Questions & Answers

CRN Scholars Application FAQs

Should applicants be encouraged to submit projects that are dependent on projects that are pending? (e.g., leverage a pending K application for the scholars application)
Applicants are encouraged to develop a project during the 26-month program that includes a multi-site CRN project.

What do we really mean by "local" mentor -- for an internal CRN person -- does their mentor have to actually be local physically and/or within the HMORN? Could a content expert from a neighboring University be considered local?
Scholars need to have a CRN collaborator/sponsor (defined as someone who has experience working on a multi-site CRN or HMORN project). This person does not have to be physically at their site and is not required to be a content expert in the applicant's area of interest. This person should be part of the scholars' mentorship team. Applicants are encouraged to identify content experts -- these individuals are not required to be researchers in the CRN or at the same institution as the applicant.

How will HMORN collaborators be viewed rather than CRN collaborators? Would an HMORN collaborator from a non-CRN site be considered a local mentor, given they have the knowledge of how to navigate HMORN data?
Yes, HMORN collaborators who have experience with a multi-site HMORN study would be considered a viable local mentor/sponsor.

What data sets and elements are available for designing CRN projects?
Some guidance is available in the CRN's informational booklet and the HMORN Collaboration Toolkit, VDW section

. CRN collaborators, once identified, can provide further guidance on study design. Applicants are encouraged to outline research questions of interest that would be viable within the CRN, but are not required to have identified sites to participate or data sources, since that is one of the main objectives of the program -- to train individuals how to design and execute a multi-site CRN study.

How will Scholars access CRN data for projects?
Access to programming resources and datasets need to be coordinated by the Scholar and their mentoring team. The Scholars Program does not provide research funding beyond FTE support of the Scholar.

What is the process for applicants and their institutions to establish a connection to one of the CRN sites?
Applicants who have existing relationships with CRN investigators are welcome to make direct connections with these individuals to develop their application. Individuals who would like to be connected with CRN investigators for their application, can contact Sarah McDonald, mcdonald.sj@ghc.org and provide an overview of their research interests.

Can interested applicants from non-CRN sites contact potential collaborators directly or do we prefer the program co-directors make a match based on research interest?
Applicants with prior linkages to a CRN site are encouraged to make direct contact with potential collaborators if they wish to do so. Applicants without any prior CRN linkage or who want assistance are encouraged to contact the Program Co-directors and provide a brief overview of their intended research for help identifying prospective collaborators.

Is an investigator who is one of multiple PIs on an R01 eligible?
Per NIH definition of new investigator, those who are named PI/PD on a multiple PI award are not considered new investigators and are not eligible for the Scholar program. If not the PI/PD, applicant may still be eligible.

Are doctoral students eligible for this program?
This program is designed to support people who are early in their professional careers, so doctoral students are not eligible. Eligibility of post-docs would need to be individually assessed by the Program Co-directors. Scholars must be able to commit 20% FTE to the program, of which 10% is funded by NIH (NCI) and 10% is provided by the Scholar's institution.

May applicants selected for the 1^st cohort defer enrollment until the 2^nd cohort?
No.

Are there citizenship requirements for this program?
US citizenship is not required but applicants must have a visa that covers the duration of program participation (26 months, Feb 2013 - Apr 2015.) We are not able to sponsor visas for program participants.

Do I need to have formal research training to be eligible?
Yes -- this program is not designed to train individuals in the basics of research -- it is designed for individuals with advanced research training who have an express interest in conducting multi-site research within the CRN.

Does the program come with research funds?
No, the program does not come with research funding to conduct studies, gather preliminary data, or analytic support. Scholars are expected to secure funding through CRN pilot funds or otherwise for these activities.

Do we really want a CV instead of a biosketch?
Yes.

What budget information is needed for the application?

Project-specific budget information is not needed at this time. For successful Scholars from a non-CRN institution, we will initiate a subcontract with your institution. For Scholars from a CRN institution, we will modify your institution's existing subcontract.

The CRN will provide 10% salary up to the NIH cap, travel funds for 1 - 2 in-person meetings per calendar year, and the institution's negotiated federal F&A.

Where can I find information about past Scholars' research?
Past Scholars were described in the CRN's quarterly newsletter:
Introducing the 2007-2009 cohort
Introducing the 2009-2011 cohort

Who is eligible and what are the selection criteria?

Applicants must have ≥20% available FTE to participate in the Scholars program -- this include ≥10% guaranteed funding support from their institution. The program is designed to complement, not replace, local mentorship; therefore, applicants must have a local mentor or mentoring team that will provide local oversight. Applicants must also be willing to develop a linkage with a CRN site. Priority will be given to applicants who:

Have interests that make them likely to pursue future cancer research using the multi-system CRN resources and opportunities.
Propose a research project that is aligned with the Scientific Working Groups (SWG) of the CRN (see below)
Have a research project that is feasible to conduct within the CRN and the Virtual Data Warehouse
Meet the local mentorship and commitment requirements

Application elements and selection requirements

Application Elements	Selection Requirements
CV Training Relevant research experience One-page statement on research interests and career goals related to conducting population-based research Description of the planned project or grant to work on during the program Signed Department Head letter confirming ≥10% institutional salary support for the duration of Scholar's program CV and letter of support from Primary Local mentor Biosketches of additional members of the mentorship team	Eligibility to serve as a new investigator on an R01, K-award or equivalent grant (e.g., no prior R01 or equivalent as PI) Planned research career in population-based, clinical or translational cancer research Intended research that requires in-depth understanding of the unique CRN resources, including strengths, uses, and weaknesses of the multisystem EHR and VDW ≥20% available FTE to participate in the Scholars program Adequate local mentoring and oversight Ability to develop linkage to a CRN site

What are the CRN Scientific Working Groups?
We especially encourage applications in the focus areas of the CRN, which include:

Prevention and Screening
Health Care Quality and Cost
Communications and Dissemination/Implementation
Epidemiology of Cancer Prognosis and Outcomes
Informatics

What are the elements of the Scholars Program?
We will train junior researchers through a comprehensive training program coordinated by Drs. Buist and Field. The program is based on a key principle of adult learning -- that participants identify their own needs and goals as part of the learning contract that is the basis for each year's work, with each Scholar's mentorship team acting as facilitators. The learning contracts will provide an initial map for Scholar expectations and CRN opportunities and are intended to be dynamic, reflecting each Scholar's changing vision for his or her research. They will also help mentors identify key investigators to pair with the Scholar.

Curriculum

Career Development
Collaboration and team leadership
Research within integrated health care systems
CRN resources & data
Developing research protocols
Writing research manuscripts
Ethical Conduct of Research

Individual Learning Contracts; Curriculum components tied to Scholars' learning objectives

Program Components

Mentoring & linkages team:
local mentor(s)
CRN Scholar mentor
peer mentors
content experts
NCI investigators
In-person meetings
Group conference calls
Large group sessions at HMORN conferences
Proposals for pilot study funding

Goal

Expanded cadre of capable independent investigators committed to performing cancer research within integrated health care delivery systems

What mentoring is included?
Mentoring will be conducted by a team of researchers with complementary experience and expertise, including each Scholar's local mentoring team, a Scholars lead, and peer mentors from the current and past Scholars cohorts. Mentoring will include linkage to NCI investigators and content experts. Each Scholar will be paired with one leader from the training program who will serve as the primary CRN mentor. The CRN mentor and mentee will meet by telephone at least once a month and additionally by phone or email as needed.

Are there in person meetings?
Yes! We learned from evaluations by the previous CRN Scholars cohorts that with geographically dispersed Scholars, face-to-face meetings are critical, as soon as possible after program initiation. Participants will meet in-person twice yearly.

How often are conference calls?
A central component of the program will be twice-monthly 90-minute conference calls for the full group with Drs. Buist and Field; other faculty will be invited depending on the topic. Based on previous feedback, regular contact every 2-3 weeks was viewed as important in building a sense of community. These meetings will use proven distance-learning and virtual teamwork strategies. Agendas will be set by the Scholars to focus on topics most relevant to them; this is a critical strategy for engagement of adult learning. Over the course of the program, each Scholar will lead at least one conference call to provide training in setting an agenda, engaging other colleagues on a conference call, leading open discussions and tracking next steps and action items. Scholars from the first cohort will also participate as leaders of conference calls for the second cohort. The Program will require at least 80% attendance. Call attendance will be monitored with frequent absences brought to the attention of the Scholar's local mentors who will jointly decide on next steps for ensuring the Scholar's commitment and participation.