GROW Scholars Program

The Grant Writing in Outcomes Research Workshop (also known as the "GROW Scholars program") is a nine-month faculty development program that enrolled its first class of six junior faculty in September 2018. Faculty members accepted in the program attend bi-weekly classes and meet with senior mentors who are passionate about research and dedicated to helping others gain the skills and knowledge needed to become successful.

The program will improve the infrastructure for junior clinician research by promoting interdisciplinary research and collaborations among SOM faculty members. The increase in grant applications and funding that results from this program will benefit participants as well as our institution.

Junior faculty members who have a strong interest in patient-centered, clinical or health services research but lack the experience to pursue this interest should apply for this new and unique workshop.

Program Components

Nine-month program: January through September.
Twice-monthly in-person meetings, online work and mentoring experiences focused on helping GROW participants learn how to turn their research idea into a grant application and how to develop successful grants.
Curriculum includes:
- Understanding funding mechanisms
- Effective literature searching
- Specific aims development
- Describing preliminary work
- Demonstrating significance
- Methods development
- Human subjects protections
- Biosketches and letters of support
- NIH-style mock review and professional editing of completed proposal
- Peer mentoring

Application Requirements

Applicants should have good knowledge of research methods, a self-identified area of research interest, publications in this interest area*, desire to develop their research skills and support of their Chair for 10 percent FTE. They must also:

Answer two inquiries, maximum of one page each:
- Explain your interest in your research topic, your research methods, experience and how you think the GROW Scholars program will help you.
- Provide a concept paper succinctly describing your proposed research project, including background, research question(s), proposed methods, funding mechanism (if known) and collaborators/mentors.
- An additional page for references can be added.
Letter of support from your Chair, pledging 10 percent of your effort to the program and a tuition fee (TBD).
Your CV.
Application Due Date: December 9

Email materials to Lynne Lawrence: lawrenceld@health.missouri.edu

*Potential applicants who do not have publications in their research area or who need research methods training may want to investigate the Master of Science in Academic Medicine Program, which can be an effective precursor to this program.