Initiate discussion with the community to assess NIH support of faculty

The ACD Biomedical Workforce Working Group considered the extent of NIH support of faculty salaries and recommended that NIH launch a comprehensive discussion with the extramural biomedical research community on this topic with a view to determining the optimal level of such support.  However, the Working Group recognized that there is little or no reliable information on the percentage of salary covered by NIH grant dollars and recommended that these data be collected as part of the discussion.

As faculty salary support is a fundamental part of NIH's support of biomedical research, it is crucial to base any discussion about NIH policies on accurate and comprehensive data.  To this end, NIH is collecting data through a pilot survey to 9 institutions, after which NIH will determine whether a broader survey is needed.   

Timeline

A pilot survey was distributed in July 2013. The results of the survey are expected back in the fall of 2013, after which next steps will be determined.