What is the objective?

The funding will enable junior academic surgeons to develop high-quality research programs that would attract additional financial support.

Who is eligible?

Surgeons from the Department of Surgery at the University of Ottawa within their first five years of their first clinical appointment (i.e., within the 5-years prior to the submission deadline).

What is the award?

$25k

What do you need to apply?

• Full proposal (template available)

• Letter of support from your division head

• CV

1. The funding should enable academic surgeons to initiate the development high-quality research programs that would attract additional support.

2. The Junior Faculty Research Grants will contribute $25k to support innovative proposals developing novel strategies to transform surgical care delivery.

3. A competitive peer-review and transparent process will select the most deserving proposals.

4. All participating academic surgeons (within their first five years of their first academic appointment) are eligible to apply.

5. A one-year delay before re-applying after success will be imposed.

Objective:

To financially support junior faculty in the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa in building their research programs in any of the research domains, including clinical, translational, educational, and quality improvement research.

Typically, JFRG funds should be used to support the human resources necessary to implement, test and/or evaluate new concepts and modes of surgical care delivery.

In general, the funds are not intended for equipment, however the innovative use of equipment (i.e., imaging) could form the basis of a project. Funding may not be used to defray the cost of implantable medical devices, drug trials, and costs of travel.

1. Proposals must be submitted by individuals with primary appointments to the Department of Surgery in the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ottawa.

2. A proposal must have the support from its division chair prior to the submission to the selection committee (and supply a letter indicating  such divisional support).

3. A maximum of two proposals/division will be accepted for review for divisions with ≤24 surgeons; and a maximum of three proposals/division will be accepted for review for divisions with ≥25 surgeons.

4. Eligibility criteria includes:

   • plans for inquiry and investigation;

   • plans to support research personnel;

   • plans publication

   • plans to submit external grant application(s)

A call for proposals will be made by the Chair of the Department of Surgery or his/her designate.

1. All submitted proposals must follow the template provided (above).

2. All proposals must be submitted as a single PDF file.

3. Applications will include the proposal, a letter of support from the respective division head, and up-to-date CV.

4. All submitted proposals will be evaluated through a competitive peer-reviewed process involving representatives from the Department of Surgery and a representative from the Faculty of Medicine or her/his delegate.

• Vice Dean Research, Faculty of Medicine or her/his delegate

• Members of the Research Committee or their division / domain delegates

The assessment of proposals by the peer-review committee will be based on the following criteria:

1. Innovation and Knowledge Translation: creation of new knowledge, tools or innovation and creating awareness about innovation or tool studied

   • The innovation to improve surgical care and/or reduce costs must be clearly identified within the proposal.

   • A coherent knowledge translation strategy should be clearly defined and discussed.

2. Potential for Impact: the potential impact of research program within and beyond the local institution and the academic community

   • Applicants should articulate the impact on both patient care and costs of care.

3. Strengths of the PI and Team: the experience and skills of the research team, including: track record, historical productivity and impact, likelihood that this team can complete the proposal being proposed, time/availability to commit to the proposal, and collaborative arrangements with colleagues, if applicable.

   • The PI’s CV should include publications, presentations, and grants.

   • A statement about the productivity and impact of the PI’s work should be included, as well as their availability to commit to the research project.

   • The expertise (and experience) of research personnel to be supported should be stated.

   • Any collaborative arrangements support the project should be identified.

4. Feasibility: clarity and realism of the research proposal with respect to the objectives, timeframe, intended outcomes and outcome metrics, and resources available.

5. Funding (Use and Potential): efficient and effective use of funds to achieve research objective, as well as the potential to attract external funders

   • Applicants should articulate how their proposal optimally uses the funding.

   • The potential for obtaining external funding will be a major consideration for the review panel. All proposals should include an external funding strategy, including the names of target funding organizations.

1. At the time of the award, the awardee will be asked to supply an OHRI  cost centre to which the funds will be transferred.

2. The financial year of the fund is from May 1 to April 30.

• All submitted proposals must follow the template provided (above) using 11 or 12-point font and saved as a single PDF file. The template includes the descriptions and word counts provided below.

• The CV(s) and letter(s) of support (i.e., division head) can be submitted as separate PDFs via the web portal.

• The complete the online application includes uploads for your proposal, letter(s) of support, and CV(s) via the web portal provided above.

You will be asked for all of the following information in the document template and via the web portal for submission:

1. Domain of research (select one: clinical research, quality improvement research, educational research, or translational research)

2. Type of research program (select one: new research program or established research program)

3. Research program title (25 words maximum)

4. Principal investigator(s) (include all degrees and institutional affiliations, and a CV for each investigator)

5. Plain language abstract (describe the proposal using non-technical language emphasizing the research question and its importance to surgical care delivery, 200 words maximum)

6. Background and rationale (optional use of one table/figure/illustration to support description is allowed, 250 words maximum)

7. Overall aim and hypothesis of proposal (200 words maximum)

8. Specific objectives (define primary and secondary objectives as applicable, 200 words maximum)

9. Methodology overview (provide a description of the approach/methodology to be employed using the suggested headings below and up to 2 optional tables/figures/illustrations, 400 words maximum)

   • Suggested sub-headings include the following:

     • Study setting

     • Study subjects

     • Study intervention(s) (if applicable)

     • Outcomes and outcome metrics

     • Sample size and rationale (if applicable)

     • Data sources and data collection

     • Data management

     • Data analyses

     • Ethics (specify plans for seeking research ethics approval

   • If your proposal includes the collection and use of data, then a consultation is strongly recommended with the OHRI Methods Center

10. Timeline/milestones (provide a target start date, the dates when each outcome/milestone will be completed and the target finishing date, use one optional table/figure/illustration such as a Gantt chart, 200 words maximum)

11. Team (include the names and affiliations of the team members, with a brief statement of their roles, experience, area(s) of expertise, time commitment and planned contributions, 150 words maximum)

12. Relevance and impact of research program (200 words maximum)

13. Dissemination (provide plans for investigators to communicate results via conferences, publication, reporting in results databases, or other, 200 words maximum)

14. Additional program funding (elaborate on existing or planned supplemental funding for the proposed program including the amount(s) and source(s); including existing (established) grant applications and dollar amount, and/or planned (new) grant applications and dollar amount, 150 words maximum)

15. Budget (provide a table using the suggested row headings: human resources, other, and total funds)

16. List of references (30 references maximum)

17. Support letter from division head (and partners, if applicable)

    • A proposal must have the support from its Division Chair  (mandatory)

    • Support/letters from partners (if applicable)

    • CV