[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 39 (Monday, February 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4437]


[Federal Register: February 28, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health


Availability of Training Fellowships Under the Intramural 
Research Training Award Program

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, PHS, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces the 
availability of training fellowships under the Intramural Research 
Training Award (IRTA) Program, created pursuant to section 405(b)(1)(C) 
of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C. 284(b)(1)(C)), 
section 464W of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 285q-1), section 472 of the PHS 
Act (42 U.S.C. 286b-3), and section 485B(b) of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 
287c(b)). Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of Education, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, room 
1C129, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, Telephone (301) 
496-2427.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The IRTA Program is designed to provide 
opportunities for developmental training and practical research 
experience in the laboratories of the NIH. Training fellowships are 
available to postdoctoral scientists at the beginning stages of their 
professional research careers, and to high school, college, graduate 
and professional (e.g. medical dental, etc.) school students pursuing 
studies in academic disciplines related to biomedical research. 
Candidates must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals of the United 
States, or individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the 
U.S. Applicants may not be excluded from consideration for the IRTA 
Program on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, age, 
national origin, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor. 
Subject to the availability of funds, IRTA Fellowship awards are made 
on the basis of NIH's assessment of the mutuality of research 
interests, the qualifications of the candidates, and their potential to 
benefit from the training assignment. Recipient are not Federal 
employees.

    Fellowship awards are granted in the following three categories:

Postdoctoral IRTA Fellowship Awards

    Postdoctoral Fellowships are awarded to promising physicians and 
Ph.D. level investigators, to enhance their research capabilities in 
the early postdoctoral stage of their careers. Postdoctoral Fellowships 
may be awarded to individuals with Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.V.M., 
or equivalent degrees, and five years or less of relevant postdoctoral 
research experience. Awards are made initially for one or two years, 
and may be renewed in one-year increments up to a maximum of five years 
in the Program. Initial stipends range between $25,000 and $30,000 per 
annum for investigators with less than one year of postdoctoral 
experience, between $26,500 and $32,000 per annum for investigators 
with one to two years of postdoctoral experience, between $28,000 and 
$34,000 per annum for investigators with two to three years of 
postdoctoral experience, between $29,500 and $36,000 per annuam for 
investigators with three to four years of postdoctoral experience, and 
between $31,000 and $38,000 for investigators with four to five years 
of postdoctoral experience.

Predoctoral IRTA Fellowship Awards

    Predoctoral Fellowships are awarded to 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. Predoctoral Fellowships are designed to 
support a period of full-time research training in NIH laboratories, 
undertaken as an integral part of participants' academic program. 
Awards are generally granted for the purpose of developing and writing 
a thesis in an NIH intramural laboratory, although other academically 
related training may occasionally be supported. For students pursuing a 
degree for which a thesis is not required (e.g., M.D., D.V.M., etc.), a 
full-time training program in biomedical research will be designed.
    Students must be admitted to graduate or professional school and be 
a doctoral degree candidate before they can be considered. Normally, 
most students will have completed their first year of graduate course 
work before beginning the Program. Written agreement from the school is 
required. Predoctoral IRTA Fellows are normally expected to devote 
full-time to their NIH training assignments. IRTA awards are not 
intended as grants to support academic training and Predoctoral IRTA 
Fellows are normally expected to pay any university tuition, fees, or 
other costs themselves.
    Predoctoral awards are made initially for one or two years, and may 
be renewed in one-year increments. The maximum duration is normally 
three years or until students receive their doctoral degree, whichever 
comes first. In individual cases, renewals beyond three years may be 
approved provided the student is making reasonable and acceptable 
progress towards obtaining the doctoral degree.
    Per annum stipends are paid to participants based on their number 
of years of post-baccalaureate education: $16,000 for one year or less 
post-baccalaureate education; $17,000 for one to two years post-
baccalaureate education; $18,000 for two to three years post-
baccalaureate education; $19,000 for three to four years post-
baccalaureate education; $20,000 for four to five years post-
baccalaureate education; and $21,000 for more than five years post-
baccalaureate education.

Summer IRTA Fellowship Awards

    Summer IRTA Fellowships are awarded to promising high school, 
undergraduate, graduate, or professional (e.g., medical, dental, etc.) 
school students who have a strong interest or are pursuing studies in 
biomedical disciplines. Research training activities are designed to 
supplement and give practical meaning to students' academic course 
work. Students must be at least 16 years old, in good academic 
standing, and enrolled at least half-time in a degree granting program.
    Fellowships begin between May 1 and June 30 of the given year, and 
must end by September 30. Participants are paid a monthly stipend, 
based on the amount of education completed at the time the Fellowship 
begins. Rates are: $800 per month before high school graduation and 
$900 after graduation; $1,000 after completion of one undergraduate 
year of college, $1,100 after two years, and $1,200 after three years; 
and $1,400 with a bachelor's degree and less than one year of graduate 
education, $1,600 after one graduate year of education, $1,800 after 
two years, and $2,000 after three years.

How to Apply

    Interested persons may apply directly to a specific NIH research 
institute, to the National Center for Nursing Research, to the National 
Center for Human Genome Research, to the National Library of Medicine 
(for postbaccaleaureate awards only; awards to prebaccalaureate 
students are not authorized), or to the Office of Education, Building 
10, room 1C129, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, 
Bethesda, Maryland 20892, for concurrent referral to all research 
institutes and other listed organizations which may have possible 
interest. Interested individuals may apply at any time by submitting 
the following:

Applicants for Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards

--Curriculum Vitae
--Bibliography
--Three letters of reference emphasizing research potential
--Applicant's statement of research goals and type and purpose of 
training desired
--Official copy of graduate or medical school transcripts
--For Predoctoral Fellowship applicants, verification from the 
university that the applicant is in good academic standing, is enrolled 
in a doctoral degree program, and that the university agrees to the 
applicant's participation in the IRTA Program
--For Postdoctoral Fellowship applicants, official copy of the doctoral 
degree
--Brief summary of doctoral dissertation, if applicable

Applicants for Summer Fellowship Awards

--Curriculum Vitae
--Bibliography (if applicable)
--Two letters of reference from school officials having direct 
knowledge of the applicant's scientific interest and abilities
--Applicant's statement describing future academic plans, interest in 
biomedical sciences, and reasons for seeking an NIH Summer IRTA 
Fellowship
--Information on honors and achievement (both academic and 
nonacademic), hobbies and outside interests
--Official school transcript or list of courses, including grade point 
average
--Verification from the school that the applicant is in good academic 
standing and is or will be enrolled at least half-time in a degree 
granting program

    This information must be submitted in order to receive due 
consideration for an award and will be used to determine the 
eligibility and quality of potential awardees. The requested 
information will be available only to NIH program officials unless 
otherwise required by law. The information collection requirements 
associated with the IRTA Program have been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under the requirements of 5 CFR part 1320, 
and assigned OMB #0925-0299.

    Dated: January 17, 1994.
Harold Varmus,
Director, NIH.
[FR Doc. 94-4437 Filed 2-25-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M