The proposed 2008 budget cuts for the National Institutes of Health are adding to an already anxious climate for researchers seeking funding. According to a recent Washington Post article, although the number of grant applications has sharply increased, only 20 percent of applications won federal funding in 2006, and success rates for applications submitted by younger researchers are particularly low. What does this mean for the future of new investigators? Some answers may be found in our upcoming First Tuesday event, "The Current Funding Climate: How Can Early-Career Geriatric Mental Health Researchers Survive and Thrive?" presented by Dr. Barry Lebowitz of the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Lebowitz will discuss different career pathways and funding strategies and provide a perspective on how to choose among possible research career pathways. The teleconference is scheduled for Tuesday, August 7, at 12:30 PM EST. For more information or to register, click here.
Several current presentations on MedEdMentoring.org also focus on grant applications and funding, including Writing Grant Proposals: The Practical Application of Clinical Research Theory," presented by Sharon K. Inouye, MD, MPH, and "K Hints," presented by Greg Siegle, PhD and Charles F. Reynolds III, MD. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions for future topics.
Sincerely,
Stephen J. Bartels, MD, MS; Martha L. Bruce, PhD, MPH; Maureen Halpain, MS; Barry D. Lebowitz, PhD;
Charles F. Reynolds III, MD; Gwenn Smith, PhD; Joel E. Streim, MD; Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH, MA
New physician-investigators receiving National Institutes of Health research project grants: a historical perspective on the "endangered species".
Dickler HB, Fang D, Heinig SJ, Johnson E, Korn D.
JAMA. 2007 Jun 13;297(22):2496-501.
A longitudinal, comparative study was done to ascertain the perseverance and comparative success of physician-scientists competing for NIH research (R01) grants awarded over 40 years.
Developing a mentorship program for clinical researchers.
Blixen CE, Papp KK, Hull AL, Rudick RA, Bramstedt KA.
J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2007 Jun 18;27(2):86-93 [Epub ahead of print]
This is a case study review of the role of mentors in developing and sustaining clinical investigators at the Cleveland Clinic.
MostViewedPresentations 
General
Interpreting and Responding to Grant Reviews
Stephen J. Bartels, MD, MS
This presentation describes a stepwise approach to interpreting and responding to grant reviews and offers strategies that will lead to the most successful response.
Geriatric
Effective Mentoring
Dr. Reynolds talks about the processes involved with effective mentoring, and how both mentors and students benefit from that process.
In this presentation, Dr. Neuberg outlines how to collaborate with a statistician when developing a research plan.
MostReadArticles 
General
A simple e-mail mechanism to enhance reflection, independence, and communication in young researchers.
Campbell AM, Lom B.
CBE Life Sci Educ. 2006 Winter;5(4):318-22.
Acad Med. 2006 Nov;81(11):959-964.
The authors describe their experience with an approach to help faculty who mentor young scientists in the research lab. Each week, students answer 5 questions by e-mail that improve lab communication and help students develop into mature scientists.
Geriatric
Mentoring for women and underrepresented minority faculty and students: experience at two institutions of higher education.
Kosoko-Lasaki O, Sonnino RE, Voytko ML.
Health Aff (Millwood). 2007 Jan-Feb;26(1):279-83
J Natl Med Assoc. 2006 Sep;98(9):1449-59.
The mentoring models for women and underrepresented minority faculty and students at Creighton University Health Sciences Schools and Wake Forest University School of Medicine are described. These programs appear to be quite successful in the short term.
InTheNews
The Right Cure For Ailing Elder Care?
BusinessWeek.com, June 11, 2007
A health-care model that relied heavily on nurse practitioners for senior citizens rather than physicians could save the nation money--a lot of money--arguably without compromising quality.
NIH Establishes Working Groups to Examine Peer Review
NIH News, June 8, 2007
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., announced today the formation of two working groups — one external, the other internal — to examine the NIH peer review process, with the goal of maximizing its effectiveness.
CareerAutobiographyKristine Yaffe, MD
Dr. Yaffe details how her initial interest in neurology and psychiatry led to a rewarding career in geropsychiatric research. Other career autobiographies can be found in the Researcher Road Maps section.
EventsCalendar
NIH Grant Submission Deadlines - Cycle II
When: July 5, 2007; 10:30am EST
Where: N/A
When: July 5-8, 2007
Where: St. Petersburg, Russia
Geriatrics Consensus Conference -
Developing Competencies for Geriatric Medical Education
When: July 11-13, 2007
Where: St. Louis, MO
MedEdResources
Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
The Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology offers clinicians and investigators the latest peer-reviewed information on cognitive, mood, anxiety, addictive, and sleep disorders in older patients.
Whittaker, Mike, and Cartwright, Ann. The Mentoring Manual. Gower (Great Britain), 2000.
Whittaker and Cartwright, both management consultants and co-authors of several books, provide a number of exercises designed to help mentors and coaches set up mentoring programs, assess their mentoring style, and enhance their skills.
GrantsNet
GrantsNet, a searchable database of funding opportunities in biomedical research and science education, lists programs offering training and research funding for graduate and medical students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty.
ThisMonth'sPoll
To participate in this month's poll click HERE.
Click here to tell a colleague.