What is the K12 Grant Number?
K12NS130673
Who is the sponsor of the HEAL K12?
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
What professional degrees are eligible for the HEAL K12 award?
The HEAL K12 program is intended for practicing and/or licensed clinician-scientists who hold a doctoral-level degree in a clinical profession. Eligible degrees may include MD, DO, DDS, DMD, PharmD, DPT, PsyD, DNP, DC, or a clinically focused PhD, such as a PhD in nursing accompanied by clinical practice. Applicants whose doctoral training is not clinical are not eligible.
Questions about whether a specific degree qualifies may be directed to UM-HEALK12@umich.edu.
What is the minimum effort allowed if selected?
75% minimum effort is required.
Does the $100,000 salary cap include fringe benefits?
No. The $100,000 cap applies to salary only. Fringe benefits are separate and must be covered by the remaining $87,500 in annual direct-cost funding.
Does the $100,000 salary cap apply to the applicant's institutional base salary or only to the salary charged to the award?
The cap applies only to the salary charged to the HEAL K12 award, not to the applicant’s overall institutional base salary. Applicants may have a higher base salary, but no more than $100,000 in salary may be charged to the award, in accordance with NIH requirements.
Do I have to relocate to the University of Michigan if accepted?
No. Scholars remain at their home institutions and complete their training primarily there. A subaward to the scholar’s institution supports the required 75% protected effort, fringe benefits, research expenses, and approved travel.
Am I eligible to apply in the last year of my postdoctoral fellowship?
Yes. Postdoctoral fellows in their final year may apply, provided they have a pending faculty appointment that will be in place by the start of the award.
Do I have to remain at the institution from which I apply?
No. If you transition to a faculty appointment at another institution after receiving the award, the HEAL K12 award may transfer with you, subject to program and institutional approval. The new institution must meet all award requirements, including providing at least 75% protected effort.
Do I need to have a faculty appointment to apply?
You do not need to hold a faculty appointment when you apply, but you must have one in place by the HEAL K12 program start date, typically in early June. Your appointment must be at the institution where you will conduct your research and where your primary home-institution mentor is based. This institution must also guarantee at least 75% protected time for your HEAL K12 training and research.
Postdoctoral fellows in their final year may apply, including those transitioning to another institution, provided the required faculty appointment and protected-time commitment are secured before the award begins.
If I am a visa holder, am I eligible to apply?
No. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. non-citizen nationals, or lawful permanent residents at the time of appointment. Individuals holding temporary visas are not eligible.
What are the registration fees for the required NIH PURPOSE Conference on Pain Education?
There are no registration fees. Registration is free for HEAL K12 Scholars.
I have another NIH K award application under review. May I also apply for the HEAL K12?
You may submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), as this does not count as having a second K award under review. However, applicants may not have two NIH K award applications under review simultaneously.
The HEAL K12 review is completed within a single NIH submission cycle. Applications are due in February, and funding decisions are announced before the early-June NIH deadline. Applicants who are not selected may use feedback from the HEAL K12 review to strengthen an independent K award application for that deadline.
I was not selected for the HEAL K12 award when I previously applied. May I reapply?
Yes. Previous applicants may reapply at any time by submitting a new application. You do not need to include a formal response to critiques from your prior submission.
Is there a template for the Letter of Intent (LOI)?
No. A specific template is not required. Please follow NIH formatting guidelines, using Arial 11-point font and 0.5-inch margins.
Do I need to include references in my Letter of Intent (LOI)?
No. References are optional and are not required for the LOI.
Can my Letter of Intent (LOI) exceed two pages?
No. The LOI must be limited to two pages and should briefly outline your proposed project, training needs, and need for the HEAL K12 award.
Should I include my home mentor and how I learned about the HEAL K12 in the LOI or in the email body?
Include both the name of your primary home-institution mentor and how you learned about the HEAL K12 program in your Letter of Intent (LOI), not in the body of your submission email.
My institution receives a substantial NIH funding. Will this affect my eligibility or competitiveness?
No. Your institution’s overall level of NIH funding does not make you ineligible. In your LOI, clearly explain why the pain-research expertise and mentorship available at your institution do not fully meet your specific training and career-development needs, and how the HEAL K12 program would address those gaps.
Should the brief research proposal in the LOI include background and significance, or focus only on the proposed project?
Include a concise overview of the background and rationale for the proposed study, along with a brief description of the project itself. At the LOI stage, the study will not undergo a detailed scientific review. The primary emphasis should be on your training and mentorship needs and how the HEAL K12 program would address them.
Are URLs allowed in my application?
URLs and hyperlinks are not permitted in any part of the application, except in the applicant’s and mentors’ NIH Biosketch Common Forms. Each NIH Common Form may include one URL linking to the individual’s full list of published work. The URL must direct to a federal government website with a .gov suffix. NIH recommends using My Bibliography.
Can I request a pre-submission review?
Yes, but pre-submission review is limited to the Specific Aims page. The HEAL K12 team is unable to review other application materials before submission.
What are the program requirements after receiving the HEAL K12 award?
During the three-year program, scholars must complete required mentoring, reporting, educational, and professional-development activities. Key requirements include:
- Signing a mentor–mentee agreement
- Submitting an annual Individual Development Plan, updated CV, program survey, and requirements checklist
- Completing a Career Roadmap in Years 1 and 3
- Meeting with mentors and submitting progress reports and career-development records quarterly
- Completing required research integrity, HIPAA, rigor, reproducibility, and responsible conduct of research training
- Completing the Persons with Lived Experience (PWLE) curriculum and leading a PWLE research review panel in Year 1
- Attending and presenting at MICHR Studios during Years 1 and 2
- Completing the Neuro 525 course once during the award period
- Attending the annual PURPOSE Meeting
- Attending and presenting at the annual HEAL K12 Symposium in Ann Arbor
Scholars receive a detailed requirements checklist and submission schedule when the program begins.