AHRQ Impact: AHRQ supports a variety of research training grant opportunities for pre- and post-doctorate researchers and career development grants for mentored and independent grant opportunities. Below, two early career researchers reflect on the positive impact that AHRQ career development (K-award) grants have had on their careers studying timely and important issues in primary care.
Principal Investigator: Annie Larson, Ph.D., M.P.H., Investigator at OCHIN, working remotely near Bend, Oregon.
AHRQ Career Development Grant: K01, Research Career Programs
Project Title: The Effect of Rurality and the COVID-19 Pandemic on Telemedicine and Preventive Healthcare Use
How did you become interested in primary care research? Prior to my Ph.D. program, I worked for a few health departments, one on the border of tribal land serving mostly rural communities in the outskirts of Portland. Some days I focused on tobacco cessation, other days oral health, and some days quality improvement. Through these roles, I saw firsthand how rural communities often lack data specific to their needs to make informed decisions. This inspired my interest in returning for my Ph.D. During my Ph.D. program, I learned about OCHIN, a national nonprofit health IT consultancy and unique environment to conduct primary care research among those who are often understudied, such as uninsured and rural communities. I have been at OCHIN for seven years and this AHRQ Career Development K grant (K01) has been my first opportunity to lead a grant as a principal investigator.
"Because of my interests in primary care, this grant opportunity felt like the right fit for me.”
How has this grant impacted your career? The grant has allowed me the space and time to dive into my own research questions. It has also given me the opportunity to connect with other researchers, both within and outside of OCHIN. The grant has provided me the opportunity to connect with researchers at conferences who are in different phases of their careers yet have overlapping research interests. It has been beneficial to see and understand their research journeys and to support each other’s research questions.
How has this grant deepened your research? The grant has strengthened my expertise as a researcher. For example, through partnerships I developed through this grant, I have gained access to partners’ research teams’ expertise and resources and added to my peer and mentorship team. I have gained additional peers and mentors through this grant which has been invaluable in supporting my career. Moving forward, I know that I will be able to build from the work of this grant to explore other, related research opportunities.
What advice do you have for other early career researchers? I would advise early career researchers to not underestimate the value of developing relationships with non-traditional research partners, such as non-academic subject matter experts. They can provide a unique perspective that may add value to your research questions. For example, I have worked with clinicians and CEOs of health centers, both of which hold a wealth of knowledge and information.
"Through my research, my mentorship team, and my engagement with AHRQ scientists, I have developed a greater understanding of the health research questions that would, if addressed, best serve the primary and specialty care needs of rural communities.”
Principal Investigator: Irit R. Rasooly, M.D., MSCE, Attending Physician, Department of Pediatrics and Medical Director, Center for Diagnostic Excellence at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
AHRQ Career Development Grant: K08, Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award
Project Title: Averting Diagnostic Error Through Improved Recognition of Child Abuse
How did you become interested in primary care research? I came to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in 2014 for my pediatric residency and stayed for a fellowship through a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Institutional training grant to perform health services research for pediatric epidemiology. When I transitioned into the role as Medical Director for CHOP’s Center for Diagnostic Excellence, I began asking questions about what information primary care providers need to make timely and accurate diagnostic decisions.
For instance, there is an urgent need to improve diagnosis of child physical abuse. An estimated 20 to 30% of the children experiencing very serious physical abuse initially go undiagnosed. At the same time, children of color and Medicaid-insured children are over-evaluated for child abuse. This led me to apply for the AHRQ career development (K08) grant, which was my first role as a principal investor.
How has the AHRQ grant impacted your career? The grant allowed me to move my research forward and helped me translate my expertise in quality, safety, and informatics into clinical research. It broadened my formal and informal mentorship team, and it supported me to develop and train an interdisciplinary team. Our team includes researchers, patients and families, human factor engineers, patient safety staff, primary care clinicians, a programmer, and a PhD with expertise in natural language processing. Our interdisciplinary team is now well equipped to sustain the work of the grant and ask other, interrelated research questions.
"I began asking questions like “How do primary care providers deal with uncertainty when it comes to diagnosis?”, “What tools do primary care providers need to support their diagnostic processes in pediatric primary care?”, and “What information could help primary care providers diagnose physical abuse in a more accurate, timely, and equitable way?”
How has this grant advanced your research? The AHRQ career development grant helped me strengthen my toolbox of statistical methods and think about what is next in my career. For example, with my mentor Joanne Wood and collaborators in Colorado we’ve applied for an AHRQ Research Grant (R01), to evaluate diagnosis throughout a multicenter network supporting child abuse pediatrics-focused research. We convened a pediatric consortium of clinicians and researchers from other children’s hospitals who participate in diagnostic safety work to discuss diagnostic improvement in pediatrics. Finally, we are applying for an AHRQ Conference Grant (R13) to bring together a network of pediatricians and pediatric care centers that support diagnostic excellence across the continuum of care.
"The K-award mechanism provides a unique opportunity and privilege to develop a mentorship team.”
What advice do you have for other early career researchers? I would advise early career researchers to embed themselves in their team and ensure that the team includes mentors who can support the distinct parts of their career development. I would also suggest that early career researchers focus on solving the problems that matter the most to patients and families.
To learn more about AHRQ funding opportunities: Visit the overview of AHRQ Research Training and Career Development Opportunities.
