NIDCD’s Mentored Research Education Pathway for Otolaryngology Residents and Medical Students (R25 – Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers and educators seeking to develop mentored research education pathways for otolaryngology (ENT) residents and medical students through the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Eligible applicants include accredited U.S. medical schools, otolaryngology residency programs, and other research institutions with established relationships to medical education. The program supports educational activities that strengthen research competencies in areas relevant to hearing, balance, voice, speech, and related disorders. Geographic scope is U.S.-based, and activities must include mentorship components and measurable learning outcomes. Clinical trials are not permitted under this mechanism.
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Program description
The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this NIDCD R25 program is to support educational activities that help recruit individuals with specific specialty or disciplinary backgrounds to research careers in biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- HBCU
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) form and face page
- Project narrative (typically 6-15 pages describing educational approach, learning outcomes, and trainee selection)
- Detailed budget and budget justification
- Mentor CVs demonstrating research experience and mentorship record
- Letters of institutional commitment from department/program leadership
- Letters of support from potential mentors
- Specific aims page
- NIDCD-relevant research focus statement
- Institutional review board or equivalent approval if needed
- Preliminary data on trainee outcomes (if available)
Program contact
- 👤 National Institutes of Health
- 📧 grantsinfo@nih.gov
- 📞 301-402-2541
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.173 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$67,501,043
-
$41,811,330
-
$29,666,573
-
$25,009,162
-
$22,883,624
-
$22,740,456
-
$16,596,227
-
$13,760,149
-
$12,363,350
-
$12,276,804
Top States by Funding
- MA 11 awards $143.1M
- CA 10 awards $101.6M
- IA 5 awards $77.5M
- CT 2 awards $76.3M
- MD 8 awards $65.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.173). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $422,034,489 | |
| 2025 | $422,700,014 | |
| 2026 est. | $427,030,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants typically include accredited U.S. medical schools, otolaryngology residency programs, and research institutions with educational capacity. Organizations must have 501(c)(3) status, government entities, or other eligible institutions. Individual applicants should verify their institutional affiliation and eligibility.
What is the application deadline?
The fixed application deadline is September 29, 2026. Applications must be submitted through NIH's grants portal (grants.nih.gov) by the published submission deadline.
What activities and outcomes does this grant support?
This grant funds mentored research education programs including curriculum development, research seminars, journal clubs, and structured mentorship activities. Clinical trials are explicitly not allowed. Programs should demonstrate improved research skills and career pathway clarity among trainees.
How competitive is this funding?
NIH R25 awards are typically competitive, with success rates around 10-20% depending on the institute. Strong applications include clear educational objectives, experienced mentors, institutional commitment, and evidence of trainee recruitment capability.
What is the typical funding range?
R25 awards typically range from $100,000 to $250,000 in annual direct costs, with multi-year project periods of 3-5 years. Exact amounts vary by program and availability of funds.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize the mentorship infrastructure and mentor qualifications—NIH prioritizes strong mentor-trainee matching and regular structured interactions over informal advising arrangements.
- Clearly define your target population (residents vs. medical students vs. both) and provide realistic recruitment and retention plans based on your institution's past experience.
- Include preliminary data or letters of support from department leadership demonstrating institutional commitment and protected time for trainees to participate in research education activities.
- Develop specific, measurable learning outcomes aligned with NIDCD research priorities (hearing, balance, voice, speech disorders) rather than broad otolaryngology research goals.
- Budget for trainee support (stipends, tuition, travel to conferences) as well as program staff time—NIH expects meaningful investment in the trainees themselves, not just administrative overhead.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack clear evidence of institutional support or mentor availability. Many proposals also focus too heavily on clinic-based training rather than structured research mentorship and education. Finally, weak or generic learning objectives that don't align with NIDCD's communication disorder research mission frequently result in rejection.
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