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MAPMG physicians interested in conducting research studies should start by completing the Research Interest Form to:

  • Begin the process of applying for research grant funding or award funding
  • Share your research study idea
  • Submit a research study abstract or manuscript to the Executive Director of MAPRI (Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute) for review and approval
  • Access writing support for preparing or submitting a manuscript or conference abstract
  • Determine if your project or idea needs IRB approval
  • Collaborate in another way with MAPRI

*Note all research activities must be approved by the Physician in Chief (PIC) and the Executive Director of MAPRI Dr. Michael Horberg.

If you are scoping an idea or research activity, please reach out as soon as possible through the Research Interest Form.

MAPMG funds physician research activities through two programs:

Physicians interested in applying for external research grant funding should review the information below before completing the Research Interest Form.

 

Physician Research Pipeline

Physicians with research project ideas that are not best suited for the Physician Research Scholars Program or the Johns Hopkins Medicine/Kaiser Permanente Research Collaboration Program can propose projects using the Research Interest Form.

Physicians will be asked to complete a proposal form outlining their project idea. These projects will be evaluated by the MAPRI Physician Research Team to determine feasibility, MAPRI staff support needed, and expected research timelines.

Projects conducted through the Research Pipeline will receive research support as needed:

  • MAPRI Scientist mentorship/collaboration
  • Project Manager
  • Research Analyst
  • Biostatistician

Project approval and prioritization determined by:

  • Project feasibility
  • Staff availability and effort required
  • Order received

As with other research projects, research proposed through the Physician Research Pipeline must be approved by your PIC and the Executive Director of MAPRI, Dr. Michael Horberg.

 

 

 

 Applying for External Research Grant Funding

Physicians interested in applying for external research grant funding can generally expect to follow the process described below.

The timeline will be dependent upon:

  • type of research funding mechanism
  • readiness of the research topic
  • level of complexity of the research study.

At a minimum, a period of 12 weeks should be planned for proposal preparation with another 3 weeks for approvals.

Please begin the external grant application process by completing the Research Interest Form. The Physician Research Team will reach out to discuss your proposal idea.

MAPRI External Research Grant Funding Application/Award Management and Research Study Teams

Building Your Research Team:

  • MAPRI will lead facilitation of all pre- and post-award funding activities.
  • Pre-Award Research Administrator must facilitate contacting MAPRI research staff.
  • Pre-Award Research Administrator should be involved as early as possible.
  • If a funding award is made, MAPRI will then facilitate post-award management.

Budgeting for Research Support Staff:

  • All research studies require funding support for MAPRI staff.
  • Budget will include support for a MAPRI Scientist Co-Investigator, Project Managers and/or Research Associates and Assistants, Data Analysts, and possibly a Biostatistician.
  • All external research grant applications for funding are required to budget for this support.
  • The Physician Research Team can assist you in determining the levels of support required for your research study.
  • The Pre-Award Research Administrator can help determine appropriate budget levels.

Please review the descriptions of MAPRI support staff involved:

For example, budgeting a Data Analyst for 1 year at 20% of staff member’s time would equate to the Data Analyst working on your project for 1 day per week for 1 year OR full-time for ~10.5 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

General

What funded research opportunities does MAPMG provide? 

  • Physician Research Scholars Program: This program is open to applications every other year and provides selected physicians dedicated research time and support such as Project Managers, Data Analysts, Scientific Writing, and Research Mentors. Please visit the Physician Research Scholars Program webpage for more information.
  • Johns Hopkins/Kaiser Permanente Research Collaboration Program: The program offers funding for small, 1-year research projects that are conducted in collaboration with an investigator from each institution. Please visit the JHM/KP Research Collaboration Program webpage for more information.
  • Physician Research Pipeline: Research projects that are not suited for the Physician Research Scholars Program, the JHM/KP Research Collaboration Program, or external grants can be submitted through our Research Interest Form. Through this intake process, well-defined physician-initiated research proposals can be conducted in collaboration with MAPRI research teams.

Why do I need external research grant funding in order to conduct my research? 

Physician research activities require support from MAPRI in terms of project management and data analysis activities as well as the time required for the physician to conduct their research. External research grant funding will provide the required salary support.

What are the types of external research grant funding? 

Research grant funding can come from a variety of sponsors such as:

  • Federal: National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, Agency for Health Quality Research
  • Foundation: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, American Heart Association
  • Industry: Pharmaceutical and/or Medical Device companies

How can I find external funding opportunities that match my research interests?

You can search for federal funding opportunities here. Additionally, you can fill out the Research Interest Form, and the Pre-Award Research Administrator can provide access to PIVOT, a system you can use to search for funding opportunities.

Do I need permission to apply for a research grant?

You should communicate your desire to apply for a research grant to your PIC. Your PIC will need to approve any potential research activities before beginning an application. The Executive Director of MAPRI will also need to approve any research grant application submission. These approvals must be completed in writing before starting any research proposal.

How much time can I spend doing a research study?

That will depend on the amount of funding that is provided from the external grant award. You can work with the MAPRI Pre-Award Research Administrator to determine your dedicated research time. This time will be expressed in the budget portion of the application and described as a percentage, such as 20% FTE (one day per week). Your PIC must approve of your proposed research time.

How can I access support in applying for a research grant? Why do I need this support? 

The first step is to complete and submit this Research Interest Form. By completing this form, the Physician Research Team at MAPRI can help you review the requirements of the grant and assist where applicable. It is important to involve the team at MAPRI as soon as possible as KP/MAPMG is sometimes ineligible to apply to certain opportunities.

Does my project need IRB approval?

All research must be approved by the IRB before the research can begin. Whether your project or idea constitutes research is determined by the IRB. For assistance in determining if your project constitutes research and needs IRB approval, please submit this Research Interest Form.

Applying for External Research Grant Funding

If the research grant funding application requires a Letter of Intent (LOI) to be submitted, do I need permission from my PIC and the Executive Director of MAPRI?

Yes – you should always communicate your interest with your PIC and MAPRI Executive Director before any Letter of Intent is submitted. MAPRI will need to review the grant funding announcement to ensure that we are eligible for any potential award and help coordinate LOI approval and submission. You can submit the Research Interest Form to start the MAPRI approval process for your Letter of Intent submission. You should communicate directly with your PIC for their approval.

How do I develop a budget for my research grant funding application? 

You will work with the Pre-Award Research Administrator to develop your budget. This process must be conducted with the Pre-Award Research Administrator, who will facilitate contact with the necessary MAPRI team members to estimate the level of research study support you will need to conduct your study within the terms of the funding opportunity. You will need to estimate budget support for: yourself as the Principal Investigator, Project Manager/Research Associate/Research Assistant, Data Analyst, and/or Biostatistician. For any additional questions, please reach out to Maili Winther, the Pre-Award Research Administrator and Lead Research Administrator, at maili.x.winther@kp.org.

Am I allowed to work with an external collaborator on a research grant application?

BEFORE scoping any project with an external collaborator, please submit the Research Interest Form and/or contact the Pre-Award Research Administrator. If you are applying for a research grant application, external collaborators will need to be accounted for in your budget and you should inform the Pre-Award Research Administrator so this can be included. If an external investigator has asked you to collaborate on their research study, you will need to obtain permission from your PIC and MAPRI Executive Director. Specifics about the research study and any funding will be required for approval. You can submit the Research Interest Form to start the MAPRI approval process for a potential research study collaboration. You should communicate directly with your PIC for their approval.

Do I need to include a MAPRI scientist as a co-investigator in my proposal and budget?

Yes – in general, all research proposals should include a MAPRI Scientist Co-Investigator within the grant proposal and budget. The MAPRI Scientist will serve as a research mentor to provide guidance and advice on research activities.

Research Project Proposal

What if I would like to get involved in research, but I do not have a detailed research idea?

You can express your interest in getting involved in physician research using the Research Interest Form. After completing this form, someone from MAPRI will reach out to discuss your research interests and how you might get involved. You can also review the Physician Research Scholars Program and JHM/KP Research Collaboration Program webpages for more information about these programs, which provide funded and mentored/collaborative research experience.

What if I have a research idea, but I am not sure how to conduct the research or analyze the data?

If you have a research proposal but need assistance with developing and executing the research plan, both the Physician Research Scholars Program and JHM/KP Research Collaboration Program provide research support. The Physician Research Scholars Program, in particular, provides dedicated research time and support, such as Project Managers, Data Analysts, Scientific Writing, and Research Mentors, to assist you throughout the entire research process. You can submit the Research Interest Form and someone will reach out to discuss these programs with you in more detail.

If I already have a research proposal and funding, do I still need PIC and/or MAPRI approval?

Yes – Approval from your PIC and the Executive Director of MAPRI should have been received before applying for any funding. If you already have funding but did not receive approval prior to applying, please contact your PIC and submit the Research Interest Form so that you can receive the necessary approval before beginning your research project.

Abstracts and Manuscripts

Do my conference abstracts need to be approved before submitting? 

Yes – all conference abstracts need to be approved by the Executive Director of MAPRI BEFORE submission to any conference portal. Please plan this into your submission timeline. You can submit the Research Interest Form to start the MAPRI approval process for your conference abstract submission.

Do my Case Reports or other scientific manuscripts need to be approved before submitting?

Yes – all scientific writing must be approved by the Executive Director of MAPRI BEFORE submission to any manuscript portal. Please plan this into your submission timeline. You can submit the Research Interest Form to start the MAPRI approval process for your Case Report or other scientific manuscript submission.

How do I get permission for any of these?

To obtain permission, please complete this Research Interest Form and be sure to attach a PDF or Word file of your abstract or manuscript.

Can I get assistance with preparing and submitting an abstract? Can I get assistance with creating a poster for a conference?

Yes – please complete the Research Interest Form to indicate what type of assistance you need. The Scientific Writer can assist with scoping, editing, and submitting a conference abstract. The Scientific Writer can also assist with editing, formatting, and printing a conference poster.

Can I get assistance with writing and submitting my manuscript?

Yes – please complete the Research Interest Form to indicate what type of assistance you need. The Scientific Writer can assist with scoping, editing, formatting, references, and submitting your manuscript. The Scientific Writer can also assist with identifying appropriate scientific journals and responding to peer review.

Will MAPRI cover costs for conference posters, platform presentations, and/or scientific publications?

Works that are part of externally funded research studies will generally have money budgeted for scientific dissemination activities. Generally, MAPRI will not cover costs for self-directed posters, platform presentations and/or other scientific publications. Personal professional development funds  (PEP, etc.) should be used for these purposes.

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