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RACGP/CONROD Research Fellowship – Information for Applicants

Applications open Monday 2 August 2010

Introduction

The RACGP/CONROD Research Fellowship (originally Queensland Motor Accident Insurance Commission Fellowship) was established jointly by the RACGP and the Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD). The Fellowship was established in 1996 to address concerns about the unacceptable morbidity and premature mortality associated with road trauma.

Award Details

Fellowships are available to support research into general practice patient populations who have experienced motor vehicle related trauma. Fellowships encompass all types of motor-vehicle related trauma including (but not limited to) a particular interest in whiplash. Research grants of up $30,000 per year may be awarded to applicants who conduct general practice research in the any of the following areas:

1. Social research on

• risk taking behaviour in young males
• the effects of the compensation process on patients with motor vehicle related injuries
• prevention of the effects of motor vehicle trauma at a community level

2. Clinical research on

• short and/or long term management of patients who have had motor vehicle accidents
• GP management of whiplash
• the influence of psychotherapeutic agents on driving safety

3. Medical education and medical informatics research relating to implementing guidelines for dealing with impaired drivers

4. Other areas of research that could involve the role of the GP in

• the rehabilitation needs of persons who have sustained motor vehicle related injuries
• the assessment of the elderly driver
• supporting carers of patients with motor vehicle related trauma
• assessing young people at high risk of motor vehicle accidents

Fellowships are awarded by the RACGP / CONROD Research Fellowship Committee, a subcommittee of the RACGP National Research Awards Committee incorporating representation from CONROD.

Eligibility

Applicants for the RACGP / CONROD Research Fellowship must be a GP or GP registrar and a member of the RACGP. New and emerging researchers are particularly encouraged to apply.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be judged on

• training potential for applicants
• relevance to general practice and motor vehicle related trauma
• quality
• value for money

In reviewing grant applications, the RACGP / CONROD Research Fellowship Committee will place a higher weighting on training potential versus other criteria.

How to Apply

Applications open 2 August 2010

Applications close 5 Sep 2010 midnight (AEST)

Please download each part of the RACGP/CONROD Research Fellowship 2010 application form and read carefully the instructions on the cover sheet.

	Cover Sheet The cover sheet contains information about how to submit the hard copies and electronic versions of the applications.
	PART B: Administrative Details This part of the form is protected. Applicants can only modify those parts of the document containing form fields. Spell checking and formatting are disabled within this part of the form. Pressing TAB will enable applicants to move between form fields.
	PART C: Research Proposal Spell checking and formatting within form fields are fully enabled within this part of the form. Please take note of the page limits for each section.
	PART D: timelines and Budget This part of the form is protected as per Part A.

Please email research@racgp.org.au to join the grants mailing list and be informed of all updates to the website.

Conditions

1. Unless otherwise indicated, the Fellowship must be used in the year for which it is awarded.
2. The Fellowship will be paid only to incorporated bodies that have an ABN and ACN and not to individuals.
3. By applying for the Fellowship each applicant will be taken to have consented to permit the RACGP to publicise their name, institution, and title of their research project.
4. Personal information provided to the RACGP by Fellowship applicants will be used for the purposes of administering the Fellowship. The RACGP Privacy Statement explains how the RACGP usually collects and uses personal information provided to the RACGP and how it can be accessed.
5. If required, successful applicants must obtain an ethical clearance from an ethics committee constituted under NHMRC guidelines.
6. Any unused funds are to be returned with the final report or 15 months from the date of project commencement, whichever occurs first.
7. Unless the purpose and conditions of the Fellowship can be fulfilled, the Fellowship must be forfeited and all payments refunded within 1 month of notification of forfeit.
8. A Fellowship may be revoked at any time upon three months' notice given by the RACGP.

Selection Process

9. The RACGP/CONROD Research Fellowship Committee, a subcommittee of the RACGP National Research Awards Committee (NRAC), is responsible for the independent, objective evaluation and review of Fellowship applications. All decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
10. NRAC has the right to send the application to two external independent referees to review.
11. Applicants eliminated after independent referee review will be advised by letter.
12. Successful Fellowship applicants may receive an outline of de-identified referee's comments, which may require a satisfactory written response before the final award can be made.
13. All Fellowship applicants (successful and unsuccessful) will be notified by September 2010.
14. Successful Fellowship applicants are expected to receive their award at the RACGP Annual Scientific Convention, 6-9 October 2010.

Reporting Requirements

15. Successful applicants must provide a 1-2 paragraph biography, a 1-2 paragraph layman's summary of the project and an electronic photograph for use on the RACGP website and in either of the RACGP publications, Australian Family Physician or GP Review.
16. Proof of ethics approval must be provided no later than 12 months from the date on which the Fellowship recipient is notified of the outcome of their application. If proof of ethics approval is not received within this timeframe, the offer of funding may be withdrawn.
17. A progress report must be provided 6 months from the date of ethics approval or from the date on which the recipient is notified of the outcome of their application, whichever is later.
18. Notification of project completion is due 12 months from the date of ethics approval or from the date on which the recipient is notified of the outcome of their application, whichever is later.
19. A final report and statement of expenditure, due 3 months from the date of project completion (ie 15 months from the date of ethics approval or from the date on which the recipient is notified of the outcome of their application, whichever is later).
20. Successful Fellowship applicants will be expected to present their research findings or progress to date at a scientific meeting, preferably the RACGP Annual Scientific Convention, any time within 2 years of the commencement of the project.
21. All RACGP research funding is given with the expectation that a paper will be submitted for publication in an appropriate peer-reviewed medical journal. A copy of all published papers must be forwarded to the RACGP Research and RACGP Foundation Administrator at research@racgp.org.au.
22. The RACGP Research Foundation and the RACGP/CONROD Research Fellowship must be acknowledged in all publications arising from the research funded by the Fellowship.
23. If the project is delayed in any way or if any of the deadlines are unable to be met, the researcher must request an extension of this timeline. A REQUEST FOR EXTENSION form can be obtained by emailing research@racgp.org.au. If any of the reporting requirements are not met without an extension being granted, funding may be withdrawn.

Payment of Awards

24. Fellowships will not exceed $30,000.
25. Fellowships will be paid according to the following schedule:

• 20% of total budget upon receipt of a tax invoice and publicity materials (see 15 above);
• 60% of total budget upon receipt of a tax invoice and proof of ethics approval (see 16 above);
• 20% of total budget upon receipt of a tax invoice and a final report and statement of expenditure (see 19 above).

Any variation to this payment schedule must be agreed upon by both parties.

Publication Date: 5 August 2010
Authorised By: RACGP Foundation