NIH Loan Repayment Programs Presentation to: National Drug Abuse Advisor Council

1. NIH Loan Repayment Programs Presentation to: National Drug Abuse Advisor Council September 21, 2005

2. Introduction NIH Loan Repayment Programs are a vital component of our nation's efforts to attract health professionals to careers in research How LRP Works Applicant: Commit to perform research for 2 years; NIH: Repays up to $35,000 per year of qualifying educational debt and the resulting taxes.  + Goal: To increase our nation’s stock of clinical research scientists.

3. Public Health Improvement Act (P.L. 106-505) Title II, Clinical Research Enhancement Act Included requirement for the establishment of a loan repayment program for qualified health professionals who contract with the federal government to conduct clinical research. Signed into Law, November 13, 2000

4. Extramural Loan Repayment Program • For health professionals conducting research in non-profit institutions: • Clinical Research LRP • Pediatric Research LRP • Contraception & Infertility Research LRP • Health Disparities Research LRP • Clinical Research LRP for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

5. Distribution of NIH LRP Contracts by Programs - 2004

6. Who is eligible to apply? • U.S. Citizens, nationals, or permanent residents • Individuals holding a PhD, MD, MD/PhD, DO, DDS, DVM, DMD, DPM, DC, OD, PsyD, ND, PharmD, or equivalent doctoral degree • Individuals with qualifying educational debt in excess of 20% of their annual salary or compensation • Individuals conducting qualifying research for at least 50 percent of time (not less than 20 hours per week) with support from non-profit or U.S./domestic government entity (Universities, Foundations, Federal, state or local agencies).

7. LRPs and Qualifying Research Clinical Research Patient-oriented clinical research conducted with human subjects, or research on the causes and consequences of disease in human populations involving material of human origin (such as tissue specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator or colleague directly interacts with human subjects in an outpatient or inpatient setting to clarify a problem in human physiology, pathophysiology or disease, or epidemiologic or behavioral studies, outcomes research or health services research, or developing new technologies, therapeutic interventions, or clinical trials. Pediatric Research Research that is directly related to diseases, disorders, and other conditions in children.

8. Loan Repayment Program • Benefits • Up to $35,000 per year in loan repayments, dependent upon debt level • Coverage of up to $13,650 per year in Federal tax payments [39% of loan payments] • Additional State/local tax reimbursements • LRP awards are portable and can be transferred, subject to NIH approval of qualifying non-profit environment and research project • Contract Length • 2 year initial contracts • Competitive extension contracts (Extramural 1 or 2 years)

9. Application Receipt and Referral • Applications are submitted online (www.lrp.nih.gov; December 1, 2005 is deadline) • Staff in the NIH Loan Repayment Program screen the applications for completeness and eligibility. • Applications are sent to CSR, where they are referred to the NIH Institute or Center (IC) to which the application will be assigned for review.

10. Review • Peer review – Internet Assisted Review, standardized across all LRPs and ICs • Focus is on applicant’s potential to pursue a career in research • Review criteria are posted on the web for applicants and reviewers

11. LRP Review Criteria Appropriateness of training and experience as preparation for a research career Suitability of proposed research activities in the two-year period to foster a research career Assessment of commitment to a research career as reflected by the personal statement of long-term career goals and the plan outlined to achieve those goals Strength of recommendations on potential for a research career

12. LRP Review Criteria Availability of appropriate scientific colleagues (i.e., mentors, collaborators, and consultants) to achieve and/or enhance research independence Quality and appropriateness of institutional resources and facilities

13. IC Funding Considerations • Funding decisions: priority score, critiques, program balance, stage of career. • Applications can be transferred across IC lines before review or funding. • ICs make awards to meet a pre-announced set-aside budget. The NIH intends to commit approximately $59 million in Fiscal Year 2005 to the Clinical and Pediatric Research LRPs. • NIDA’s commitment is approximately 3.6 million.

14. NIDA SUPPORT THROUGH THE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM

15. NIDA Extramural Loan Repayment Program FY2002-2005 Clinical Number of Applications vs. Awards Pediatric

16. NIDA Extramural Loan Repayment Programs--FY05 New Applications vs. Renewals 71 59 47 Number of Applications 27 13 12 11 5 New Applications Renewals 45% Success Rate 69% Success Rate

17. NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Programs New Applications vs. Renewals (FY05) Number of Applications New Applications Renewals 38% Success Rate 69% Success Rate

18. NIDA Extramural Loan Repayment Programs Degree of Applicants (FY05) Clinical Research Number of Applications Pediatric Research

19. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: Deadline for Applications: December 1, 2005 Website: www.lrp.nih.gov