Incentives for applying for outside funding

[mstpdude]

Just a question for those of you later in your training. How does your program encourage students to apply for outside grants (e.g., NRSA F30, AHA, DoD, etc)? I know that some programs provide a stipend bonus for those students who successfully win external funding, because such students can save the program (or their PI) a serious amount of cash. At other programs it seems as if having external funding gives you a nice line on your biosketch -- obviously a big boost to your career, but not quite the same.

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[solitude]

Just a question for those of you later in your training. How does your program encourage students to apply for outside grants (e.g., NRSA F30, AHA, DoD, etc)? I know that some programs provide a stipend bonus for those students who successfully win external funding, because such students can save the program (or their PI) a serious amount of cash. At other programs it seems as if having external funding gives you a nice line on your biosketch -- obviously a big boost to your career, but not quite the same.

at our program, absolutely nothing, which I think is a travesty. Good for CV, but in reality most residency programs outside of path, neuro, etc. do not care. Most attendings reading your residency app are clinical. I recently reviewed my app with an attending in the field I'm applying to and she didn't even know what an NRSA is, let alone what receiving it signified with regards to ability to get grants, etc. Now, I do think applying for one of these grants is good for helping you to navigate the NIH bureaucracy in future grant applications. And actually, more than anything else, I think applying for them will help you to realize that much of science funding is total B.S., which is a very important lesson to learn.

 

[pithecanthropus]

My program required it and had regular seminars to promote applications for outside funding. The program itself didn't give you anything for the trouble, but some PIs would supplement a student's salary as a reward, which was nice. I think it's good for a CV and good for the grant writing experience. If you can find something you're eligible for, which was an issue for me, you should apply regardless of whether there's any remuneration involved.