Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 - Independent Clinical Trials Not Allowed) | PA 18 375

FAQs: NIH Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 - Independent Clinical Trials Not Allowed) (PA-18-375)

What is this grant opportunity?

The Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 - Independent Clinical Trials Not Allowed) is an NIH career development grant intended to help early-career clinician-researchers build a mentored path toward independence in patient-oriented research.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is PA-18-375.

Who is the sponsor agency?

The sponsor agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What is the main goal of the K23 program described here?

The central aim is to provide protected time, structured mentoring, and career development support so clinically trained investigators can strengthen research skills, publish, generate preliminary data, and become competitive for future independent NIH research support, while staying focused on questions relevant to patients and clinical care.

What type of researchers is this meant for?

This opportunity is aimed at early-career clinician-researchers who hold a clinical doctoral degree and are committed to conducting patient-oriented research in a clinical context.

What kinds of research does NIH mean by "patient-oriented research" in this description?

Based on the description provided, it refers to research that directly involves human subjects or human-derived materials in a clinical context, anchored to questions that matter to patients and clinical care.

What does "mentored" mean in the context of this award?

The award is designed around a structured mentoring approach, where the candidate develops research capability and career readiness under guidance, rather than operating as a fully independent investigator.

What types of support does this K23 emphasize?

It emphasizes protected time, structured mentoring, and career development support, alongside a supervised research plan meant to build skills, publications, and preliminary data.

Are independent clinical trials allowed under this specific K23 parent announcement?

No. A defining feature of this opportunity is that independent clinical trials are not allowed.

What does "independent clinical trials not allowed" mean for an applicant's research plan?

It means applicants should not propose a study where the candidate is independently responsible for conducting a clinical trial as the main driver of the research plan under this award. The research and training plan must fit a mentored patient-oriented research trajectory that does not hinge on the candidate independently leading a clinical trial.

Can an application include clinical research experience at all?

The description notes that NIH policies can allow certain kinds of clinical research experiences depending on the details. However, the key planning constraint here is that the award cannot be built around the candidate independently conducting a clinical trial.

What broad fields or domains does this opportunity cover?

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant under broad activity category areas that include education and health-related domains, and it is intended for use by NIH Institutes and Centers across a wide range of biomedical and behavioral research areas (reflected by multiple CFDA numbers).

Is this a one-time posting or part of an ongoing NIH parent announcement?

The posting reflects a specific cycle of a continuing NIH parent funding announcement. Applicants are expected to verify current open dates and check for updated successor announcements before applying.

What dates are listed in the provided information?

The source data lists a creation date of November 21, 2017, and an original closing date of January 7, 2019.

Should applicants rely on the listed closing date when planning an application?

No. The information provided indicates that applicants typically need to verify current open dates and any updated successor announcements before preparing an application.

What kinds of U.S. organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility for applicant organizations is broad and includes many common U.S. organizational types that can administer NIH grants, including various levels of government, higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profits (other than small businesses), and small businesses.

Are government entities eligible applicants?

Yes. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments, as well as special district governments.

Are public or independent school districts eligible?

Yes. Independent school districts are listed as eligible applicants.

Are colleges and universities eligible?

Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized.

Are housing authorities eligible to apply?

Yes. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are listed as eligible applicants.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible applicants (when not acting as institutions of higher education).

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are listed as eligible applicants, and small businesses are also listed as eligible applicants.

Are specific institution types (such as minority-serving institutions) explicitly included?

Yes. NIH highlights eligibility for institution types including 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).

Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?

Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are included among eligible applicant types.

Are federal government agencies eligible to apply?

Yes. Eligible federal government agencies are included in the eligible applicant types.

Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?

Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included as eligible applicant types.

Are regional organizations eligible?

Yes. Regional organizations are included as eligible applicant types.

Can a foreign (non-U.S.) institution apply as the applicant organization?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.

Can a non-domestic component of a U.S. organization apply?

No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply.

Are foreign collaborations allowed in any form?

Yes, with nuance. The information states that foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. Practically, this means the grant must be led and administered by an eligible domestic applicant organization, while certain international collaborations may be permitted if structured as allowable foreign components under NIH policy.

What is the overall "best fit" use of this K23 parent opportunity?

It is best understood as a mentored career development pathway for clinically trained investigators who want to develop into independent patient-oriented researchers through a combination of supervised research and formal career development activities, administered by an eligible U.S.-based organization and structured to comply with the restriction against independent clinical trials.