Limited Competition: Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) (K38 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HL 23 007

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 23 007

The Limited Competition: Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) (K38 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) opportunity (RFA-HL-23-007) is an NIH grant program designed to keep momentum going for physicians who began formal research training during residency through the NIH StARR R38 mechanism. Its central goal is to prevent the common drop-off in research time and mentorship that can happen when a resident finishes an R38-supported research track and moves into the next career stage. In practice, this award targets clinicians who have already demonstrated commitment and early progress as resident investigators and now need structured, protected time and guided career development to continue building toward independent clinician-investigator roles.

The program specifically supports "Transition Scholars" who successfully completed the StARR R38 research training experience and have moved into either a clinical fellowship position or an early-career faculty appointment. The intent is to provide an additional 12 to 24 months of mentored research and career development support, with the expectation that recipients will use this period to strengthen their research skills, generate publishable results, expand their scientific network, and position themselves for the next steps in NIH funding (for example, later career development awards or independent research grants). A strong application, based on the description, would lay out a clear, mentor-driven research plan along with a thoughtful career development plan that explains how the candidate will mature into an independently productive investigator.

Eligibility is tied closely to the prior R38 pathway and to being early in the faculty timeline. Applicants must have completed the R38 research training and must have secured a clinical fellowship or an early-career faculty appointment at the instructor or assistant professor level. There is also a time-in-rank limit: the faculty appointment must be for less than 40 months at the time of submission or resubmission. That constraint reinforces that this is meant to be a bridge for people still in a true transition phase rather than those already well established in faculty roles.

As a "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" K38, the award is not intended to support independent clinical trials led by the awardee under this mechanism. While many NIH programs still allow related human subjects research depending on the specific rules, the plain-language signal here is that the proposed work should not be structured as a clinical trial for which the scholar is responsible as the trial leader under the K38. Applicants would typically align projects toward rigorous mentored research that fits the K award structure and complies with NIH definitions and restrictions.

From an institutional standpoint, NIH lists a broad range of eligible applicant organizations. These include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, tribal governments (federally recognized), tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, among others. The opportunity also explicitly highlights categories often associated with serving underrepresented communities, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and certain regional organizations. This broad eligibility list reflects NIH's willingness to support career development across many organizational settings, as long as the applicant can provide the mentorship, research environment, and protected time required for a mentored career development award.

The notice also clarifies how foreign involvement is handled. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. In other words, the award must be anchored at an eligible U.S.-based applicant organization, but certain kinds of foreign collaboration or foreign project components can be included if they meet NIH policy requirements.

Administrative details included in the source data indicate this is an NIH discretionary grant in the Education and Health activity category, and it is associated with multiple CFDA (Assistance Listing) numbers: 93.233, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.855, and 93.866. The opportunity lists an original closing date of 2025-01-10 and a creation date of 2022-03-14. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not provided in the excerpt, so applicants would typically consult the full funding announcement and NIH budget guidance for allowable costs, duration details, and any institute- or program-specific expectations.

Overall, StARRTS is best understood as a focused, limited-competition bridge award: it is for a defined pool of individuals who already came through the NIH StARR R38 residency research pipeline and who now need dedicated mentored research time during fellowship or early faculty years to stay on a clinician-investigator trajectory. The program places heavy weight on evidence of prior R38 training completion, a credible mentorship and training environment, and a well-structured research and career development plan that makes the transition to an independent research career realistic within the award period and beyond.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: 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, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.855, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-03-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-10. (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 23 007

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