APPLICATION DEADLINE – January 31, 2011
The grant, co-sponsored by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) and the Emergency Medicine Patient Safety Foundation (www.empsf.org), awards $75,000 over a 12-month period to enhance the development of an emergency medicine patient safety researcher. Additionally, funds are provided for the recipient to participate in the American Hospital Association (AHA) / National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship. Successful applications will describe a significant, relevant, and feasible research project in the area of patient safety, as well as a mentored training program designed to provide the applicant with a foundation for becoming an emergency medicine patient safety research leader.
PURPOSE OF THE FELLOWSHIP
1. To identify ways and means to improve patient safety in emergency medicine by increasing knowledge and promoting research in this area.
2. To provide support to an emergency medicine academician for a one-year program of concentrated training in research methods and concepts related to patient safety in emergency medicine. The award is intended to support the development of basic clinical research skills, which will be accomplished in part by completion of a research project.
3. To encourage further academic development and participation in patient safety research by the fellowship recipient. The Patient Safety Research Fellowship provides financial support for a trainee to acquire sound patient safety research skills. As such, the training curriculum and strong mentorship are essential and equally as important as the project performed during the training period. An outstanding application will include well-developed descriptions of each of these important elements. It is imperative that the research study proposal is focused on patient safety research. The Patient Safety Research Fellowship also is intended to provide trainees with fundamental skills necessary to succeed as a patient safety scientist and to compete for additional extramural grant funding.
ELIGIBILITY
The Applicant
The applicant must have an advanced degree such as MD, DO, PhD, PharmD, ScD or equivalent, and hold a university appointment in or be actively involved with a department or division of emergency medicine. Residents, fellows and new faculty (within two years of residency training completion) are expected to be SAEM members during the award period. Faculty applicants who are two or more years post-training must be a member of SAEM for more than 12 months at the time of the application deadline in order to apply for the award.
The applicant's department or mentor's department:
1. Must be actively involved in emergency medicine or pediatric emergency medicine research and teaching. Department of emergency medicine outside the United States are also eligible for this award.
2. Must have an established research program as indicated by:
A. Successful extra- and intramural competitive grant funding.
B. Current approved clinical or laboratory investigations.
C. Research presentations at national or international meetings.
D. Publications in peer-reviewed journals.
3. Must have the dedicated funds, space, and support personnel available to assure completion of projects in which the applicant is to participate.
The Mentor
1. Must be an established research investigator with expertise in emergency medicine and patient safety.
2. Must commit the necessary time to provide both specific and general research training for the fellow.
3. Must supervise the fellow's research project.
4. Must provide the necessary equipment and resources to carry out the research project if these are not available from the fellow's department.
THE TRAINING PLAN
The research training plan may include, but is not limited to, formal didactic course work and formal training under the mentor. Other work may include participation in research activities, such as journal clubs, study toward an advanced degree applicable to research, and formal or informal study in patient safety. In general, the training plan should be focused and should integrate in a logical fashion with the proposed research project. A description of how the applicant's progress will be formally evaluated must be included. The proposed training plan should further the applicant's career development.
POLICIES GOVERNING THE USE OF HUMANS AND ANIMALS IN RESEARCH
For human and animal experimentation, the sponsoring department and institution must affirm:
1. That investigations involving human subjects proposed and subsequently carried out in the application have been endorsed by the committee on clinical investigation, or other clearly designated appropriate body, of the sponsoring institution.
2. That any research involving human subjects will conform ethically with the guidelines prescribed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
3. That research involving animals will conform with the current "Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals", NIH publication, DHHS/USPHS and has been approved by the institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
THE FINANCIAL AWARD
The award will be made to the institution in the amount of $75,000 to be used for salary support for the research fellow and/or other research-related costs including equipment and supplies, tuition and training, consultant, consortium, and contractual costs. Additional funding (up to $2,000) will also be provided for the award recipient to attend the SAEM Annual Meeting during the award period. Attendance of the Annual Meeting is a requirement of the award. The award may not be used for indirect costs or mentor salary.
If approved and selected, funding up to $18,500 will be provided for the award recipient's tuition to participate in the AHA/NPSF Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship. Participation in the AHA/NPSF Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship is also expected. Additional funding (up to $3,000) will also be provided for the award recipient to travel to the meetings and seminars that are part of the leadership fellowship program.
Failure to meet the award guidelines or inability of the candidate to complete the term of the award shall result in the return of residual funds to SAEM/EMPSF.
DURATION OF THE AWARD
Funding for the award is for one year (July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012). Applications are due on January 31, 2011 and notifications will be made in the spring of 2011. Award recipients are not eligible for award extensions, renewals, or a second award.
EXPECTATIONS
1. The trainee will devote at least 70% effort to focused research training in patient safety and emergency medicine.
2. The trainee will design or participate in one or more clinical or laboratory investigations studying patient safety in emergency medicine. (Please note: it is critical that the research project proposed in the application is focused on patient safety research. If there are any questions regarding the research project and its association with patient safety, the applicant should contact the SAEM Grants Committee.)
3. The trainee is encouraged to apply and participate in the AHA/NPSF Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship during the fellowship. (http://www.ahafellowships.org).
4. The trainee will attend the SAEM Annual Meeting during the award year.
5. The recipient is expected to submit an abstract for competitive review and presentation for the subsequent year's SAEM Annual Meeting.
6. A published manuscript (first-authored by the award recipient) in a peer-reviewed journal is expected within two years of completing the Patient Safety Research Fellowship program.
7. Progress reports will be submitted six months and 12 months after the award is made. These reports will be prepared independently by the award recipient and the named sponsor and submitted to SAEM.
PATENT, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER POLICY
1. All inventions discovered or arising out of research supported in whole or in part by SAEM/EMPSF which are reduced to practice shall be reported within one (1) year to SAEM/EMPSF. "Invention" is any discovery, material, method, process, product, program, software of use, whether or not patented or patentable or copyrighted or copyrightable, that has an application of value such that its use, licensing, lease or sale can generate revenue.
2. If the institution receiving or disbursing SAEM/EMPSF funds, which supported the invention has an established and applicable patent, intellectual property, or technology transfer policy and procedure for administering inventions, SAEM/EMPSF will defer to that policy.
3. If the institution has no established and applicable patent, intellectual property, or technology transfer policy and procedure for administering inventions, SAEM/EMPSF shall have the right to determine the disposition of the invention rights. In such cases, SAEM/EMPSF may:
A. Decide that the patent or copyright should or should not be filed.
B. Release the invention to the inventor(s) or inventor's designee.
C. Submit the invention to a qualified organization for administration and licensing
D. Determine by negotiation the fair share of royalty income to be paid to the inventor(s).
E. License or make other arrangements for the application and use of the invention on an exclusive or non-exclusive, royalty or royalty-free basis.
F. In support of its non-profit public benefit mission, EMPSF shall have the right to use the invention and or publish, copy, or disseminate information regarding the invention for public benefit.
INVESTIGATORY FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE POLICY/OBJECTIVITY IN RESEARCH
Applicants and institutions are required to comply with the PHS regulations, Final Rule, 42 CFR Part 50, Subpart F, Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting Objectivity in Research.
The official signing for the applicant's institution indicates that a process is in effect to identify and resolve conflicting financial interests of the type described in Subpart 50.604(a).
PATIENT SAFETY LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIP
For trainees interested in developing leadership skills in the field of patient safety in emergency medicine, an opportunity for additional funding to participate in the AHA / NPSF Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship will be available. The Leadership Fellowship is designed to prepare the next generation of health care leaders to champion a culture of safety and make it a reality. Fellows gain the skills, models, and leadership capabilities needed to lead improvement projects, and establish long-term strategic planning for safety in their organizations. If selected, trainees would receive up to $18,500 to cover all tuition costs and course materials, as well as additional funding up to $3,000 for travel costs related to participation in the Leadership Fellowship meetings and seminars.