The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is committed to supporting new and emerging general practitioner researchers conducting research into primary healthcare and general practice. The College is pleased to announce the opening of the 2013 research grants and award round.
The grants and awards are given as an investment to the RACGP vision – ‘Healthy Profession, Healthy Australia’ – and are intended to recognise and advance the vital contribution of general practice to the health of all Australians.
This year, a total of 20 research grants and awards are offered by the RACGP Foundation to general practitioners (GPs) and general practice registrars who are members of the RACGP.
RACGP Foundation Patron, Professor Peter Mudge, said that the range of research being undertaken by Australia’s GPs is both relevant and impressive.
“Around 83 percent of the Australian population consults a GP at least once a year. Sound research, often called evidence based medicine, provides the basis of how patients are treated in general practice.
“Much of the evidence we require as general practitioners can only be obtained from general practice research that involves general practitioners and patients,” said Professor Mudge.
The RACGP Foundation supports GP researchers through facilitating networking with experienced researchers and allocation of RACGP Quality Improvement & Continuing Professional Development Program (QI&CPD) points for research participation.
“The RACGP strongly believes in the value of research in general practice and the College’s research awards acknowledge the vital contribution GPs make to furthering medical advancements within the community.
“GPs are building the research evidence that is necessary to deliver the highest quality health outcomes to all Australians,” Professor Mudge said.
The following 2013 research grants and awards are available:
- 1 x RACGP/Independent Practitioner Network Pty Ltd (IPN) Grant ($20,000) – to encourage innovation in the area of chronic disease management in the general practice setting
- 1 x RACGP/Osteoporosis Australia Bone Health Research Grant ($30,000) – to improve bone health for all people in Australia through the provision of research funding to general practitioner researchers, the creation of educational tools to influence and assist primary care providers of osteoporosis care and the promotion of bone health amongst the Australian community.
- 1 x RACGP/Diabetes Australia Research Grant ($60,000) – to fund research into diabetes management, prevention, and/or clinical care in general practice.
- 2 x HCF Research Foundation/RACGP Research Grants ($60,000 each) – to fund research into health services issues of relevance to general practice.
- 2 x RACGP Family Medical Care Education and Research Grants (FMCER) (up to $15,000 each) – to encourage and support general practitioners in the early stages of their research career to conduct research into an aspect of primary healthcare
- 1 x Integrative Medicine and Lifestyle Research Grant (funded by Dr Vicki Kotsirilos and the RACGP) (up to $7,500) – to assist in the integration of safe and ethical forms of natural and complementary medicines or therapies into general practice
- 1 x RACGP Chris Silagy Research Scholarship (up to $10,000) – to support research into an aspect of evidence-based primary healthcare
- 1 x Rex Walpole Travelling Fellowship (up to $2,500) – to support a plan of travel for a general practitioner
- 1 or more x RACGP/Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) Indigenous Health Award (up to $15,000 total) – to provide support for Indigenous medical students, medical students wanting to gain experience in Indigenous health, Indigenous medical graduates undertaking GP training, registrars and GPs undertaking research and educational projects in Indigenous health and other activities supporting the provision of high quality healthcare to Indigenous people
- 1 x PWH Grieve Memorial Award (up to $2500) – to support a plan of study in medical education for the general practitioner or for research in general practice
- 1 x RACGP/MAIC Research Grant (up to $60,000) – to fund a project to identify the research and education needs of GPs in relation to preventing and managing road traffic crash injuries.
Applications for the above grants and awards open on 5 March 2013 and close on 6 May 2013, 5pm AEST.
- Up to 2 RACGP/Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd (TGL) Research Grants (total $100,000) – focusing on use and/or implementation of guidelines in general practice. Expressions of interest close on 6 May 2013; Applications close on 19 July 2013, 5pm AEST
- 1 x Iris and Edward Gawthorn Award ($500) – to the general practice registrar who receives the highest score on the circulatory and respiratory components on the Fellowship Exam over the 2013 calendar year. No application required.
A number of awards will be judged and presented at GP13 – the RACGP Conference for General Practice – to outstanding presenters of research papers or posters. The following four awards will be presented at the GP13 closing ceremony:
- 1 x Peter Mudge Medal (an engraved medal and $500) – to a presenter who has advanced the discipline of general practice and whose original research has the most potential to significantly influence daily general practice.
- 1 x Alan Chancellor Award (an engraved medal and $500) – to the best first time presenter of a research paper.
- 1 x RACGP and National Asthma Council (NAC) Asthma Research Award ($500) – to the best presenter of an asthma related abstract or poster.
- 1 x Best General Practice Research Article in the AFP Journal Award (engraved medal) – selected from the papers published in the research section of AFP during 2013.
In order to be considered for the GP13 awards (except AFP Journal Award), presenters must apply by 27 September 2013, 5pm AEST.
A comprehensive list of all research grants and awards and the application forms are available from the RACGP Foundation website.
For more information, contact the RACGP Foundation on research@racgp.org.au or 03 8699 0497.