs and postdocs Link
This article describes 15 potential careers, including market research, entrepreneurship, and communication careers.


Applying for Grants and Fellowships

Sinai’s Grants and Contracts Office Link

NSF-GRFP Link

Comprehensive List of Fellowships/Scholarships for Grad Students

Info for NRSA (F31) applicants

Who to contact if you’re planning to submit an F31 by department Link

Tips for writing an NRSA Link Link

Application instructions from the NIH

Page Limits Link

How to write a Biosketch


Managing Conflict

Mind Matters: Managing Conflict in the Lab Link
This summary article provides strategies to minimize conflict, including fostering improved communication, anticipating potential conflicts and resolving them before they arise, and addressing conflicts promptly to ensure that morale and productivity are maintained.

Overcoming Conflicts in the Lab—and Beyond Link
The author recounts how always having to be “right” damaged his career, and he provides a set of recommendations for solving conflicts in academic settings.


10 Tips for Being a Good Mentee Link
This resource provides guidance about succeeding as a mentee, including attending each meeting with a prepared agenda; setting realistic expectations; and being willing to take appropriate risks to further your career, such as learning new skills or participating in an activity that is new to you.

How to Be a Great Mentee Link
This site lists 10 tips for fostering a good mentorship, including understanding what you are seeking from the mentoring relationship, and pursuing the appropriate mentor; being proactive in maintaining the mentoring relationship; and being honest during mentoring conversations about any struggles you might be experiencing, to fully benefit from your mentor’s guidance.

It Takes Two: A Guide to Being a Good Mentee Link
This guide advises how you can ensure that your mentor mutually benefits from your mentoring relationship. Tips include being proactive and committed, to demonstrate that the mentoring relationship is important to you; returning reciprocal benefit to your mentor; and being appreciative of your mentor’s time.


How to Be an Effective Mentor

Nature’s Guide for Mentoring Link
This detailed guide provides extensive advice on effective mentoring, including being enthusiastic about the mentoring relationship; being sensitive to your mentee’s individuality; and being a source of inspiration and optimism for your mentee.

Career Toolkit: Mentoring Link
This set of resources includes beneficial qualities for mentors to possess, including availability for regular meetings; asking thoughtful and insightful questions; and being widely read and providing insightful suggestions.