NIH F30: Predoctoral Individual NRSA Fellowship (MD/PhD)

Eligibility

F30 applicants must be enrolled in a combined dual-degree program and meet the same citizenship and sponsorship requirements as other individual NRSA fellowships.

• Dual-degree enrollment — must be enrolled in a combined MD/PhD, DO/PhD, or other dual doctoral degree program at a domestic institution
• Citizenship — must be a US citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent resident at the time of award; individuals on temporary student visas are not eligible for NRSA support
• Stage of training — typically applies during the PhD phase of the dual-degree program, once past preliminary/qualifying milestones
• Sponsor — must have an identified sponsor (dissertation advisor) at the applicant's institution who will direct the research training
• Concurrent support — any other pending or concurrent support must be disclosed in the application

Application Components (FORMS-I, effective Jan 2025)

As of January 25, 2025, F30 applications use FORMS-I (SF424 R&R Version I). FORMS-I removed the standalone 'Respective Contributions' and 'Selection of Sponsor and Institution' sections and folded the former 'Description of Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training' into the Sponsor(s) Commitment statement.

• Project Summary/Abstract (30 lines) — plain-language overview of the research and training plan, noting the dual-degree context
• Project Narrative (3 sentences) — public health relevance in accessible language
• Research Training Project Specific Aims (1 page) — 2-3 aims connected to the overall training plan
• Research Training Project Strategy (6 pages) — Scientific Foundation & Rationale and Approach (replaces the former Significance/Innovation/Approach structure)
• Candidate's Goals, Preparedness, and Potential (3 pages) — four required personal statements: Professional and Fellowship Goals, Fellowship Qualifications, Self-Assessment, and Scientific Perspective; must explain how the dual-degree track uniquely prepares the candidate
• Training Activities and Timelines (3 pages) — training plan and a timeline covering research milestones and completion of both degrees, including Additional Educational Information
• Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (1 page) — plan must include face-to-face discussion, not just online modules
• Sponsor(s) Commitment (6 pages) — five required statements covering mentoring approach, prior training record, commitment to the candidate's plan, research training environment, and candidate's potential
• Letters of Support from Collaborators, Contributors, and Consultants (6 pages) — distinct from reference letters, describing specific contributions to the research or training

Six Years of Predoctoral Support

Individual Kirschstein-NRSA predoctoral support is normally capped at 5 cumulative years without a waiver from the awarding institute or center. F30 is a named exception to that cap: F30 programs allow for up to six years of predoctoral support, reflecting the longer timeline of a combined MD/PhD or DO/PhD program. Applicants who need support beyond even that extended window still need a waiver, endorsed by the sponsor and the institution's authorized organizational representative, from the likely awarding IC.

How F30 Applications Are Reviewed

F30 review maps the standard 5 NIH criteria onto fellowship-specific questions, and Investigator (candidate quality) and Environment (sponsor and mentoring track record) are the dominant criteria in scoring.

• Significance — is the research question important, and does it offer excellent training value across both clinical and basic science?
• Investigator — academic record, research productivity, commitment to the dual-degree path, and potential for a physician-scientist career; this is the single most important criterion
• Innovation — does the project expose the candidate to methodologies relevant to a dual-degree career path?
• Approach — quality of the Specific Aims, training milestones, and dissertation plan, and whether the plan bridges both the MD and PhD components
• Environment — the sponsor's track record of training MD/PhD fellows to completion and independence, plus institutional commitment

Payback and Service Requirements

F30 is an NRSA mechanism, so recipients incur the same payback obligation as other individual NRSA fellowships. The first 12 months of support must be paid back through continued research or teaching service (one month of service for each month of support). Support beyond 12 months converts to a financial payback obligation unless satisfied through additional research or teaching service at a US institution.