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Want your LRP application to be competitive? Read this!
LRPs are about you
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When you apply for student loan repayment payments, NIH wants to know about your research. More importantly, NIH wants to know about you, the investigator.
NIH requires you to conduct qualified research during the LRP contract period and you have to describe that research in your application. NIH offers LRPs primarily to encourage health professionals to pursue careers in research. So, when you apply, NIH needs to hear from you and your colleagues about your skills, commitment to a research career, and the support you will get from your institution.
Making your best case for LRP payments is very much a collaborative effort. Complete your forms early and use the remaining time to work with your colleagues and research supervisor or principal investigator to develop a competitive application.
When a peer review group considers your application, the following criteria will be used:
- Appropriateness of your training and experience as preparation for a research career;
- Suitability of your proposed clinical
research
activities in the two-year period to foster a research career;
- Assessment of your 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 your potential for a research career;
- Availability of appropriate scientific colleagues to achieve and/or enhance your research independence; and
- Quality and appropriateness of institutional resources and facilities.
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Since these are the factors considered in peer review, they should be your emphasis when applying!
With that in mind, NIH offers you these suggestions on how to best represent yourself . . .
- Your application will require a personal statement about your career goals and a description of your research. Draft your statements and then review them against the criteria listed above.
- Ask your recommenders or other colleagues to review your draft statements and take the time to incorporate their suggestions.
- Give a copy of the peer review criteria to a few senior colleagues who are familiar with peer review and ask them to conduct a mock review with you.
- Recruit previous and current colleagues who you expect will give you solid recommendations.
- Complete your LRP application forms at least a month before deadline, leaving your supervisor and colleagues time to draft quality statements on your behalf.
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