NHLBI Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral MD/PhD Fellows (F30)
(Predoctoral Students/Medical and Graduate Students)

The NHLBI Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Predoctoral MD/PhD Fellows provides awards to individuals for combined MD/PhD fellowship training in research areas relevant to the NHLBI mission.

Who is eligible? Applications to the program will be accepted from (a) students currently enrolled in a combined MD/PhD program and (b) current medical or graduate students seeking admission to a combined program that provides research training in areas relevant to the NHLBI mission. Awards to these applicants are contingent on subsequently being enrolled in a combined MD/PhD program.

By the time of award, all candidates for the Kirschstein-NRSA F30 award must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted to the United States for Permanent Residence. Non-citizen nationals are generally persons born in outlying possessions of the United States, i.e., American Samoa and Swains Island. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible. Individuals may apply for the F30 in advance of admission to the United States as a Permanent Resident recognizing that no award will be made until legal verification of permanent Resident status is provided.

The opportunities? Mentored research training

Duration of support? Candidates may receive up to six 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). However, it is not possible to have concurrent NRSA support (e.g., F30 and T32). Applicants must consider any prior NRSA predoctoral research training in determining the duration of support requested. Accurate information regarding previous Kirschstein-NRSA support must be included in the application and will be considered at the time of award.

Training beyond the 6-year aggregate limit may be possible under rare and exceptional circumstances, but a waiver from the NHLBI is required. Individuals seeking Kirschstein-NRSA support beyond the sixth year are strongly advised to consult with relevant NHLBI staff before preparing a justification. Any waiver will require a detailed justification of the need for additional research training.

Where? Domestic for-profit or non-profit institutions/organizations, or public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals and laboratories, eligible agencies of the federal government, and NIH intramural laboratories. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.

The sponsoring institution must have staff and facilities available on site to provide a suitable environment for performing high-quality research training. The PhD phase of the program may be conducted outside the sponsoring institution, e.g. a Federal laboratory including the NIH intramural laboratories. This training, however, must be part of a combined MD/PhD program.

Applications due? April 8, August 8, and December 8 – new and resubmission applications.

Note: The F30 mechanism has not yet converted to electronic submissions. Conversion to electronic submission is tentatively planned for the April 8, 2009 receipt date. Further details regarding the transition process are at http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt.

The most recent announcement can be found at the following URL: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-021.html.

The NHLBI Website also lists training programs under the category Request for Applications/Proposals & Program Announcements and the application receipt date.


Stipend: Current stipend and training-related expense levels for National Research
Service Award (NRSA) fellows are available at: http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm.
Other allowable costs are tuition, fees, health insurance, and travel to scientific meetings
("Notice of New NIH Policy for Funding of Tuition, Fees, and Health Insurance on Ruth
L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards" available at:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-06-093.html).

How to apply: Individuals apply to the NIH using the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Fellowship Application Form (PHS 416-1). The form is available at
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/416/phs416.htm#forms. For further assistance contact Grants Info, Telephone (301) 435-0714, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.

Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application (including the Checklist, Personal Data form, at least three, sealed reference letters, and all other required materials) and three exact, clear, single-sided photocopies of the signed application, in one package to:

Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 (U.S. Postal Service Express or regular mail)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service; non-USPS service)

Personal deliveries of applications are no longer permitted (see NOT-OD-03-040).

Please contact a Program Officer below, if you have questions about this award:

Drew E. Carlson, Ph.D.
Program Director
Office of Research Training and Career Development
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, NHLBI
RKL II Building, Room 8142
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7940
Bethesda, MD 20892-7940
Telephone: (301) 435-0535
FAX: (301) 480-7404
Email: carlsonde@nhlbi.nih.gov

Ms. Ann Rothgeb
Division of Lung Diseases, NHLBI
RKL II Building, 10158
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7952
Bethesda, MD 20892-7952
Telephone: (301) 435-0202
FAX: (301) 480-3557
Email: rothgeba@mail.nih.gov

Rita Sarkar, Ph.D.
Program Director
Division of Blood Diseases and Resources, NHLBI
RKL II Building, Room 10165
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7950
Bethesda, MD 20892-7950
Telephone: (301) 435-1324
FAX: (301) 480-1046
Email: sarkarr@nhlbi.nih.gov

Charlotte Pratt, Ph.D.
Program Director
Division of Prevention and Population Sciences, NHLBI
RKL II Building, Room 10118
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7936
Bethesda, MD 20892-7936
Telephone: (301) 435-0382
FAX: (301) 480-5158
Email: prattc@nhlbi.nih.gov

Herbert Geller, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Education
Division of Intramural Research, NHLBI
Building 10, Room 2N242
10 Center Drive, MSC 1754
Bethesda , MD 20892-1754
Phone: (301) 451-9440
FAX: (301) 594-8133
Email: gellerh@nhlbi.nih.gov

Direct your questions about financial or grants management issues to:
Ms. Denise H. Payne
Grants Management Specialist
Division of Extramural Research Activities, NHLBI
RKL II Building, Room 7155
6701 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7926
Bethesda, MD 20892-7926
Telephone: (301) 594-9529
FAX: (301) 451-5462
Email: dp43b@nih.gov

December 2008