Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) (K38) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HL 20 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 20 006

The Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) Award (K38) is an NIH mentored career development grant designed to bridge the gap between protected research time during residency and the next career stage, such as fellowship or an early faculty position. Its core goal is to keep strong, research-oriented physicians on a clinician-investigator path after they have completed the NIH Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) R38 program. In practical terms, the K38 is meant to prevent the common drop-off that can happen when a resident finishes a structured research track and then loses momentum due to heavy clinical demands during fellowship or early faculty years.

This opportunity specifically targets "Transition Scholars" who previously participated in and successfully matriculated through the R38 program as resident investigators. To be a fit, the applicant must have finished the R38 research training component, secured a clinical fellowship position or an early-career faculty appointment, and be able to present a compelling mentored research and career development plan that shows a realistic route toward long-term independence as a clinician-investigator. The early faculty eligibility is tightly defined: the candidate can be at the instructor or assistant professor level, but must have held that appointment for less than 40 months at the time the K38 application is submitted or resubmitted. The award then provides an additional period of mentored research and career development support lasting 12 to 24 months, giving the scholar time to produce publications, strengthen methods and domain expertise, build collaborations, and generate preliminary data needed for the next major step (often an independent NIH research grant later on).

The funding announcement is issued by the National Institutes of Health under the discretionary grant category, using a grant funding instrument. The activity is categorized under education and health, reflecting that it is not just a research project grant but also a structured mentored development award. Importantly, the notice states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning the proposed work cannot be a clinical trial under NIH definitions. Applicants can generally still propose rigorous patient-oriented research, observational studies, analysis of existing datasets, mechanistic studies, or other non-trial designs, but they must stay within NIH rules for what counts as a clinical trial for this specific mechanism.

On the institutional side, eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other categories. The announcement also highlights inclusion of institutions and organizations serving historically underrepresented or specific communities, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies.

There are also important geographic and foreign involvement rules. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations may participate, and foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement. In other words, the prime applicant must be an eligible (generally U.S.-based) organization, but specific project elements or collaborations may involve foreign components when NIH policy permits.

From the provided source details, this opportunity is identified as RFA-HL-20-006, and it lists multiple CFDA numbers associated with NIH programs (including 93.233, 93.394 through 93.399, 93.837 through 93.840, 93.855, and 93.866). The original closing date shown is January 14, 2022, and the record creation date is September 9, 2019. The summary information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so those details would typically require checking the full funding announcement or NIH institute guidance tied to the solicitation.

Overall, the K38 StARRTS award is best understood as a short, highly targeted runway: it supports former R38 resident investigators during the critical residency-to-fellowship or residency-to-faculty transition, providing 1 to 2 years of mentored, protected research and career development time to help them stay on track toward an independent clinician-investigator career, while explicitly excluding clinical trials from the supported activities.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) (K38) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.233, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.397, 93.398, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.855, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-09-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-01-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA HL 20 006

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