NIH Mentorship Modernization Act
Sponsored By: Senator McCormick, David [R-PA]
Introduced
Summary
Minimum national mentorship standards for NIH-funded early-career researchers. This bill would create a new Section 489A in the Public Health Service Act to set measurable mentorship expectations and a federal framework to support institutions and mentors as they implement those standards.
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- Early-career researchers and trainees would see clearer requirements for regular mentor-mentee engagement, career guidance, and periodic assessment of research and career progress.
- Mentors would face minimum qualification and competency expectations and benefit from promoted resources like mentor training curricula, mentoring compacts, and recognition for co-mentors.
- Institutions that receive NIH career development, training, fellowship, and research education awards would certify compliance through existing NIH reporting and could access supplemental funding to support mentor training, coordination, and mentorship agreements, subject to appropriations.
- The NIH would build on current reporting processes, avoid duplicative requirements, review mentorship practices periodically, and apply the standards only to awards made on or after a date two years after enactment, with voluntary uptake allowed earlier.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More mentorship support for NIH trainees
This bill would require the HHS Secretary to set minimum mentorship standards for institutions that get NIH training, fellowship, or research awards. The standards would cover regular mentor-mentee meetings, career guidance, periodic progress checks, and mentor qualifications and competencies. Institutions would certify compliance through existing NIH annual reporting, and NIH would encourage sharing tools like mentoring agreements and mentor training. NIH could provide extra funding for mentor training and coordination, but only if Congress provides money, and the rules would apply to awards made two years after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
McCormick, David [R-PA]
PA • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 8/6/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov