AIDS Research Loan Repayment Program
In November 1988, Public Law (P.L.) 100-607 introduced Section 487A
of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 USC 288-1), authorizing the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a program of
educational loan repayment to attract additional health professionals
into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) research. The
mission of the NIH AIDS Research Loan Repayment Program (AIDS-LRP)
is to attract highly qualified physicians, nurses, and scientists
to HIV/AIDS research by countering the growing economic disincentives
to embark on biomedical research careers, using loan repayment as
an incentive.
General Research Loan Repayment Program
In June 1993, P.L. 103-43 authorized Section 487C (42 USC 288-3),
which established a program of educational loan repayment to attract
highly qualified health professionals, particularly physicians,
to conduct research at the NIH. The mission of the General
Research Loan Repayment Program (General LRP) is to attract
talented researchers to public service as employees of the
NIH using loan repayment as an economic incentive to embark
on biomedical research careers, using loan repayment as an
incentive. Generally, those at a tenure track or above
level are given priority for funding of LRP awards.
General Research Loan Repayment Program for ACGME Fellows
A pilot initiative of $20,000 per year in loan repayment (plus tax
reimbursement) is currently available to fellows offered employment
by the NIH in subspecialty and residency training programs
accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
(ACGME). Qualifying fellows must hold a three-year appointment at the
NIH beginning July 2009 or 2010. Note the following
differences from the General Research LRP described above:
- loan repayment is $20,000 per year (plus tax reimbursement);
- there is an expedited review process following receipt of a
complete application package; and
-
upon notification to the DLR that a formal offer has been made
to a fellow to train in an ACGME-accredited program, LRP application
forms will be sent to the fellow automatically.
ACGME Application Processing Cut-Off Dates:
August 15 – October 15, no ACGME applications will be processed during this period; however applications will be accepted.
Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Background
P.L. 103-43 also added Section 487E
(42 USC 288-5), which established a program of educational loan
repayment to attract physicians or dentists from disadvantaged
backgrounds to conduct clinical research. Clinical research
is patient-oriented research that is conducted with human
subjects, or research on the causes and consequences of
disease in human populations involving material of human
origin 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.
The NIH Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program's (CR-LRP) mission is to recruit highly qualified health professionals
from disadvantaged backgrounds to serve as clinical researchers,
using loan repayment as an economic incentive.
Summary
The LRPs may repay a maximum of $35,000 a year towards each
participant's outstanding eligible educational debts.
In return, participants must sign a contract agreeing
to conduct appropriately qualified research activities
as NIH employees for a minimum of 2 years for the AIDS
and CR-LRPs, or 3 years for the General LRP. Participants
may apply for additional one year renewal contracts and,
if approved by the Loan Repayment Committee, continue to
receive loan repayment benefits. Actual loan repayments
are based on the proportion of a participant's qualifying
debt relative to his/her beginning NIH salary. Loan repayment
benefits represent taxable income for participants and are
paid in addition to DHHS/NIH salaries and benefits.
The LRPs make payments, equal to 39 percent of total loan
repayments, for direct credit to participants' Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) Federal tax accounts, and may make
additional tax reimbursements to those participants who
show increases in Federal, State and/or local tax liabilities.
Additional tax reimbursement payments beyond the statutorily
required 39 percent are discretionary, and dependent
upon the availability of funds.
Individuals who wish to apply for these LRPs are encouraged
to read the remainder of this bulletin and complete and
return the enclosed application forms, through their
institute coordinator.
The National Institutes of Health
The NIH is the world's largest biomedical research institution
and is the lead Federal agency responsible for basic and
clinical research and research training. The NIH has its
own hospital and more than 1,100 laboratories on its campus
located in suburban Washington, D.C. The NIH is comprised
of separate institutes and centers staffed by almost 4,500
researchers and health professionals holding doctoral
and professional level degrees, including the Ph.D.,
M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., Pharm.D., and A.D.N.
/B.S.N. The NIH offers a variety of accredited clinical
and basic research fellowships for physicians and other
postdoctorates, as well as tenure-track and other
employment opportunities.
The NIH Clinical Center is a 14-story, 350-bed research
hospital designed with laboratories on each floor.
Patient-care facilities are located adjacent to
related laboratories to provide optimal resources
for research while ensuring the highest possible level
of clinical care.
Because studies are being conducted in almost every
major field of biomedical and behavioral science,
the NIH provides a unique environment for the conduct
of interdisciplinary AIDS and multidisciplinary basic
and clinical research activities. NIH’s AIDS effort
encompasses work on the etiological agent, pathogenesis,
therapeutics, vaccine development, behavioral intervention,
and the epidemiology and natural history of HIV infection.
Multidisciplinary research activities include studies in
molecular biology and biochemistry, genetics, neurobiology,
cell biology, immunology, and structural biology, among
others. Clinical research activities include biomedical
and behavioral studies of the etiology, epidemiology,
prevention (and prevention strategies), diagnosis, or
treatment of diseases, disorders or conditions,
including but not limited to clinical trials.
Employment
Applicants for NIH’s LRPs must be NIH employees or must
have a firm commitment of employment. Appointments are
made under the broad authority of the Federal Civil
Service (Title V or Title 42), or the Commissioned
Corps of the United States Public Health Service.
Responsibility for obtaining qualifying employment
rests with the LRP applicant.
Postdoctoral scientists at the earlier stages of their
research careers who are interested in the LRPs may seek
employment under one of NIH's postdoctoral fellowship
programs, which offer time-limited appointments as
Clinical or Research Associates, or Research Fellows
(including Pharmacology Research Associates (PRAT)
and Epidemiology Fellows). Scientists selected for
NIH’s Tenure-Track Program may also participate, as
may scientists and health professionals (e.g.,
physicians, registered nurses) appointed in other
temporary or permanent positions. Note: The length
of the appointment must equal or exceed the LRP contract
length.
The NIH Office of Education (OE) coordinates the
recruitment, education, and training of physicians
and scientists entering NIH residency/subspecialty
training programs and postdoctoral fellowships, and
also serves as a central contact point for scientists
interested in tenure-track and other NIH employment
opportunities (see the OE Internet site
at http://www.training.nih.gov). The site also provides
listings and descriptions of current NIH postdoctoral
training opportunities and fellowship positions as well
as tenure-track openings. Individuals without Internet
access may obtain further information by calling
1-800-445-8283. Tenure-track and tenured positions are
also advertised nationally in appropriate scientific
publications, as well as posted on the Internet site.
Some of the opportunities and positions announced
through these various methods qualify for the AIDS,
CR-LRP, or the General LRP.
Program Administration
The Division of Loan Repayment (DLR),
located in the Office of Extramural Research, Office
of the Director (OD), administers the AIDS, General
and Clinical Research LRPs in accordance with Sections
487A, 487C and 487E of the PHS Act. Title 42, Code of
Federal Regulations, Parts 68, 68a, and 68b, when
adopted, will govern these programs. Should any provision
of Parts 68, 68a, and 68b be inconsistent with the Loan
Repayment Program Contract (NIH Form 2674-12), the
regulatory provisions will be controlling.
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