F30 GUIDE FOR REVIEWERS

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)
Predoctoral M.D./Ph.D. Fellowship Applications

Purpose of the Award

• Provides support to individuals for combined MD/PhD and other dual doctoral degree training (e.g. DO/PhD, DDS/PhD, AuD/PhD)
• Supports individual predoctoral F30 fellowships with the expectation that these training opportunities will increase the number of future investigators with both clinical knowledge and skills in basic, translational or clinical research
• The research training experience is expected to provide for the applicant:
  • A strong foundation in research design, methods, and analytic techniques appropriate to the proposed dissertation research
  • Development or enhancement of the applicant's ability to conceptualize and think through research problems with increasing independence
  • Experience in conducting, presenting, and publishing independent research
  • The opportunity to interact with members of the scientific community at appropriate scientific meetings and workshops (including NIH-sponsored meetings, where available)
  • A well-conceived career plan to increase his/her ability to secure federal research support
• The application should not be a reiteration of the sponsor’s research program but rather should demonstrate the candidate’s contribution to the originality of the project idea, approach and/or hypotheses, as appropriate for their career stage

Applicant

• Must have a baccalaureate degree or equivalent and show evidence of both high academic performance in the sciences and substantial interest in research in areas of high priority to the participating Institutes
• Must be enrolled in an accredited combined MD/PhD (or DO/PhD, DDS/PhD, or AuD/PhD) program, and be supervised by a mentor for the research doctoral component
• May typically receive up to 6 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level, including any combination of support from institutional training grants (T32) and individual fellowship awards (F30)
• The participating NIH Institutes award this fellowship to qualified applicants with the potential to become productive, independent, highly trained physician-scientists and other clinician scientists, including patient-oriented researchers in their scientific mission areas
• Each full-time predoctoral or postdoctoral NRSA fellow is eligible to receive $2,500 per budget period for childcare costs provided by a licensed childcare provider. Childcare costs are permitted for dependent children living in the eligible fellow’s home ages 12 and below, or children who are disabled and under age 18.  Please see NOT-OD-21-074 for additional information.