Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31)

PA-23-272

The overall goal of the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) program is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. NRSA fellowships support the training of pre-and postdoctoral scientists, dual-degree investigators, and senior researchers.  More information about NRSA programs may be found at the NIH Research Training and Career Development website.

The purpose of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31) is to enable promising predoctoral students to obtain individualized, mentored research training from experienced faculty sponsors while conducting dissertation research. Candidates for this F31 program are expected to propose a dissertation research project and training plan in scientific health-related fields relevant to the mission of the participating Institutes and Centers. This training plan should reflect the applicant’s dissertation research project and facilitate and clearly enhance the individual’s potential to develop into a productive, independent research scientist. The training plan should document the need for, and the anticipated value of, the proposed mentored research and training in relationship to the individual’s research career goals. The training plan should also facilitate the fellow’s transition to the next stage of their research career. 

It is expected that the mentored research training experience will provide:

• A strong foundation in rigorous research design, experimental methods, and analytic techniques appropriate to the proposed research;
• The enhancement of the candidate's ability to conceptualize and think through research problems with increasing independence;
• Experience conducting research using appropriate, state-of-the-art methods, as well as presenting and publishing the research findings as first author;
• The opportunity to interact with members of the scientific community at appropriate scientific meetings and workshops;
• Skills needed to transition to the next stage of the candidate’s research career; and
• The opportunity to enhance the candidate’s understanding of the health-related sciences and the relationship of the proposed research to health and disease.

Candidates for the F31 must be candidates for the PhD degree and have identified a dissertation research project and sponsor(s).

The Kirschstein-NRSA Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31) program may provide up to five years (typically 2-3 years) of support for research training which leads to the PhD or equivalent research degree, the combined MD/PhD degree, or another formally combined professional degree and research doctoral degree in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences. Because this F31 program only supports dissertation research training, the Kirschstein NRSA Individual Predoctoral MD/PhD or Other Dual-Doctoral Degree Fellowship (Parent F30) program will be more appropriate for the training goals of individuals enrolled in dual-degree programs who seek support for both dissertation research training and clinical training.

Individuals may receive up to 5 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level (up to 6 years for dual degree training, e.g., MD/PhD), and up to 3 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the postdoctoral level, including any combination of support from institutional training grants (e.g., T32) and an individual fellowship award.

Not required

December 08, 2023

Kristy Nicks, PhD
NIAMS - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES
Phone: (301) 594-5055
E-mail: kristy.nicks@nih.gov