FRI Researcher Receives NIH Loan Repayment Award A Second Time
FRI is pleased to announce that Steven B. Carswell, Ph.D., Research Scientist/Vice President, has received an award from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Loan Repayment Program (LRP). Dr. Carswell’s LRP award is funded through the NIH’s National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) and focuses on health disparities research. The purpose of the Health Disparities Research LRP is to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals to research careers that focus on minority health or other health disparity issues.
This is the second time that Dr. Carswell has received this award. In exchange for a two-year commitment to a research career with FRI, NIH will repay up to $35,000 per year of Dr. Carswell’s qualified repayable educational debt, pay an additional 39% of the repayments to cover his Federal taxes, and may reimburse state taxes that result from these payments. To qualify for the LRP, the candidate must be a U.S. citizen and have a doctoral degree from an accredited institution. In addition, s/he must conduct health disparities research funded by a domestic nonprofit or U.S. Government entity.
In evaluating the applications, peer review groups comprised of non-NIH scientists are asked to consider the following criteria:
- Appropriateness of the applicant’s previous training and experience as preparation for a career in health disparities research;
- Suitability of the applicant’s proposed research activities in the two-year period to foster a career in health disparities research;
- Assessment of the applicant’s commitment to a research career as reflected by a personal statement of long-term career goals and the plan outlined to achieve those goals;
- Strength of recommendations attesting to the applicant’s potential for a health disparities research career;
- Availability of appropriate scientific colleagues to achieve and/or enhance the applicant’s research independence;and
- Quality and appropriateness of institutional resources and facilities.
FRI would like to congratulate Dr. Carswell for receiving this award a second time. Not only is this a great honor for him but this award will help him continue to pay off loans accumulated during his doctoral education.