Hello AAFP members!
Family Medicine Discovers seeks to enable practicing family physicians, with little or no research experience, to generate new evidence and innovative models for "what works" in real-world primary care settings. This program is designed for anyone who is curious about conducting research but hasn't had the support to try. Do you have a patient care-inspired question, clinical problem, or clinical conundrum you'd like to investigate? Apply to be an FMD RapSDI Scholar!
What is Family Medicine Discovers?
Family Medicine Discovers is a new scientific signature program offered by the AAFP Foundation in collaboration with the AAFP National Research Network (AAFP NRN). Formally titled, Family Medicine Discovers Rapid Cycle Scientific Discovery and Innovation initiative (FMD RapSDI), its vision is to cultivate scholarship and engagement among community family physicians who may not otherwise have the ability to ask and answer questions derived from their practice.
What is Family Medicine Discovers?
Family Medicine Discovers is a new scientific signature program offered by the AAFP Foundation in collaboration with the AAFP National Research Network (AAFP NRN). Formally titled, Family Medicine Discovers Rapid Cycle Scientific Discovery and Innovation initiative (FMD RapSDI), its vision is to cultivate scholarship and engagement among community family physicians who may not otherwise have the ability to ask and answer questions derived from their practice.
Stakeholders from key family medicine organizations in the U.S.
have developed a program that allows competitively selected AAFP members (FMD RapSDI Scholars) to research innovative, high impact
project ideas that can be conducted in a short time-frame. This investment in
the profession seeks to bring together mentors with mentees who will develop
and implement research studies and participate in professional development
activities related to practice-based research.
What
does Family Medicine Discovers offer to scholars?
Selected
scholars are awarded a monetary grant to cover costs associated with completing
their research projects and/or to offset a portion of the scholar’s salary (up
to 20% FTE) to develop and complete a project in 12-18 months. The AAFP NRN
will provide scholars with research infrastructure and mentoring support to
empower scholars to successfully develop and implement their research projects
and to stimulate their professional development. FMD RapSDI Scholars will begin projects on June 1, 2020.
The
application period for FMD RapSDI will open September 23, 2019 and run through
October 31, 2019. During the open period, the application portal will be
accessible here.
This
investment in building a robust family medicine research infrastructure will
advance knowledge and discovery in our specialty; it will also prepare our
specialty for the transformation needed to deliver upon the Quadruple Aim. FMD RapSDI has exceptional potential to
advance new evidence and knowledge while fostering a culture shift of what it
means to participate in family medicine research.
Please spread the word about
this program, and/or consider applying yourself!
Best wishes,
Jen Carroll (Director AAFP NRN)
and Christina Hester (Research Director AAFP NRN)