August 2005

NIH offers loan repayments to researchers

Chiropractors engaged in domestic nonprofit research are eligible for up to $35,000 in student loan repayment through the National Institutes of Health.

The application cycle for the NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRP) opens September 1, 2005, and closes December 1, 2005. The NIH awards up to $35,000 annually in student loan repayments to health professionals engaged in qualifying research. Details and the online application are available at www.lrp.nih.gov.

The five LRPs offered by the NIH include:

Through these programs, the NIH offers to repay up to $35,000 annually of the qualified educational debt of health professionals pursuing careers in biomedical and behavioral research. The programs also provide coverage for federal and state tax liabilities.

To qualify, applicants must possess a doctoral-level degree (DC qualifies), devote 50 percent or more of their time (20 hours per week based upon a 40-hour workweek) to research funded by a domestic non-profit organization or government entity (federal, state, or local), and have educational loan debt equal to or exceeding 20 percent of their institutional base salary. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or U.S. nationals to be eligible.

“The NIH Loan Repayment Programs offer an easy and effective way for research scientists to focus more on medical research and less on repaying student loans,” says Dr. Norka Ruiz Bravo, deputy director for extramural research. “Since 2002, nearly 4,000 qualified health professionals have benefited from more than $225 million disbursed in loan repayment support.

Source: National Institutes of Health, www.nih.gov.