Frequently Asked Questions
Applicants often have questions about the PHSSR Junior Investigator Awards program, specific application requirements and the benefits to the awardees. This section will be updated after our Applicant Web Conference. Frequently Asked Questions include:
- How do I attend the Applicant Web Conference?
- What is PHSSR? How can I determine if my research topic is considered PHSSR?
- Will using data sets outside of NLM’s PHSSR database be appropriate?
- What is the page limit for the proposal narrative?
- What are some examples of measures of success for a PHSSR Junior Investigator Award project?
How do I attend the Applicant Web Conference?
The National Coordinating Center hosted an applicant Web conference on Tuesday, November 13, 2012. A copy of the slides and an audio recording of the web conference are available on the main page.
What is the purpose of the PHSSR Junior Investigator Awards program?
The National Coordinating Center for PHSSR (NCC) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) are committed to expanding the evidence base for effective decision-making in public health practice and policy through research that responds to the questions defined in the National Research Agenda for PHSSR. To support and grow the PHSSR evidence base, the field requires a robust cadre of researchers who understand the nuances of public health services within communities, and can apply advanced methodologies to develop further evidence for practice decision-making.
Increasing the number of qualified investigators engaged in public health services and systems research is one of the central aims of the NCC, and this award aims to attract investigators early in their careers to the field of PHSSR. This Call for Proposals offers the sixth round of funding for promising junior investigators whose careers will focus on PHSSR and inform future public health practice.
The Junior Investigator Awards provide a mentored research experience where awardees work closely with prominent PHSSR experts as they begin their careers. These $10,000 awards are available for doctoral dissertation applicants or junior faculty who are within three years of their initial faculty appointment. Up to 10 one-year awards are available for the PHSSR awards in 2013.
Up to five of these awards will be mentored by the lead researcher from member networks of the Public Health Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN) program. For more information on the Public Health PBRN program and member networks, please visit the Public Health PBRN National Coordinating Center’s website.
What is PHSSR? How can I determine if my research topic is considered PHSSR?
A: Please refer to the National Agenda for PHSSR. Your proposal should address at least one of the research questions from the National Agenda. PHSSR deals specifically with the organization, financing and impact of public health services. This does NOT include the study of primary care or ‘safety net’ services provided in public health or other clinics. If you are unsure if your project addresses a PHSSR research question, please contact us at PHSSR212@uky.edu.
What are the eligibility requirements for PHSSR Junior Investigator Awards?
For Doctoral candidate applicants:
- Have completed all the necessary prerequisites to begin the research project, including being advanced to doctoral candidacy;
- Have the written support of the chair of their dissertation, capstone or equivalent, including a commitment to completing research in the specified PHSSR area of inquiry;
- Have a U.S.-based college or university agree to receive and administer the award;
- Demonstrate the ability to complete the research deliverables in the 12 month award period and submit a peer-reviewed manuscript for publication within 12 months after the end of the award; and
- Work with a PHSSR expert mentor for the project, to be documented by a letter of support and curriculum vitae from the mentor.
For Junior faculty applicants:
- Be within three years of their initial faculty appointment;
- Have a U.S.-based college or university agree to receive and administer the award;
- Demonstrate the ability to complete the research deliverables in the 12 month award period and submit a peer-reviewed manuscript for publication within 12 months after the end of the award; and
- Work with a PHSSR expert mentor for the project, to be documented by a letter of support and curriculum vitae from the mentor.
Who may serve as my mentor? What is their role in the award program?
Ideally, applicants should identify a senior PHSSR or Health Services researcher located at their home institution who has successfully competed for NIH R01 awards (or equivalent) and is willing to serve as a mentor. If there is not a senior researcher at your home institution who meets these criteria, you may select a mentor from another organization. If you do not have a mentor candidate, please contact the NCC at PHSSR212@uky.edu and include a brief description of your research project and we will provide you with a list of potential mentors for you. Applicants must contact potential mentors on their own. The NCC cannot provide any assistance in brokering a mentor relationship.
Where can I find PHSSR data sets to conduct secondary analysis?
A database of PHSSR data sets is available from the National Library of Medicine at: http://wwwcf.nlm.nih.gov/hsrr_search/browse_topics.cfm?TOPIC_SUBSET=PHSR&V_START=ALL
Will using data sets outside of NLM’s PHSSR database be appropriate?
Yes, you may use data sets that are not contained in the NLM’s PHSSR database. You should take caution to insure that the data you will be analyzing is reliable and can be used to address a research question from the National Agenda for PHSSR.
What is the page limit for the proposal narrative?
The proposal narrative has a two-page limit. There is a proposal narrative template that you may download once you begin the application process with further instructions regarding formatting and content.
What are the deliverables required for PHSSR Junior Investigator Awardees?
Proposed research projects must contribute to the growing PHSSR evidence base and be consistent with one of the research priority areas defined in the National Research Agenda for PHSSR. NCC staff will provide technical assistance to awardees as needed to complete deliverables and disseminate results. The following list of deliverables are broken down into two sections. The first set of deliverables are due during the twelve-month award period and are required. The second set of deliverables may completed after the award period. While these deliverables are not required, awardees are strongly encouraged to complete them.
During the award period, all awardees must:
- Complete the project research plan and literature review, receive approval from the PHSSR mentor, and submit a copy to the assigned NCC contact. Any changes to the originally approved project scope and design must be discussed and approved in writing by the mentor and NCC contact;
- Attend the 2013 PHSSR Keeneland Conference to be held April 8-11, 2013 in Lexington, Kentucky, to present a progress report of the study and participate in awardee workshop;
- Participate in awardee webinars and regular virtual meetings hosted by NCC;
- Submit timely information to NCC for progress reports to RWJF, as requested;
- Prepare a proposal summary to be submitted to a specific future funding opportunity, as identified in the Junior Investigator Award Proposal.
During the award period, Junior Faculty awardees must also generate a systematic review, which expands the applicable systematic review(s) developed by the NCC in 2011, and summarizes published research literature on the applicant’s research focus area. These reviews are available in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2012;42(5S1):S1–S86.
During or after the award period awardees should also:
- Submit an article with preliminary findings to the on-line publication, Frontiers in PHSSR,
- Provide documentation of applications to present research findings at a minimum of one national or regional conference other than the Keeneland Conference,
- Participate in awardee learning opportunities and activities for former awardees hosted by the NCC,
- Submit timely information to NCC for RWJF sponsor progress reports, as requested,
- Submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal on the research findings within 12 months of the end of the award period,
- Submit a research proposal to a specific PHSSR funding opportunity as identified above,
- Document additional methods of dissemination to public health practitioners and policy-makers.
How are the awards administered?
PHSSR Junior Investigator awards are issued by the University of Kentucky Research Foundation. If your application is selected for an award, the University of Kentucky will establish a subagreement between UKRF and your college or university. The awards will have a twelve month duration and be issued as $10,000 fixed price subagreements. Payment will be issued as two $5,000 disbursements. The first payment will be available once the subagreement is fully executed between UKRF and your college or university. The second payment will be available after the Junior Investigator awardee has completed all of the required deliverables listed above.
Indirect costs should be included in the award amount. The maximum indirect cost rate is 12%.
What technical assistance and support does the NCC provide to PHSSR Junior Investigator awardees?
All award recipients will attend the 2013 PHSSR Keeneland Conference at the expense of the NCC, and are highly encouraged to invite their mentors attend as well. During the conference, the NCC will host a grantee session for networking with other PHSSR grantees, and some Junior Investigators will present their initial research findings.
The National Coordinating Center will provide the technical assistance deemed appropriate for each awardee as identified in the review process. If an awardee has specific or additional technical assistance needs, please contact the NCC and we will work to connect you with people with the appropriate expertise.
Awardees will submit monthly project progress reports to the NCC and participate in monthly check-in calls. In addition, award recipients will have access to a progam coordinator at the NCC via email or phone to address questions or concerns about their projects. The NCC coordinator will refer research and technical questions to NCC lead researchers and administrators for followup. The NCC hosts a LinkedIn group for past, present, and future PHSSR Junior Investigators as a forum for research discussion and development.
What are some examples of measures of success for a PHSSR Junior Investigator Award project?
We measure the success of PHSSR Junior Investigator Awards in two domains: 1) how the results from the award contribute to the body of PHSSR evidence and 2) how the award prepares junior investigators to compete for additional funding for PHSSR studies. To these ends, we work with awardees to disseminate their findings through Frontiers in PHSSR open-access journal, prepare manuscripts for other academic journals, and assist in disseminating results to relevant Public Health practitioners and policy-makers. These awards are designed for Junior Investigators to develop pilot data which will help them compete for additional funding.