APSA: F30 Survey - A Call for Increased Institute Participation

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Go to http://f30.physicianscientists.org/ to access more information and take the survey​

Dear Colleagues,

In an effort to expand the NIH NRSA F30 funding mechanism for physician-scientist trainees, APSA is surveying current MD-PhD, DO/PhD program trainees and graduates to determine the NIH institute/center(s) under which their research currently falls. By identifying significant gaps in funding opportunities, APSA will be better able to serve its membership by advocating for the expansion of these funding opportunities.

APSA invites you to take this short survey to help us assess the benefits of expanding NIH F30 grant coverage.

Thank you very much for your participation.

Here is some background behind this survey:

• This is a survey on behalf of the American Physician Scientists Association (APSA).
• This Survey is intended to be distributed to M.D./Ph.D. and DO/PhD program trainees and graduates in the United States.
• This survey is completely anonymous. No personally identifying information will be collected.
• The results of the survey will be used to assess the need for expanding funding opportunities available via the F30 grant.

Some studies suggest that there is a decline in the number of physician scientist trainees & that this decline may be due in part to the financial burden incurred from debt deferred from undergraduate studies & accrued during the extended training period in relatively underfunded predoctoral and postdoctoral programs (1). Funding of the physician
scientist pipeline at all training points is critical. In recent years, the NIH has advanced several successful funding initiatives such as the Loan Repayment Programs (LRP) and a variety of career development (K) awards that are aimed at aiding individual graduates and young faculty members. However, funding of predoctoral MD-PhD, DO/PhD students, much of which is available through the F30 award, is currently limited to 11 of the 27 NIH institutes & centers.

F30 grants can be very helpful to physician scientist trainees' careers:

The F30 offers an additional source of individual funding and an additional opportunity for the trainee to demonstrate that he/she is fundable, even at an early stage of their career.

APSA members see an urgent need to expand the funding opportunities available via the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral dual doctoral degree Fellows (F30) from the current eleven institutes that offer this funding mechanism to all-or the majority-of the 27 NIH institutes and centers. By identifying the number of trainees who are already partaking in research that falls under the realm of a non-participating institute, we hope to encourage that institute to participate in the F30 funding mechanism.