Program directors from 15 BIRCWH institutions shared insights into what makes early career researchers succeed in securing independent grant funding. The findings emphasize that while individual qualities like resilience and creativity matter, institutional support and supportive communities are equally vital.
Key Success Factors
All program directors identified four essential elements for long-term research success: passion for research, persistence through rejection, resilience in facing setbacks, and actively engaged mentorship relationships. Beyond personal traits, directors stressed the importance of strategic networking, proactive grant planning, and utilizing institutional resources for grant writing support.
Vulnerable Groups Face Unique Challenges
The study identified four groups at higher risk of leaving research careers: clinicians, women, parents, and underrepresented minorities. Common themes included inadequate protected research time, competing family obligations, feelings of isolation, and insufficient role models. Notably, program directors often framed these challenges as either individual shortcomings or institutional failures, a distinction that has important implications for developing effective support strategies.
Recommendations for Programs and Mentors
Directors recommend that programs implement explicit transition plans before scholars complete their K12 appointments, provide bridge funding to protect research time, and actively work to build inclusive communities that reduce isolation. Mentors are encouraged to facilitate networking opportunities and help scholars develop multi-stage career plans with realistic timelines for publications and grant submissions.
The research highlights that while selecting motivated individuals is crucial, sustained success necessitates addressing both personal development and systemic barriers, particularly for scholars who balance research with clinical responsibilities or family obligations.
Source: Choo E, et al. Contributors to Independent Research Funding Success from the Perspective of K12 BIRCWH Program Directors. Am J Med Sci. 2020;360(5):596–603.
