[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13563-13564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05932]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Submission for OMB Review; 30-Day Comment Request: Outcome 
Evaluation of the Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) 
Program (OD)

SUMMARY: Under the provisions of section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Strategic Coordination, an office 
of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic 
Initiatives, within the Office of the Director at the National 
Institutes of Health (NIH) has submitted to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) a request for review and approval of the information 
collection listed below. This proposed information collection was 
previously published in the Federal Register on August 26, 2014, (79 FR 
50921) and allowed 60-days for public comment. During the 60-day 
comment period, two requests for information were received. Both 
individuals requested the data collection plans and the data collection 
instruments and one also asked for background information. In response 
to these two requests, electronic copies of the following surveys were 
emailed: Entrance, Interim, Exit, and Post-Exit. Additionally, both 
individuals were provided with a brief overview of the program and a 
link to the NIH Web site that contains detailed information about the 
BEST program and the awardees. No additional comments were received 
from the two individuals who requested this information. The purpose of 
this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. The 
Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC), an office of the Division of 
Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI), 
within the Office of the Director (OD) at the National Institutes of 
Health (NIH) may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not 
required to respond to, an information collection that has been 
extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless 
it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    Direct Comments to OMB: Written comments and/or suggestions 
regarding the item(s) contained in this notice, especially regarding 
the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be 
directed to the: Office of Management and Budget, Office of Regulatory 
Affairs, [email protected] or by fax to 202-395-6974, 
Attention: NIH Desk Officer.

DATES: Comment due date: Comments regarding this information collection 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30-days 
of the date of this publication.

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. Patricia Labosky, Office of Strategic 
Coordination, Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic 
Initiatives, Office of the Director, NIH, 1 Center Drive, MSC 0189, 
Building 1, Room 214A, Bethesda, MD 20892-0189. Telephone: 301-594-
4863. Fax: 301-435-7268. or email your request, including your address 
to: [email protected]. Formal requests for additional plans 
and instruments must be requested in writing.
    Proposed Collection: Outcome Evaluation of the Broadening 
Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) Program (OD), 0925-NEW, the 
Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC), an office of the Division of 
Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI), 
within the Office of

[[Page 13564]]

the Director (OD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
    Need and Use of Information Collection: This cross-site evaluation 
study will assess three desired outcomes: (1) Changes in understanding 
of career opportunities, confidence to make career decisions, and 
attitudes towards career opportunities; (2) reduced time to desired, 
non-training, non-terminal career opportunities, and reduced time in 
postdoctoral positions; and (3) creation/further development of 
institutional infrastructure to continue BEST-like activities. The 
first two desired outcomes are for graduate students and postdoctoral 
scientists from the awardee institutions, the third desired outcome is 
for the awardee institutions. The findings will be used to: (1) 
Identify and document best practices in the field of biomedical 
research training, (2) inform the NIH Director, DPCPSI Director, and 
OSC Director on the outcomes of the BEST program, and (3) disseminate 
best practices and outcomes of the BEST program to biomedical training 
programs and the research community.
    OMB approval is requested for 3 years. There are no costs to 
respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized 
burden hours are 8,106.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Average time
               Type of respondents                   Number of     Frequency of    per response    Total annual
                                                    respondents      response       (in hours)      hour burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Graduate Student--Entrance Survey (online                  4,519               1           20/60           1,506
 survey)........................................
Graduate Student--Interim Survey (online survey)          11,296               1           15/60           2,824
Graduate Student--Exit Survey (online survey)...           3,012               1           15/60             753
Graduate Student--Post-Exit 2-year Survey                  3,012               1           15/60             753
 (online survey)................................
Postdoctoral Scientist--Entrance Survey (online            3,137               1           20/60           1,046
 survey)........................................
Postdoctoral Scientist--Exit Survey (online                2,091               1           15/60             523
 survey)........................................
Postdoctoral Scientist--Post-Exit 2-year Survey            2,091               1           15/60             523
 (online survey)................................
Program Staff--Annual Phone Interview...........              83               1               1              83
PIs--Data Form Section 1 (reported annually)....              17               1          180/60              51
PIs--Data Form Section 2 (reported annually)....              17               1           90/60              26
PIs--Data Form Section 3 (reported once)........              17               1           30/60               9
PIs--Data Form Section 4 (reported once)........              17               1           30/60               9
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    Dated: March 10, 2015.
Lawrence A. Tabak,
Deputy Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2015-05932 Filed 3-13-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4140-01-P