Overview
Description
This training program is offered by the SC-CTSI BERD core for early-stage clinician investigators. The goal of the training is to provide knowledge about issues related to applying for, designing, and analyzing a grant. The program will consist of biweekly short modules with a workshop component, with focus placed on developing a document such as a grant draft or research protocol.
Objectives
Through this course, trainees will become familiar with the methodological considerations involved when designing a grant. Trainees will be able to:
- Develop a specific, testable set of research questions and aims
- Identify a funding mechanism and develop a corresponding tailored proposal
- Determine the best study design and method of analysis
- Explain methodological considerations, including the management and analysis of data
- Anticipate and respond to common pitfalls made in grant applications
- Effectively write and present preliminary results of such studies
Preparation
Participants in this training are included in an invitation-only capacity for faculty that have demonstrated a commitment to furthering independent scholarship. The four pillars comprising this commitment include:
- Scholarship. A cohesive past body of research with direct demonstration of major contributions, demonstration of a current or emerging research theme.
- Commitment. Participation in other training activities, a compelling research statement, previous expeditious work with BERD.
- Support. Prior research funding, such as institutional, departmental, pilot, foundation, industry, and/or government funding, with resulting publications and/or abstracts.
- Mentorship. An active research mentor and/or clinical mentorship, as demonstrated by a letter of support.
Expectations for participation
The training will heavily involve both training faculty and participant peers in session activities and feedback. Successful development of a high quality grant proposal or research protocol depends on your ongoing participation and completion of session work products. The training program will be enriched for all if we all participate throughout. Basic expectations for participation include:
- Watch the pre-session recorded modules.
- Attend and actively participate in each session.
- After each session, complete the session work product in the 2 weeks prior to the next session.
- Meet with your individual training faculty mentor in between each session. These mentors can address any questions you have on the session, and help you develop and give feedback on your session work product.
- Meet with you clinical mentor in between each session to give you feedback on your session work product. Your clinical mentor should also help you in identifying and recruiting your research team and will be the primary person to assist you with the Background and Significance section of your grant.
Format
Trainees are expected to view a brief module prior to the live session. The live session will consist of workshop activities. Workshop activities and session work products will lead to progress on the final training deliverable.
Training Schedule
Session |
Topics |
Faculty |
1 |
Conceiving a Research Idea Work Product: Draft your research question. Write a short paragraph summarizing your prior work on this topic. |
Ramon Durazo-Arvizu |
2 |
Refining the Research Questions Work Product: Draft your specific aims page. |
Wendy Mack |
3 |
Study Designs Work Product: Write out your study design, including study groups. State one alternative study design you might use. Why did you choose your selected study design? |
Ramon Durazo-Arvizu |
4 |
Study Variables Work Product: Write out the operational variables selected for your outcome(s) and exposure(s). Give a rationale for the selection of each. State any ancillary data you will collect and why. |
Trevor Pickering |
5 |
Data Collection and Management Work Product: Draft your data management plan. State what aspects of your study design will facilitate or impede high quality data collection. |
Melissa Wilson |
6 |
Presenting Results Work Product: Draft your preliminary work. |
Wendy Mack |
7 |
Sample Size Work Product: Identify what elements of a sample size calculation you will need (e.g., exposure prevalence in two groups). Identify where you might obtain those numbers (it may be multiple sources) and provide a table with the numbers and sources. |
Ramon Durazo-Arvizu |
8 |
Analysis Work product: Identify your dependent and independent variable(s) and name their data type (continuous, binary, etc.). Pull out the current version of your research question – name 2-3 possible statistical methods you might use to test your research question. |
Trevor Pickering |
9 |
Qualitative Analysis |
Rachel Ceasar |