The best job I ever had was working for a public health non-profit that advocated in support of cancer research programs at the National Institutes of Health. I am in awe of people who do biomedical research and provide direct health care to people who need it. I loved working in an environment where I interacted with investigators, doctors, nurses, and patients who were part of the medical research ecosystem. it was fascinating and inspiring in equal measure.
I grew to understand that the synergy between the public, academic, and private sectors forms a dynamic and powerful engine for scientific advancement. Grants from NIH fund discoveries at universities which result in government approval of therapies that are licensed and marketed by private companies. Graduate students assist in NIH-funded labs and use that experience to start their own labs or work in the pharmaceutical or medical device industries. Health care providers partner with clinical trials overseen by NIH to match patients to trials that might benefit their health. Patients agree participate in trials for cutting edge treatments and let their experience add to the body of knowledge about medical science. Every person, every institution plays a role.
I cannot envision American biomedical innovation without NIH. I don’t want to imagine what will be lost if Trump and Musk continue to decimate America’s preeminent medical research institution.
The people who work at NIH want to help people through science. For many, a position at NIH is fulfillment of a lifelong career goal. It’s a professional honor and also a stable career that allows them to pursue the American dream for themselves: a home, a family, a chance to make a difference. What more can any American ask?
These are the stories of NIH employees in 2025. This is the damage Trump and Musk are doing to scientists – and to science. Please let your federal lawmakers know that these chaotic, disorganized cuts to NIH are unacceptable.
“I worked too hard to get where I am in life to let someone lie to my face over an email without even spending a minute to really get to know me or look at my performance.“
When I first joined NIH, I was thrilled to be able to make my small contribution to the American public and be part of the great mission of the agency. It was a great honor, even though I was only a contractor for many years before I finally was able to find and qualify for a full-time government position. The day I joined the NIH as an employee was a proud one – there is so much excitement and pride in taking the oath and becoming a civil servant. All that said, what has happened over the past few weeks, including receiving THE termination letter, has been devastating on many levels.
It all started with extreme stress and anxiety of the unknown and the constant headlines in the news about scares that were coming our way. Stress that some of my closest friends also shared. The anxiety soon resulted in regular heart palpitations, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, and eventually loss of weight. The culmination was Friday evening through Saturday, right after I was informed that I may be on the list of terminated employees. I spent Friday evening, sleepless night, and all day Saturday checking my work computer every few minutes or hours, anxiously awaiting and hoping not to receive a termination email. After so many days of anticipation, I was somewhat emotionally ready to read the email, only to see that the reason listed for my termination was lack of skills, knowledge, abilities, and performance. None of which is or was true! My skills, abilities, and knowledge are what made me an FTE, they also make me overqualified for my GS13 position. My performance, as expressed by my supervisors and colleagues, is exceptional. I felt disappointed and let down, but I also felt more determined than ever to not let this define me. I worked too hard to get where I am in life to let someone lie to my face over an email without even spending a minute to really get to know me or look at my performance before plugging my name and title into a templated email and pressing “Send.” We all deserve more than 3 seconds of attention after dedicating our careers to the American public!
Even though I know that all this is temporary, and hopefully will not have long-term effects on me and my family, our health and finances, the following will. This unlawful and unfair termination interferes with my family planning. I am in the middle of infertility treatment and this puts a stop in my insurance and my chance of having a baby. It also jeopardizes my home – my husband and I may lose our home if I do not find alternative income or if he becomes another victim of this mass termination.
Last but not least, I am hopeful for my future, but I cannot help but fear of what my husband, the rest of my family, and friends are going through worrying about me. I have to keep thinking positively, keep telling everyone it will all be ok, keep believing in good and in our amazing people, including those who have some power and will make everything right. I have to, the alternative is dire. I lost an amazing team, amazing co-workers, amazing leadership, great salary and benefits, some sleep, some weight, but I will never lose hope and trust in all that is good.
“All we wanted was to make a difference for a cause way bigger than ourselves and we’re being vilified for it.“
I’ve lost 13 pounds. I’m not sleeping. Constantly on edge and multiple panic attacks every day. I’ve had some low periods in my life but this is a very deep, dark hole and I’m struggling to see a way out. I’ve spent the last 15 years of my life pursuing advanced education and extra training to set myself up for success in this role. This is my dream job that I imagined myself being in until I either retired or died. When I landed here, I felt this sense of finally being where I’m supposed to be and where I can make the largest impact in supporting science to advance our knowledge of- and treatments for devastating diseases that have no cure.
And now? That’s all being ripped away from thousands of us. All we wanted was to make a difference for a cause way bigger than ourselves and we’re being vilified for it.
“With the current job uncertainty in the federal government and the pending doom of both of us losing our jobs, we are unsure if we will be able to transfer our frozen embryo this year.“
Both my husband and I are federal employees. We have a toddler and were hoping to transfer another frozen embryo later this year. We opted for a higher cost health insurance this year because government health insurance finally covers IVF. We are paying almost a $1000 per month for this health insurance. With the current job uncertainty in the federal government and the pending doom of both of us losing our jobs, we are unsure if we will be able to transfer our frozen embryo this year. This year was going to be our last chance as I am almost 40. We are heartbroken on so many levels. Not only is this impacting our present family, but also our future. We really wanted to try to give our toddler a sibling.
That’s just one impact.
This job at NIH is my dream job. I entered the government through a highly competitive fellowship after spending years on getting a PhD. I was truly planning to be at NIH for the rest of my career as I completely aligned with our mission. Losing a dream job after investing so much to get here is what hurts a lot!
“We bought a house last year and things were going great until Jan 20th.“
I left an in-person position with VA back in 2023 to come to NIH as a remote employee. I’m in another state now. The remote job was a godsend as it allowed my husband and I to move to a place where he could start a small home business. He’s a disabled vet and struggles with traditional employment, so he is trying to find meaningful work around his disabilities. We bought a house last year and things were going great until Jan 20th. It’s not really feasible for us to move to Maryland. I also have a disabled parent that I moved near me to care for.
Regarding starting a family- we’ve tried off and on for many years. It’s clear that we need some assistance and we were finally in a stable enough financial situation to be able to give fertility treatments a go this year before it’s too late. Without a job, that won’t happen.
“When I got the job offer from NIH, I cried. Jobs like this don’t usually happen to people like me.“
In late October 2024, I applied for what I considered my dream job at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). By December, I had interviewed, and in January 2025, I officially started working in the Education and Community Involvement Branch of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at NIH, overseeing genomic data science and bioinformatics educational initiatives. I was deeply passionate about this role and the nationwide impact we were making in science education and outreach.
However, on February 14, 2025, just weeks after I started, I—along with 2,000 other probationary employees—was unexpectedly terminated. Because I had worked for the federal government for less than a year, I was classified as a probationary employee, meaning I had little job protection.
This job required me to relocate from Alabama to Maryland on very short notice. To make it happen, I maxed out my credit card ($10,756), drained my savings, and took out a $6,500 loan. Now, I am locked into two leases:
• $850/month for my apartment in Tuscaloosa, AL (until August 2025)
• $2,400/month for my apartment in Bethesda, MD (until February 2026)
I have also lost my health insurance. I take eight daily medications for chronic health conditions and require specialized care that I can’t afford without insurance. I will be applying for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, but the financial burden is overwhelming.
I am actively looking for work and will be at the unemployment office first thing Tuesday morning (Monday is a federal holiday). However, my eligibility for benefits is uncertain due to the short duration of my employment. If I can’t secure a well-paying job soon, I will be financially and medically devastated.
I grew up in rural Alabama in a town of fewer than 2,000 people. My high school classes were held in FEMA trailers. I am a first-generation college graduate— my mother graduated high school, and my father withdrew himself in the tenth grade. My mom worked as a secretary, waitress, and house cleaner before becoming disabled, while my dad poured concrete. I am a homicide survivor.
When I got the job offer from NIH, I cried. Jobs like this don’t usually happen to people like me. It was the honor of my life to work with such passionate individuals dedicated to improving human health. Leaving NIH so soon was heartbreaking, but I am determined to rebuild.
“Nothing DOGE is doing makes sense nor is it contributing to efficiency or saving money.“
Recently, my family and I welcomed our second child into the world. My husband, toddler, and I should be taking this time (on approved FMLA) to bond as a family and celebrate this new addition. Instead, this time has been filled with anxiety, fear, frustration, devastation and tears. My 2-year-old looks at me with sad eyes as I just sit and cry while playing blocks with him. I have cried almost every day since the Executive Orders started pouring out. I had to stop breast feeding my baby 2 weeks postpartum because the stress of the current events caused my mental health to spiral. I was hardly eating which, in turn, had me believe I wasn’t able to provide sufficient milk for my baby. I am constantly feeling like I am failing as a mother. How can I be present for my family when I am in a constant state of panic or sorrow.
Friday February 14th, I received a phone call from my supervisor. They hysterically told me that my name was on a list of employees who will be receiving termination letters later that afternoon and that we would be placed on administrative leave and our access revoked as soon as we receive the email. They apologized over and over through tears even though nothing about this was in their control. They were instructed to notify me before the emails came out. I have been a federal employee for almost 10 years and have received nothing but outstanding and exemplary ratings since my tenure at NIH began (about 5 years ago). So, why was I on this list? I have no explanation. After a few hours of panic and crying thinking who will want to hire a laid off “lazy government employee,” I decided to accept my looming termination and even felt a bit of relief. Relief that I am no longer on this roller coaster of emotional torture.
Saturday afternoon I received yet another phone call from my supervisor. Their tone was different this time. They said “The lists had errors. There were employees initially on the list who have since been removed and you are one of them.” I wasn’t sure how to even handle this news. I think we are all numb at this point. Relieved to have my job for another day but waiting for the moment they (DOGE) decide I’m no longer worthy. I don’t think I will ever feel stable in this job again during the duration of this current administration. Deep down I knew none of this would be handled appropriately or in a way we could predict and plan for. Nothing DOGE is doing makes sense nor is it contributing to efficiency or saving money. They are just playing with our lives because they can. We are hard-working middle-class citizens who took an oath to serve and are being tossed to the side by a billionaire who could not be more out of touch or ignorant to how the federal government works. The only hope I hold onto is that someone will figure out a way to stop all this chaos and help us. We do not deserve this.
“Not sure how to tell my 4 year old that the home we’ve been excitedly telling her about will no longer be in our future.“
On approved FMLA currently caring for my newborn, and was terminated. Termination occurred the week we were breaking ground on our first home. We are pulling out of the house and losing a $50,000 deposit.
It is devastating. Not sure how to tell my 4 year old that the home we’ve been excitedly telling her about will no longer be in our future.
Once they break ground you cannot get the deposit back, so if this had happened literally two days earlier we wouldn’t have lost the deposit.
Photo Credit: By Duane Lempke – Duane Lempke Photography, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=102822751
Civic Action Hub of Maryland 