OUR PROGRAMS

Loan Repayment Program For Health Disparities Research

The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) offers educational loan repayment to qualified applicants through the Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (HDR-LRP). The HDR program provides an incentive for health professionals to engage in basic, clinical or behavioral research directly relevant to health disparities research. The program seeks to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals in research careers that focus on minority health disparities research or research related to the medically underserved.

Pursuant to Public Law 106-525, 50 percent of the awards will be made to individuals from health disparities populations. This program emphasizes the recruitment of racial and ethnic minorities and other underrepresented individuals to conduct research because such emphasis “promotes a diverse and strong 21st century workforce” that is able to address society’s diverse needs. The program enables NIH to support and facilitate the development of research programs that reflect an understanding of the variety of issues and problems associated with disparities in health status.

The NCMHD has established minimum eligibility requirements in accordance with P.L. 106-525. These eligibility requirements along with the on-line application can be obtained from www.lrp.nih.gov. Please note that the NCMHD does not require individuals to be affiliated with NIH in order to apply for the HDR-LRP. Upon acceptance into the program, candidates are obligated to conduct a minimum of two years of basic, clinical, or behavioral research directly relevant to health disparity issue. In return for the participants’ service, NCMHD will make direct payments to the participants’ lenders for the participants’ qualified education loan debt. Participants may receive up to a maximum of $35,000 per year, depending on their outstanding education loan debt and other financial factors.

Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (ECR-LRP)

The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) offers educational loan repayment to qualified applicants through the Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (ECR-LRP). The ECR-LRP program provides an incentive for health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds to conduct clinical research and an avenue for NIH to engage and promote the development of research programs that reflect the variety of issues and problems associated with disparities in health status.

An "individual from a disadvantaged background" is one who comes from a family with an annual income below a level based on low-income thresholds according to family size published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index, and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels in the Federal Register.

Applicants under the Clinical Research LRP for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds must demonstrate their disadvantaged status under the above definition by submitting (1) a written statement from the individual's former health professions school(s) that he/she qualified for Federal disadvantaged assistance during attendance; OR (2) documentation that he/she has received any of the following student loans: Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL) and Loans for Disadvantaged Student Program; OR (3) individuals who received scholarships from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Scholarship for Individuals with Exceptional Financial Need.

In order to be eligible, the candidate must be able to apply the above definition as well as meet other minimum requirements as established by the NIH and NCMHD. These eligibility requirements along with the on-line application can be obtained from www.lrp.nih.gov. Please note that the NCMHD does not require individuals to be affiliated with NIH in order to apply for the ECR-LRP. Upon acceptance into the program, candidates are obligated to conduct a minimum of two years of clinical research. In return for the participants’ service, NCMHD will make direct payments to the participants’ lenders for the participants’ qualified education loan debt. Participants may receive up to a maximum of $35,000 per year, depending on their outstanding education loan debt and other financial factors.