Career Development (K) Awards - Overview

Harold Alan Pincus, MDProfessor and Vice Chair, Department of Psychiatry

College of Physicians and Surgeons Associate Director, Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research

Columbia University Director of Quality and Outcomes Research

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

Presentation Topics

• Housekeeping and expectations• Explanation of K Award• Preparation for K Award application• Application process and format• Review process and format• Other resources and support• Take-away points

Housekeeping and Expectations

• Attendance of each seminar is key• Sharing of work helps you and others• Reminder email with materials, follow-up

email with notes• Plan for Mock Review• K Award Seminar website*

(rfmh.nyspi.org/kad) has materials, notes, resources, and syllabus

*Access is restricted to computers on NYSPI and Columbia networks (such computers have an IP address that start with 156.111, or 156.145, or 192.168…….)

ScheduleDate/Time/Location Topic Presenter

K Award NIH Cycle I Submission Deadline: Tuesday, June 12th

Monday, June 30th 11am – 12pmLocation: Room 3002

Overview Harold Pincus

Monday, July 28th 11am – 12pmLocation: 6th Floor Boardroom

Reviewer’s PanelPanelists:

To be determined 

Monday, August 25th 11am – 12pmLocation: 6th Floor Boardroom

Career Plan Jonathan Posner and Greg Tau

Monday, September 22nd 11am – 12pmLocation: Room 3001

Personal Statement Kim Fader

K Award NIH Cycle II Submission Deadline: Friday, October 12th

Monday, October 20th 11am – 12pmLocation: Room 3001

Research Plan Jill Harkavy-Friedman

Monday, November 24th 11am – 12pmLocation: 6th Floor Boardroom

Administrative ProcessJanelle Greenhill , Amanda Katz, and Jaime

Rubin

Monday, December 22nd 11am – 12pmLocation: 6th Floor Boardroom

Funded Applicants’ PanelPanelists:

To be determined 

Early-Mid January Mock ReviewSeminar Participants

and Reviewers

K Award NIH Cycle III Submission Deadline: Tuesday, February 12th

What is a K Award?

Career Development (K) Award

• Provides predominantly salary support– Specified salary levels (e.g. NIDDK: $90K, NCI: $100K)

• Minimum requirements for the amount of effort that must be devoted to research career development (e.g. 75%, some exceptions to 50%)

• 3-5 years– Some types of awards are renewable (usually not the mentored

awards)

• Individual must be a US citizen/permanent resident• Reduce effort to 50% in last 2 years if PI of NIH research

grantAdapted from Jaime S. Rubin, PhD (Sponsored Projects: Planning &

Organizing a Fellowship or Career Development Proposal)

K Awardee

7

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Training Directors Meeting November 3, 2010

Explanation of “K Award”

• K01• K02• K05• K07• K08• K12• K18• K22

• K23• K24• K25• K26• K30• K99/R00• KL2

http://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/k_awards_32.jpg

For More Information:

NIH Career Development Awards Websitehttp://grants.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htm

How do I prepare for a K Award application?

Choose a Topic

• What topic inspires you?

• How has your life led to this topic?– K Award is a scientific autobiography– “vision quest”

Adapted from Greg Seigle, PhD, and Chip Reynolds, MD (Med Ed Mentoring - Kountdown to K)

K Visioning Exercise

1. In 10 – 15 years, I want to be the world expert in…..

2. In 4 – 5 years, the first major grant to put me on the road towards becoming a world expert, would look like...

3. The knowledge, skills, and training I would need to successfully conduct the major grant are…

4. The preliminary project(s) that would provide initial data and help convince a review committee of the major project’s feasibility and of my own capacities is/are…

Create a Timeline

• Do you have the time (at least seven months) and schedule to invest in submitting an application?– Prepare = 2 months– Write = 3 months– Revise = 2 months

• Which K Award due date and timeline is ideal?

Adapted from Greg Seigle, PhD, and Chip Reynolds, MD (Med Ed Mentoring - Kountdown to K)

NIH K Award Due DatesApplication Stage

Cycle I Cycle II Cycle III

Due Date (for new applications)

February 12th June 12th October 12th

Scientific Merit Review

June – July October – November

February – March

Advisory Council Review

August or October*

January May

Earliest Project Start Date

September or December*

April July

*Advisory Council Round for Cycle I applications may be August or October, and their earliest project start date may be September or December respectively.

Find a Mentor

• A mentor is someone:– You respect– Can help you become an independent

scientist– Is well known in the field– Has a good track record of mentorship– Is geographically desirable– Will write you an outstanding letter of

recommendation

Adapted from Greg Seigle, PhD, and Chip Reynolds, MD (Med Ed Mentoring - Kountdown to K)

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Training Directors Meeting November 3, 2010

Mentoring Skills ModelMentoring Skills Model

Acquiring Mentors

LearningQuickly

Showing Initiative

Following Through

Managingthe Relationship

Listening Actively

Identifying Goals& Current Reality

Building Trust

Encouraging

Sense of Humor

Inspiring

Providing Corrective Feedback

Managing Risks

Opening Doors

Instructing/DevelopingCapabilities

MENTEE SPECIFIC SKILLS

SHARED CORE SKILLS

MENTOR SPECIFIC SKILLS

Mentoring Skills• Listening actively• Identifying goals and current reality• Building trust• Encouraging• Sense of humor• Inspiring• Providing corrective feedback• Managing risks• Opening doors• Instructing/developing capabilities• Constructive Questioning

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Training Directors Meeting November 3, 2010

21

Mentee Skills• Acquiring mentors• Learning quickly• Showing initiative• Following through• Managing the relationship• Listening actively• Identifying goals and current reality• Building trust • Encouraging• Sense of humor

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Training Directors Meeting November 3, 2010 22

Brainstorm and Consider

• Who will be on your team (at least 1 – 2 internal consultants) that can assist you with translational research?

• What will be the size and budget of your research project?

• How will you deal with the stress?!

• Applying for a federal grant is a marathon, not a sprint

Adapted from Greg Seigle, PhD, and Chip Reynolds, MD (Med Ed Mentoring - Kountdown to K)

What is the application process and format?

Application Process and Format

• For applications due on or after 1/25/10• Re-structured format

– Match new peer review process/criteria

• Shortened length (25 down to 12 pages)– Reduce administrative burden

– Focus on scientific essentials

• One re-submission allowed– Previously allowed two re-submissions

• Dates of submission are February 12th, June 12th, October 12th • Overall process from submission to review to funding can be 8 to 24

months• NEW: NIH has transitioned to electronic application forms packages

(Forms-C). K Awards with due dates after 1/25/14 will likely only have these forms listed but in the case that there are two forms packages available applicants should only use the most recent

Application Components

Section of ApplicationPage Limits

(if different from FOA,FOA supersedes)

Introduction to Resubmission or Revision Application (when applicable) 1

Specific Aims 1

First three items of Candidate Information (Candidate's Background, Career Goals and Objectives, and Career Development/Training

Activities During Award Period and Research Strategy)12 pages (for all sections combined)

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research 1

Mentoring Plan (Include only when required by the specific FOA, e.g., K24 and K05)

6

Plans and Statements of Mentor and Co-mentor(s) 6

Letters of Support from Collaborators, Contributors, and Consultants 6

Description of Institutional Environment 1

Institutional Commitment to Candidate’s Research Career Development 1

Biographical Sketch 4

To do list:

• Look at others’ (funded) applications and get their advice

• Review award guidance and instructions

• Familiarize yourself with review process

For More Information:

Peer Review Policies & Practiceshttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/peer.htm

NIH – Writing Your Application:http://grants.nih.gov/grants/writing_application.htm

SF424 Application and Electronic Submission Information:

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm

What is the review process and format?

K Review Criteria…

• Overall Impact/Priority Score• Scored Review Criteria (Core):

1.Candidate2.Career Development Plan3.Research Plan4.Mentor(s)/Consultant(s)/Collaborator(s)5.Environment and Institutional Commitment

• Additional Review Criteria• Additional Review Considerations

Scoring System

• 9-point scoring scale – 1 (exceptional) to 9 (poor)– Whole numbers– Assigned reviewers announce scores and

rationale– Previous system was 1.0 – 5.0, with

increments of .1

Scoring System Descriptions

Scoring System Descriptions

Score Descriptor Additional Guidance on Strengths/Weaknesses

1 Exceptional Exceptionally strong with essentially no weaknesses

2 Outstanding Extremely strong with negligible weaknesses

3 Excellent Very strong with only some minor weaknesses

4 Very Good Strong but with numerous minor weaknesses

5 Good Strong but with at least one moderate weakness

6 Satisfactory Some strengths but also some moderate weaknesses

7 Fair Some strengths but with at least one major weakness

8 Marginal A few strengths and a few major weaknesses

9 Poor Very few strengths and numerous major weaknesses

Minor Weakness: An easily addressable weakness that does not substantially lessen impactModerate Weakness: A weakness that lessens impactMajor Weakness: A weakness that severely limits impact

For More Information:

Peer Review Policies & Practiceshttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/peer.htm

Definitions of Criteria and

Considerations for K Critiqueshttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/critiques/k.htm

Guidelines and Templates for Reviewershttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/peer/reviewer_guidelines.htm

Other Useful Websites and Resources

• www.nigms.nih.gov/Research/Application/Tips.htm

• www.4researchers.org/• http://grantscourse.columbia.edu/• www.nimh.nih.gov/research-funding/

training/index.shtml

Other Useful Websites and Resources

• Sumandea C, Balke C: Funding Opportunities for Investigators in the Early Stages of Career Development. Circulation 2009; 119:1320-1327

• Research for Mental Hygiene (RFMH) – administrative advice

• NIH/Foundation Program Officer• Your mentor• NYSPI/CUMC networks• Us and K Award Seminar website

Other (Non-NIH) Career Support

• Columbia, NYP, Gerstner, ECRIP

• Foundations: RWJ (Health and Society Scholars, Minority/Academic faculty); W.T. Grant Foundation; Pew; Howard Hughes; NARSAD

• Professional Societies: APA, ACNP, SBP

Take-Away Points• Start early

• Be focused

• Gather a team of people who can help you go where you want to go

• Work with your team to construct application

• Take advantage of mentoring

• Manage your time and resources wisely

• Read instructions

• Never assume that reviewers “will know what you mean”

• Refer to literature thoroughly and thoughtfully

• Explicitly state the rationale of the proposed investigation

• Include well-designed tables and figures

• Present an organized, lucid write-upAdapted from Greg Seigle, PhD, and Chip Reynolds, MD (Med Ed Mentoring - Kountdown to K) and from Jaime

S. Rubin, PhD (Sponsored Projects: Planning & Organizing a Fellowship or Career Development Proposal)

ScheduleDate/Time/Location Topic Presenter

K Award NIH Cycle I Submission Deadline: Tuesday, June 12th

Monday, June 30th 11am – 12pmLocation: Room 3002

Overview Harold Pincus

Monday, July 28th 11am – 12pmLocation: 6th Floor Boardroom

Reviewer’s PanelPanelists:

To be determined 

Monday, August 25th 11am – 12pmLocation: 6th Floor Boardroom

Career Plan Jonathan Posner and Greg Tau

Monday, September 22nd 11am – 12pmLocation: Room 3001

Personal Statement Kim Fader

K Award NIH Cycle II Submission Deadline: Friday, October 12th

Monday, October 20th 11am – 12pmLocation: Room 3001

Research Plan Jill Harkavy-Friedman

Monday, November 24th 11am – 12pmLocation: 6th Floor Boardroom

Administrative ProcessJanelle Greenhill , Amanda Katz, and Jaime

Rubin

Monday, December 22nd 11am – 12pmLocation: 6th Floor Boardroom

Funded Applicants’ PanelPanelists:

To be determined 

Early-Mid January Mock ReviewSeminar Participants

and Reviewers

K Award NIH Cycle III Submission Deadline: Tuesday, February 12th

Questions???