NIH Mentorship Modernization Act

The NIH Mentorship Modernization Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish minimum mentorship standards for institutions receiving National Institutes of Health career development, training, and fellowship awards. These standards mandate regular mentor-mentee engagement, professional development support, periodic progress assessments, and specific qualification requirements for mentors. To implement these changes, the bill directs that compliance be verified through existing annual reporting mechanisms to avoid duplicative administrative burdens, while also encouraging the adoption of evidence-based mentorship practices such as individualized development plans. The Secretary may provide supplemental funding to assist institutions with implementation costs, and the new standards will apply only to awards issued two years after the law's enactment.