Amy Ursano, M.D.
Historically, one of the impediments to a research career for some clinicians has been the significant financial burden of previous undergraduate and graduate education. Recently, the NIH established the Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program (PR-LRP) and the Loan Repayment Program for Clinical Research (LRP-CR), both initiatives that grew out of the Children's Health Act of 2000. These programs were created in an effort to "recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals as clinical investigators." Pediatric research is defined as research directly related to disorders, diseases and conditions that affect children. To qualify, one must be a recipient of a NIH postdoctoral National Research Services Award, an individual or institutional research career development (K-) award or be a first-time Principal Investigator of research grants engaged in patient oriented research or pediatric research. Additionally, recipients must have total qualifying educational debt in excess of 20 percent of their annual income or compensation. Qualified health professionals agree to conduct research for a minimum of two years. The NIH will repay at the rate of one-fourth of repayable debt for each year of service up to $35,000 maximum. If the total debt is not then repaid, one-year contracts beyond the second year may be entered. If the applicant's contract is renewed, the NIH will repay at the rate of one half of the remaining repayable debt up to $35,000 or 100% if the debt is $5,000 or less. In addition, participants will receive payments equal to thirty nine percent of total loan repayments credited to their IRS federal tax accounts. The NIH will announce the first loan-forgiveness awards to about 500 recipients this summer and hopes to double that number next year. For more information, go to www.lrp.nih.gov.
Historically, one of the impediments to a research career for some clinicians has been the significant financial burden of previous undergraduate and graduate education. Recently, the NIH established the Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program (PR-LRP) and the Loan Repayment Program for Clinical Research (LRP-CR), both initiatives that grew out of the Children's Health Act of 2000. These programs were created in an effort to "recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals as clinical investigators." Pediatric research is defined as research directly related to disorders, diseases and conditions that affect children. To qualify, one must be a recipient of a NIH postdoctoral National Research Services Award, an individual or institutional research career development (K-) award or be a first-time Principal Investigator of research grants engaged in patient oriented research or pediatric research. Additionally, recipients must have total qualifying educational debt in excess of 20 percent of their annual income or compensation. Qualified health professionals agree to conduct research for a minimum of two years. The NIH will repay at the rate of one-fourth of repayable debt for each year of service up to $35,000 maximum. If the total debt is not then repaid, one-year contracts beyond the second year may be entered. If the applicant's contract is renewed, the NIH will repay at the rate of one half of the remaining repayable debt up to $35,000 or 100% if the debt is $5,000 or less. In addition, participants will receive payments equal to thirty nine percent of total loan repayments credited to their IRS federal tax accounts. The NIH will announce the first loan-forgiveness awards to about 500 recipients this summer and hopes to double that number next year. For more information, go to www.lrp.nih.gov.
