[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6492-6493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2988]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Assessment for NIH Minority 
Research/Training Programs: Phase 3

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment 
on proposed data collection projects, the National Research Council, on 
behalf of the 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: Assessment for NIH Minority Research/Training Programs: 
Phase 3. Type of Information Collection Request: NEW. Need and Use of 
Information Collection: The goal of this study is to assess and analyze 
NIH minority trainee educational and career outcomes to determine which 
programs and which features of programs have been most successful in 
helping individual students and faculty members move toward productive 
careers as research scientists. The primary objectives of the study are 
to determine how well NIH minority research/training programs are 
working and what additional factors contribute to minority trainee 
success, including characteristics of individual participants and the 
academic institutions where they received NIH research/training support 
and/or obtained their terminal degree.
    In addition to conducting an assessment and analysis of the 
programs based upon information in existing NIH databases, current and 
former NIH trainees will be asked to participate in a voluntary 
telephone interview in which they will be asked to comment on aspects 
of their research training experience. Trainees asked to participate in 
the survey will include individuals who received research training in 
underrepresented minority-targeted programs and non-targeted programs, 
and who received support at academic levels ranging from their 
undergraduate years to the faculty level. This data collection will 
involve the use of computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) 
software.
    Program administrators at training grant recipient institutions 
will be interviewed by telephone to obtain their perspectives on the 
training programs. The results of the program administrator interviews 
will help NIH determine (1) The ways and extent to which NIH minority 
research/training programs work; (2) which features of minority 
programs have been the most successful in helping individual students 
and faculty members move forward toward productive careers as research 
scientists; (3) what programmatic, environmental, or other factors 
increase the likelihood of minority training programs and their 
participating trainees achieving success; and (4) how to better assess 
NIH minority training programs in the future. These interviews will 
provide a depth and quality of data that are not available through 
database query alone.
    Frequency of response: one-time. Affected Public: Individuals. Type 
of Respondent: Individuals who have participated in NIH minority 
training programs. Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,200; Estimated 
Number of Responses per Respondent: 1; Average Burden Hours Per 
Response: .5; and Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 600. 
There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating or 
Maintenance Costs to report.
    Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies should address 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: Dr. Joan Esnayra, Program Officer, Board on 
Higher Education and the Workforce, National Research Council National 
Academies, 2101 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20418, or call 
non-toll-

[[Page 6493]]

free number (202) 334-2539, 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 within 60 days 
of the date of this publication.

    Dated: January 29, 2003.
John Ruffin,
Director, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, 
NIH.
[FR Doc. 03-2988 Filed 2-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M