FEDERAL AGENCY:

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION:

42 U.S.C. 281(b)(1)(2); 42 U.S.C. 284(b)(1)(C); 4 U.S.C. 283g(d)(2); 42 U.S.C. 286b-3; 42 U.S.C. 287c-21; 42 U.S.C. 282 (13); as amended; Health Professionals Education Partnerships Act, Title IV-Miscellaneous Provisions, Section 409.

OBJECTIVES:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) IRTA Traineeships are established for the principal benefit of the participants and to provide opportunities for developmental training and practical research experience in a variety of disciplines related to biomedical research, medical library research and related fields. The IRTA components are: 1) Postdoctoral IRTA - is designed to provide advance practical research experience to physicians and other doctoral researchers who are at the beginning stages of their professional research careers. 2) Predoctoral IRTA - is designed to provide practical research training and experience to students, by supplementing academic course work and/or encouraging pursuit of professional careers in biomedical research to: a) students enrolled in doctoral degree programs in biomedical sciences; b) students who have been accepted into graduate, doctoral, or medical degree programs and wish an opportunity to delay or interrupt their education for an interim research experience before entering school. 3) Post baccalaureate IRTA - is designed to provide recent college graduates, particularly minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, an opportunity to postpone application to graduate or medical school and to provide a means to introduce individuals early in their careers to the research field, encourage their pursuit of professional careers in biomedical research, and allow additional time to pursue successful application to either graduate or medical school programs. 4) Technical IRTA - is designed to produce a cadre of highly trained research support professionals capable of performing the latest advanced techniques in a laboratory by developing the trainees' skills in the conduct of basic and applied research. 5) Student IRTA - is designed to provide a developmental training experience to promising high school and undergraduate and graduate students who have expressed a strong interest in or are studying disciplines related to biomedical sciences.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Participants in the IRTA Program will be provided access to NIH facilities and equipment and assistance in their training from senior NIH researchers. Trainees may not engage in primary patient care activities, be assigned official supervisory responsibilities, or sign documents on behalf of the Government. Funding support will come from the individual National Research Institutes, Centers and Divisions (ICD) that comprise the National Institutes of Health. All funding is discretionary and subject to the availability of appropriations and apportionment. The IRTA Program does not include financial loans.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Candidates for IRTA Program must be U.S. Citizens or Permanent Resident Aliens. 1) Postdoctoral IRTA participants must possess a Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M. or equivalent degree in biomedical, behavioral or related sciences; or certification by a university as meeting all the requirements leading to such a doctorate; and 5 or fewer years of relevant postdoctoral experience and up to 2 additional years of experience not oriented toward research (i.e., clinical training for physicians). 2) Predoctoral IRTA participants must be: a) students enrolled in Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent degree programs at fully accredited U.S. universities, which frequently involves dissertation research. The research experience is undertaken as an integral part of the student's ongoing academic preparation and is credited toward completion of degree requirements; or b) students who have been accepted into graduate, doctoral, or medical degree programs and who have written permission from their school either to delay entrance for up to 1 year, or to interrupt their current schooling and to return within 1 year to their degree granting programs. 3) Post baccalaureate IRTA participants are individuals who have graduated from a fully accredited college or U.S. university no more than 1 year prior to the activation date of traineeship, and intend to apply to graduate or medical school in biomedical research within the next year. 4) Technical IRTA participants are individuals who have graduated from a fully accredited U.S. college or university with a bachelor's or master's degree in any discipline. 5) Student IRTA participants are at least 16 years of age and are enrolled at least half-time in high school or have been accepted for or are enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate in an accredited U.S. college or university and are in good academic standing.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   The IRTA Program benefits the participants by combining an opportunity for study with practical work experience and valuable research training experience at the NIH.

Credentials/Documentation:   These standards are contained in the Applicant Eligibility section.

Pre-application Coordination:   This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   Applicant may send the application documentation to a specific ICD, or send application documentation to the NIH Office of Education: 1) Postdoctoral IRTA applicants must submit CV, bibliography, 3 letters of reference, statement of research goals, official copy of transcript, and must provide an official copy of doctoral degree and brief summary of doctoral dissertation. 2) Predoctoral IRTA applicants must submit CV, bibliography, 3 letters of reference emphasizing research potential, statement of research goals, an official copy of undergraduate, graduate, and/or medical school transcript, and verification from the university that the applicants is in good academic standing, is enrolled in a doctoral degree program, and that the school is agreeable to the student's participation. In addition, (if applicable), must have written permission from their institutions to interrupt their educational program including a written agreement allowing students to return to their degree program within 1 year. 3) Post baccalaureate IRTA applicants must submit CV, bibliography, 3 letters of reference emphasizing potential, statement of research goals, and official copy of undergraduate school transcript. 4) Technical IRTA applicants must submit a resume or CV, 2 letters of reference, statement of career goals, and official copy of undergraduate transcript. 5) Student IRTA applicants must submit a resume or CV, 2 letters of reference, official copy of school transcript, letter from school verifying academic standing, information on honors and achievements, and statement of interest in biomedical research.

Award Procedure:   Awards are made by the interested Institutes or Centers based on the information provided by the applicant, the availability of NIH researchers to provide training, and the availability of financial and other resources to support the research training.

Deadlines:   None.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Generally, an applicant is advised that an award has or has not been provided within 90 days from submitting an application.

Appeals:   None.

Renewals:   1) Postdoctoral IRTA component: Initial traineeship are for 1 or 2 years with a maximum traineeship of 5 calendar years. 2) Predoctoral IRTA component: Initial traineeship are for 1 month to 2 years with a maximum traineeship of 3 calendar years. 3) Post baccalaureate IRTA component: Initial traineeship is for 1 year with a maximum traineeship of 2 calendar years. 4) Technical IRTA component: Initial traineeship are for 2 years with a maximum traineeship of 3 calendar years. 5) Student IRTA component: Initial traineeship is for 1 month to 1 year. The maximum traineeship period is unlimited as long as the student meets eligibility criteria.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Not applicable.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Monthly stipend payments are made directly to awardees.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   None.

Audits:   Not Applicable.

Records:   Not Applicable.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   75-0846-0-1-552.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 01 $32,224,603; FY 02 est $35,448,000; and FY 03 est $38,993,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
No Data Available.

There were 3,511 awards granted in fiscal year 2001. It is estimated that 3,581 awards will be granted in fiscal year 2002 and 3,653 in fiscal year 2003.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

42 CFR 63.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   Not applicable.

Headquarters Office:  
Sharon L. Milgram, 2 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Email: milgrams@od.nih.gov Phone: (301) 594-2053.

Web Site Address:  
https://www.training.nih.gov

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

No examples are available.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Awardees are not selected on the basis of the cost of the proposed training, but rather on the applicant's qualification, research goals, and relevance to the goals of the institute extending the award.