Karen Mann Catayst Grant in Medical Education Research - FAQ
1. Who is eligible?
Application is open to Resident Affiliates enrolled in a Royal College accredited residency training program and Royal College Fellows who are early in their careers as clinician educators or medical education researchers and in good standing. An applicant is defined as early career in medical education at the time of application:
- Has assumed the first independent academic position (e.g., faculty appointment) no more than 5 years ago (60 months); and
- Has a limited number (maximum 3) of medical education research-related publications as first or a contributing author; and
- Has not received prior medical education research-related grant funding that cumulatively exceeds the amount awarded under the current grant (i.e., $30,000).
2. I already receive grant funding. Do I qualify?
If you currently hold an active open Royal College grant you are not eligible to receive funding, however you may be eligible to be the Principal Applicant’s mentor. The Principal Applicant cannot have received prior medical education-related grant funding that cumulatively exceeds the amount awarded under the current grant (i.e., $30,000).
3. What is the Dr. Karen Mann Catalyst Grant in Medical Education Research?
Launched in spring 2018, the Dr. Karen Mann Catalyst Grant in Medical Education Research is intended for Royal College Resident Affiliates and early career clinician educators to encourage entry into medical education research through an intentional alignment with strong mentorship.
4. What is the Grant for specifically?
The grant provides funding of up to $30,000 annually for one person and an identified mentor for one and two-year research / evaluation projects. An allocation for travel expenses is included for both the Principal Applicant and the identified mentor to attend a Royal College conference for the presentation of research findings.
5. How are the funds disbursed?
For one-year projects an amount equivalent to 75 per cent of the grant will be disbursed upon project commencement, and 25 per cent upon project completion and receipt of a final report. The final report is expected to be submitted to the Program Coordinator, Research and Evaluation Unit, Royal College.
6. How will the successful recipient be selected?
The Royal College Education Research Grants Committee and a cadre of expert scholars and researchers assess proposals and identify successful applicants. Selection is based on the application’s scientific merit and clarity of the proposal, on the proposal’s relevance to the grant’s objective, and on the strength of the identified mentor.
7. How many grants per year and what is the duration?
One grant is awarded each year. The grant is applicable to projects of one or two years.
8. I’ve been in practice for years but am new to medical education research. Can I apply?
A senior faculty transitioning to medical education research from another discipline could be considered as long as he or she does not have more than 3 publications and have received more than $30,000 in medical education research-related at the time of application.
9. I am not a Resident Affiliate. Can I apply?
You need to be a Resident Affiliate or a Fellow to apply. Applying to be a Resident Affiliate is easy, free and offers many Royal College benefits, such as accumulating credits during residency that can be applied to your continuing professional development (CPD) requirements following certification. To apply to be a resident affiliate click here.
10. How do I apply?
Applications must be submitted by completing the online grant form. All supporting documents must be uploaded into the online grant form.
11. How long should my proposal be?
The project description should not exceed 3,400 words maximum; however, applicants may include relevant appendices to support their project description. There is no page limit for the appendices. Applicants are also asked to attach the research instruments to be used in the research project, if such instruments are available at the time of application. Research instruments should be attached as a separate appendix and not included in the five-page project description. The curriculum vitae of the Principal Applicant and all identified co-applicants and mentor should not exceed four pages each (11 point font minimum).
12. What if I don’t have a mentor?
A mentor must be identified in the submission.
13. May I submit more than one project proposal to the Royal College?
Yes, you may submit more than one proposal to the same grant competition or to another grant competition, but you may not submit the same proposal to different grant competitions. At any given time, an individual may only have one open active research grant.
14. If I receive this grant what are my obligations/responsibilities to the Royal College?
For one-year projects, upon project completion a final report is to be submitted to the Royal College. Projects approved for two-years must submit a satisfactory mid-project progress report and a final report. The reports must be sent to the Program Coordinator, Research and Evaluation Unit, Royal College. Presentation and publication of research findings is expected. The financial support of "The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada" must be acknowledged in all publications resulting from this grant.
15. Who was Dr. Karen Mann?
The grant is in honour of the late Dr. Karen Mann, who was a passionate educator, scholar and mentor. Her outstanding contributions to medical education, particularly through mentorship and support to young researchers, shaped the careers of many Canadian scholars and has contributed widely to the strength of medical education research in Canada. Dr. Mann, who died suddenly in 2016, contributed widely to the activities of the Royal College including the Education Research Grant Committee and development of CanMEDS role descriptions. Her tireless efforts working with the Royal College and the medical education community inspired the creation of this prestigious new grant.
