A summary of key points from the 2014 AcademyHealth ARM

1. 2014 Annual Research Meeting
San Diego, CA
Conference Updates
Dana D. Hines

2. My name is Dana and I am a doctoral candidate at Indiana University
School of Nursing. My dissertation research focuses on care utilization
among transgender women living with HIV.
In June 2014 I had the opportunity to attend the Annual Research
Meeting (ARM) as an AcademyHealth Diversity Scholar. I was one of
five applicants selected for this competitive, professional development
program.
While at the ARM I attended the Gender and Health Interest Group
meeting and various sessions related to my research interests. The
following slides summarize highlights from my conference experience.
You can read more about this program at:
http://www.academyhealth.org/Training/content.cfm?ItemNumber=13
423&navItemNumber=1987.
About the Author

3.  Provide tips for preparing for large conferences
 Provide summary of lessons learned from Gender &
Health Interest Group Meeting
 Summarize key points regarding conceptual models in
implementation science workshop
 Highlight key questions and answers Research
Funding 2014: Federal funding mechanisms session
Objectives

4. Conference Preparation
 Map out schedule ahead of time
 Hard copy and iPhone or Android apps
are usually available; both are helpful
 Pack a stack of business cards
 Write brief sentence on back about
research interest or follow-up
questions to trade with other contacts
 Review conference attendee list
 Email contacts ahead of time to
schedule meeting time at conference
 Find out if there are special interest
group meetings or business meetings
that you can attend
 Great way to network and find
mentors

5.  Interest groups provide access to mentors with
similar interests and to information on postdocs and
jobs
 Interest groups also provide opportunities for
interdisciplinary collaboration and leadership
Benefits of Interest Groups

6.  Complete onsite registration/check-in early
 Helps avoid long lines
 Take a pair of walking shoes
 Pack snacks and have a sweater on hand
 Have something handy for note-taking
 Keep your training grants, manuscripts or other ideas
in the making handy as you sit through sessions and
take notes.
While at the Conference
(The Basics)

7. Below is a summary of take-away points:
Affordable Care Act offers a breadth of research opportunities
 Researchers should consider working with existing data sets to
capitalize on current policy changes
Trends in Research/Hot topics
 Same sex marriage and insurance access
 Impact of insurance access on same sex couples utilization of care
 Health promotion and disease prevention among same sex couples
and LGBT populations
Non-traditional options for disseminating work
 Social media, internet, other social action groups
Gender & Health
Interest Group Meeting

8.  Look for corporate or foundation grants that match your
research interests
 Review process similar to NIH grants, however comments
are rarely provided
 New investigators should consider the following:
 Submitting R01 with mentor listed as PI. That way you can
run the grant under the direction of the PI, gain valuable
research experience and still maintain your eligibility for a
K-award.
 K-awards protect time, but do not provide as much project
support so it is recommended that those pursuing K-
awards also apply for supplemental grant funds.
Research Funding 2014

9.  First decide on the type of grant:
 K-award, R01, R03, R21
 Look for an appropriate institute to submit the grant (e.g. NIH, AHRQ, DHHS)
 Talk with program officer about whether or not proposal is a good fit within the
institute
 Find out which study section is most likely to review the application
 Send project officer (PO) an abstract of proposed project and request a
meeting, preferably one that is face to face
 Use conferences or large meetings as an opportunity to meet PO
 Build a complimentary team of experts
Research Funding 2014
(Before Submitting)

10.  Spend a lot of time on the specific aims
 Be clear, tell a story, make it easy for reviewer, hand the reviewer bullet
points, use pictures and examples to explain the need/significance and
purpose of your work
 Catch reviewers at the specific aims page or “you’re dead in the
water”
 Reviewers will lose interest if the if the terms are too technical or field
specific
 Write to the broader audience
 Know your audience
 Tailor writing to the reviewers in the section
 Be detailed oriented
 Details prove and signal mastery of the field
Research Funding 2014
(Specific Aims)

11.  Reviewers are NOT reading every page with scrutiny
 Don’t assume that reviewers have read the RFA or
program announcement
 Grant applications assigned to 3 or more reviewers
about 5-6 weeks before the study section meets
Research Funding 2014
(The Reviewers)

12.  Special emphasis groups, what are they?
 Special emphasis groups review topics that are being
considered by NIH as standing study sections. Usually
focuses on a specialized interests that impact the field
 Grants ranked within each category from highest to
lowest
 About 50% applications are discussed
 Lower half of grant applications not discussed at all
Research Funding 2014
(Other Tidbits)

13.  AcademyHealth:
http://www.academyhealth.org/About/?navItemNum
ber=498
 Career Award Wizard will help you decide on the type
of grant for which you should apply:
http://grants1.nih.gov/training/kwizard/index.htm
Resources