August 3, 2001

NIH Announces Two New Loan Repayment Programs

The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published two notices in the July 30 Federal Register [66 FR 39325 and 39327] announcing new loan repayment opportunities for the current fiscal year (FY 2001).

The Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (ECR-LRP) is an extension to the extramural community of the existing loan repayment program for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The ECR-LRP is open to health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds who agree to pursue careers in clinical research for at least two years.

The Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (HDR-LRP), authorized by the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-525), provides loan repayment contracts to individuals who agree to conduct minority health disparities research or other health disparities research. Participants must engage in qualified research for at least two years. Membership in racial or ethnic minority groups or economically disadvantaged groups is not a prerequisite for participation in the program.

For both programs, only qualified loan amounts in excess of 50 percent of the debt threshold will be considered for repayment. The "repayable debt" will be satisfied at a rate of one-half of the repayable debt per year, up to $35,000 per year. Application procedures for both programs are outlined in the respective Program Announcements. The deadline to apply for either program is Aug. 31.

Information: Jonathan Fishburn, AAMC Office of Governmental Relations, 202-828-0525.