Hello SDN,
I'm an MD/PhD student currently rising into my MS2 year. I have extensive research experience (4 years of undergrad plus 1 year of a masters followed by 2 years working as a research engineer in my field) and am interested in submitting an F30 application before the end of MS2. I'd like to try to start in my lab with my own funding because my PI is a young investigator and has not yet accrued much funding. Additionally, if not successful, I will have the comments back and the ability to edit and resubmit before the end of 2015 if I submit round 1 before the end of 2014. My question is how important is the project and description in the application? I ask because I do not yet have a great idea of what my thesis work will be on. My advisor, as a new investigator, has given me a long leash in terms of developing my own project. I am comfortable with developing my own project but unfortunately the lab doesn't have a backbone of thrusts on which I can construct a project from. I'm hoping someone can elaborate a bit on advice concerning how to go about project design without seeming like a rogue scientist who has no idea what he's doing. I should add that I have a co-mentor within my PIs department who has a strong funding history but whose lab focuses on topics that are peripherally related to my central foci.
I'm an MD/PhD student currently rising into my MS2 year. I have extensive research experience (4 years of undergrad plus 1 year of a masters followed by 2 years working as a research engineer in my field) and am interested in submitting an F30 application before the end of MS2. I'd like to try to start in my lab with my own funding because my PI is a young investigator and has not yet accrued much funding. Additionally, if not successful, I will have the comments back and the ability to edit and resubmit before the end of 2015 if I submit round 1 before the end of 2014. My question is how important is the project and description in the application? I ask because I do not yet have a great idea of what my thesis work will be on. My advisor, as a new investigator, has given me a long leash in terms of developing my own project. I am comfortable with developing my own project but unfortunately the lab doesn't have a backbone of thrusts on which I can construct a project from. I'm hoping someone can elaborate a bit on advice concerning how to go about project design without seeming like a rogue scientist who has no idea what he's doing. I should add that I have a co-mentor within my PIs department who has a strong funding history but whose lab focuses on topics that are peripherally related to my central foci.