MSTP Fellowship and Career Development Support
Alison Hall, Ph.D.
Office of Graduate Education
Career Development
Why a fellowship
Mentor’s advice
Letters of
recommendation
Pilot data
Goal setting
What budget
can be used for
Write a
Compelling story
Peer advice
De-Mystifying the Process
1.Support as an MSTP student
1. Fellowship—NIH F30/31
2. Non-federal funding
2. Next funding steps after graduation
1. Career Development—NIH K08
2. Independence—NIH K02/R01
3. Components of an effective proposal
• National Research Service Awards (NRSA)
– F30, 31 Predoctoral Fellowships
– F32
Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Career Development Awards
– K01
Mentored Research Scientist Development Awd
– K08
Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Awd
– K23
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research
– K99/00Pathway to Independence Award
Who has NIH support?
NIH Reporter
http://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter.cfm
Examples…
Graduate Education Office..
The NIH NRSA Ruth L Kirschstein
Stipend FY 2011
Predoctoral
Postdoctoral
$21,600
Years of Experience:
0
$38,496
1
$40,548
Tuition
Training Related Expenses
Predoctoral Trainees: $4,200
Postdoctoral Trainees: $7,850
F award
http://grants.nih.gov/training/f_files_nrsa.htm
F KIOSK
Up to 3 years funding
Tips and samples
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/grant_tips.htm_process.htm
Deadlines 3 times per year
usu Apr 8, Aug 8, Dec 8
electronic submissions!
F30 / 31 funding for MSTP students
F31 Diversity PA-11-112 for URM students
supports PhD phase, includes most institutes
F31 NIH PA-11-111* supports PhD phase
F30 Parent MD-PhD NIH PA-11-110* supports
MD and PhD phases
*NCI, NIA, NIAAA, NIDCD, NIDCR, NIDA,
NIMH, NINDS, NCCAM
NRSA predoctoral proposal components:
Specific Aims (1 page) 3 aims
Research Strategy (6 pages)
Sponsor/co-sponsor info
Respective Contribution (1 page)
Responsible Conduct of Research (1 page)
Goals for fellowship training and career (1 page)
Activities planned under this award (1 page)
Dissertation and other research experience (2 pages)
Three letters of reference
Biosketch including courses and grades
More than research--incorporate training goals
Reviewer Criterion Scores
Applicant
Sponsors, collaborators
Research Training Plan
Training Potential
Institutional environment, commitment to training
new techniques
new collaborators
present at meetings, go to courses
timeline including publication plan
advisory committee meet six mos for feedback
Non-Federal (Foundations, Corporations, etc)
Grantsnet
Advanced search
“Research Funding” , Individual
“early doctoral student”
“PhD dissertation student”
Research area (optional, choose many)
Often single deadline per year
…Plan to apply to Feds and Foundations
Example
American Society Of Microbiology Robert D.
Watkins Minority Graduate
Fellowshiphttp://www.asm.org/Education/index.asp?
bid=6278
3 years
graduate coursework completed by activation date
mentored by an ASM member
May 1 deadline annually
Example
American Heart Association
(Great Rivers affiliate)
Cardiovascular and stroke research
$22,000 plus $1K fringe
1-2 years, option 3
Jan deadline, starts July
Inform Cliff before preparing the application
MSTP specific instructions
maximum allowable period, 6 yr max
on an NIH training mechanism
Choose best funding for MD-PhD training
incl covering the MD phase if possible
Project max. training period, max. tuition—
anything left over will revert back to the NIH
2. Next funding steps after graduation
Career Development Awards
K01
Mentored Research Scientist Development Awd
K08
Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Awd
K23
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research
K99/00 Pathway to Independence Award
Provides protected time for mentored research
Get pilot data during residency/fellowship
K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award
K Kiosk
http://grants.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htm
For clinically trained persons to pursue research
careers in basic or clinical sciences
Must apply within 3 years of clinical training
partial salary (up to $100K)
some research costs (30-50K)
up to five years
Not uniform salary—see Institute!! (this is NCI)
75% effort (50% surgery)
The K08
Three letters of reference
Specific aims 1 page
All in 12 pages:
Candidates background
Career goals and objectives
Career development plan/ training activities
Training in RCR
Research Strategy
The K08
AGAIN
Career Development Plan (very important)
•
learn new techniques, new area, fundable
•
present at meetings, review grants, courses
•
Update didactics
•
Timeline including publication plan
•
advisory committee familiar with research, career
goals, meet six mos for feedback
MD-PhDs are few, but successful!
First-Time Applicants for R01 Grants by Degree (1964-2004) and Percentage Awarded (1964-2003)
# physician investigators applying for first R01s
little change for 3 decades
Those proposing clinical work less successful
Dickler, H. B. et al. JAMA 2007;297:2496-2501.
Copyright restrictions may apply.
3. Components of an effective proposal
Most applications electronic
Assigned to Scientific Review Group
Study section review
NIH Scores 1 (great)- 9 (poor)
Summary sheet
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/partners/NexusImages/September06/submit.jpg
Write for the Reviewers
• Reviewers are:
–
–
–
–
Smart
Accomplished
Dedicated
Fair
Phyllis McBride, Ph.D.
p-mcbride@tamu.edu
Write for the Reviewers
• Reviewers are also:
– Busy
– Overworked
– Skeptical
– May not be as
knowledgeable
about the details
Phyllis McBride, Ph.D.
p-mcbride@tamu.edu
A strong research idea passes the “so what” test
What is the benefit of answering your question?
Who will it help and how?
Make a definitive statement
on purpose of your research
why it should be funded
Specific Aims (1 p max)
Propose 2 or 3 aims
Provide a rationale—where did hypothesis come from?
why is this a strong idea?
Provide a hypothesis to be tested with a specific aim
Have objectives that are measurable and focused
Research Strategy (6 p max)
background and significance no more than a page
not a wikipedia on the subject!!
lead to remaining question each paragraph
Pilot data--perhaps a year of work?
Plan to submit right after qualifier
Research Strategy, continued
How test hypothesis, what approach?
Propose to learn two techniques within plan
Describe who will teach you and how
Include collaborators, letters as needed
Cite, but do not expect reviewer to read papers
Provide general scope of experiment
Include “Anticipated outcome and Alternative
interpretations” for each aim
Sponsor/co-sponsor info
research expertise
training experience and success
may need to choose add’l senior person
describe when meet
Responsible Conduct of Research
IBMS 500 + advanced ethics
Goals for fellowship training and career
thesis committee composition, mtgs
coursework CSH, other instns
publications, national meetings
Professional skills
Plan to submit the research training proposal to
several agencies; you can submit to many, but
accept only one
You will get a summary statement, and may
have to resubmit—address questions in
Introduction
Every MSTP student is fundable—