Dept. of Medicine Diversity & Inclusion Loan Repayment Program Announced

The Duke Department of Medicine (DOM) is pleased to announce the Loan Repayment Program to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in Medicine (LRPDIM Award).

This award is part of a series of mentored career development opportunities offered by the DOM and is designed to fund underrepresented minorities in medicine who, as a group, are disproportionately impacted by student loans. This financial burden impedes retention, recruitment, and diversification of research faculty in the DOM.

This unique program will strengthen the DOM’s ability to support underrepresented faculty, notes Julius Wilder, MD, PhD, chair, DOM Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism Committee (DEIAR). “The DEIAR committee is excited about the significant and positive impact we can have on diversity, equity, and inclusion with these types of innovative initiatives,” says Wilder.

“This program is a great example of the Department of Medicine’s commitment to creating a diverse body of faculty members that reflects the demographic makeup of the communities served by Duke,” says Amy Porter-Tacoronte, MBA, chief administrative officer. “We hope to improve the retention of talented researchers, who are underrepresented in medicine by mitigating financial barriers exacerbated through limited NIH LRP funds or certain eligibility restrictions that prevent PDC member access to federal loan repayment programs.”

The DOM leadership team is encouraging investigators from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who are under-represented in medicine to consider applying.

The LRPDIM Award repays up to $50,000, annually for up to two years, of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in research.

Up to two applicants will be funded (July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024).  The award recipient must remain a full-time employee of DOM in order to receive the full amount of the award. Award funds are not restricted and can be used at the awardee’s discretion.  If the research commitment is not met, recipients must pay back the amount awarded.

The 2022 LRPDIM Award application deadline is May 15, 2022, 5 p.m.  Eligibility criteria, detailed information about the Award, and the application form are available on the DOM Loan Repayment Program to Promote Diversity and Inclusion website.  For program-related questions, please contact Joan Dupont, PhD, Administrative Operations Manager in the Chair’s Office.