[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46994-46995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17931]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Office of Loan Repayment and Scholarship; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Career Survey of Biomedical Researchers Receiving Loan 
Repayment Benefits

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects, the Office of Loan 
Repayment and Scholarship (OLRS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 
will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.
    Proposed Collection: Title: Career Survey of Biomedical Researchers 
Receiving Loan Repayment Benefits. Need and Use of Information 
Collection: This survey is part of a comprehensive evaluation of the 
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Intramural Research Loan Repayment 
Program (LRP), the purpose of which is to evaluate the success of the 
LRP in raising the probability that a qualified scientist will stay in 
the intramural research program and pursue a long-term career as a 
biomedical researcher. The survey will document the actual career 
outcomes of current and former LRP participants and comparable non-
participants. Such information can be used to gauge whether the program 
is meeting the expectations of program managers and how the program 
could be improved in the future. It will be used to address the outcome 
and impact study questions related to short and long term retention, 
both at NIH and in biomedical research generally.
    In addition to informing OLRS about the effectiveness of the 
program, the results of the LRP evaluation will become the basis for 
recommendations on how the program could be modified to improve 
outcomes. Indeed, some of the findings may be useful to the Office of 
the Director in terms of scientific human resources policy in 
particular and the Intramural Research Program generally. Also, the 
information collection will help our nation's leaders in setting 
policies to ensure a human resources infrastructure for biomedical 
research. Encouraging the nation's brightest minds to pursue careers in 
biomedical research, both in public laboratories such as NIH and in 
non-profit laboratories, is critical to this effort. Frequency of 
Response: One time data collection. Affected Public: Individuals. Type 
of Respondents: Current and former NIH biomedical researchers. The 
annualized cost to respondents is estimated at $10,250. There are no 
Capital Costs, Operating Costs and/or Maintenance Costs to report.

                                         Estimates of Annualized Burden
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                                                       Estimated                       Estimated
                                       Estimated       number of    Average burden   total annual
        Type of respondent             number of     responses per     hours per     burden hours
                                      respondents     respondent       response        requested
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LRP Program Participant...........             300               1             .33             100
Comparison Group..................             450               1             .33             150
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    Total.........................             750               1             .33             250
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    Requests for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies are invited on one or more of the 
following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) The 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on those who are to 
respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, contact Marc S. Horowitz, J.D., Director, Office of Loan 
Repayment and Scholarship, National Institutes of Health, 6006 
Executive Boulevard, Room 303, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-

[[Page 46995]]

7060 or call non-toll-free (301) 402-5666 or e-mail your request, 
including your address, to <[email protected].

COMMENTS DUE DATE: Comments regarding this information collection are 
best assured of having their full effect if received on or before 
September 16, 2002.

    Dated: July 9, 2002.
Ruth L. Kirschstein,
Deputy Director, NIH.
[FR Doc. 02-17931 Filed 7-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P