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.Apply for RFA HL 20 006
- 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.
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StARRTS Award (K38) FAQs (RFA-HL-20-006)
What is the StARRTS Award (K38)?
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 stage of a physician's career (such as fellowship or an early faculty position). It provides a short, focused period of mentored research and career development support lasting 12 to 24 months.
What problem is the K38 designed to solve?
The K38 is intended to prevent the drop-off in research momentum that can happen when a resident completes a structured research track and then faces heavy clinical demands during fellowship or early faculty years. Its core goal is to keep research-oriented physicians on a clinician-investigator path after completing the NIH StARR R38 program.
Who is the K38 meant for?
This opportunity specifically targets "Transition Scholars" who previously participated in and successfully matriculated through the NIH StARR R38 program as resident investigators and have completed the R38 research training component.
Is prior participation in the R38 program required?
Yes. Based on the provided information, the K38 is designed for candidates who previously participated in and successfully completed the R38 research training component as resident investigators.
What career stage does the K38 support?
The K38 supports the transition from residency into either (1) a clinical fellowship position or (2) an early-career faculty appointment, while maintaining a structured, mentored research and career development plan.
Do applicants need to have a fellowship or faculty appointment lined up?
Yes. The applicant must have secured a clinical fellowship position or an early-career faculty appointment and be able to present a compelling mentored research and career development plan.
What are the early faculty eligibility limits?
Early faculty eligibility is tightly defined in the provided description: the candidate may 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.
How long does K38 support last?
The award provides an additional mentored period of research and career development support lasting 12 to 24 months.
What is the main purpose of the 12 to 24 months of support?
The K38 period is meant to give the scholar time to produce publications, strengthen methods and domain expertise, build collaborations, and generate preliminary data needed for the next major step toward independence (often an independent NIH research grant later on).
What type of grant is the K38 in this announcement?
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 a structured, mentored development award rather than a standard research project grant.
Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The notice states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning the proposed work cannot be a clinical trial under NIH definitions for this specific mechanism.
If clinical trials are not allowed, what kinds of research may still be proposed?
Based on the provided information, applicants can generally still propose rigorous patient-oriented research that is not a clinical trial, as well as observational studies, analyses of existing datasets, mechanistic studies, or other non-trial designs, as long as the project stays within NIH rules for what counts as a clinical trial for this mechanism.
What is the expected outcome of the K38 for the scholar's career?
The K38 is designed to provide a realistic route toward long-term independence as a clinician-investigator by sustaining protected, mentored research time during a high-demand career transition and strengthening the scholar's publication record, expertise, collaborations, and preliminary data.
What organizations are eligible to apply?
Institutional eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations and government entities, including 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 listed in the announcement.
Are minority-serving and community-serving institutions included?
Yes. The announcement highlights inclusion of organizations serving historically underrepresented or specific communities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies.
Can a non-U.S. (foreign) organization apply as the main applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, based on the provided information.
Can foreign components be involved if a U.S. organization applies?
Yes. While the prime applicant must be an eligible (generally U.S.-based) organization, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations may participate, and foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
What is the funding opportunity identifier?
The opportunity is identified as RFA-HL-20-006.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The provided source details list 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.
What is the closing date listed in the provided information?
The original closing date shown is January 14, 2022.
When was this opportunity record created?
The record creation date shown is September 9, 2019.
Is there an award ceiling or an expected number of awards listed in the provided summary?
No. The summary information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards. Those details would typically require checking the full funding announcement or related NIH institute guidance tied to the solicitation.
How does the K38 relate to the StARR R38 program?
The K38 is designed as a follow-on support mechanism for former R38 resident investigators. It specifically aims to sustain the clinician-investigator trajectory after completion of the R38 research training component, during the residency-to-fellowship or residency-to-faculty transition.
What does "Transition Scholar" mean in this context?
In the context provided, a "Transition Scholar" is an individual who completed the R38 research training component as a resident investigator and is now transitioning into fellowship or an early faculty role while pursuing a mentored research and career development plan toward independence.
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