HMS Research Fellowship Awards

Available through the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, this award will provide a fellowship stipend effective July 1, 2021. Historically, 3-4 awards are made annually.

Award
In keeping with the intentions of the donor to create opportunities for advanced study and research in Psychiatry and to serve as a bridge between clinical training and the development of a research career, full-time stipends at the level of a PGY-5 will be awarded to eligible candidates.  A full-time award is considered to represent at least 80% effort.  To allow increased flexibility with respect to project time-course, the Committee will consider a request to extend an award over two years at half-time (50%) effort, providing that the applicant and mentor provide a clear rationale and information on the applicant's other half-time activities. Additionally, for highly meritorious applications, the Committee will consider a request for a two-year full-time Fellowship award. The award will also cover 25% of the fringe benefits charged by the Fellow’s institution.

Further, to promote research development, half-time stipends at the equivalent of a half-time PGY-4 stipend may be awarded for use in the PGY-4 year.  While a solid research plan is expected, review criteria for these half-time PGY-4 stipends will focus primarily on the strength of the training plan, quality and extent of mentoring, and the candidate’s potential to develop into a clinician-scientist.

In the event that a Dupont Warren Fellow receives an NIH Career Development Award, or some other significant award, the fellow will be asked to relinquish the remaining portion of their Fellowship at the time the NIH or other significant award begins.

It is expected that recipients will update the Research Committee by submitting a brief summary of projects at six month intervals and a final report at the end of the fellowship.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for an award:

• MD degree at a PGY-4 level or higher at time of application and be a member of the HMS Department of Psychiatry for a full stipend
• MD degree at a PGY-3 level at time of application and be a member of the HMS Department of Psychiatry for stipend paid at half the PGY-4 rate
• No more than three years have passed since the end of  US accredited clinical training
• Cannot hold a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry of Assistant Professor or higher during fellowship period
• Applicants who have received NIH R or K awards as the PI are not eligible to apply

Application Process
One electronic copy submitted as a single PDF document must be emailed to linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu by Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Combined applications for Dupont Warren, Kaplen, Livingston, and Zinberg Awards are permitted. The following items must be present in the application to be considered for the fellowship award:

1)  Fellowship Application Front Page

2) A cover letter, not to exceed two pages, from the applicant explaining how the Fellowship year will fit into his/her upcoming career plans.   The letter should include details of the candidate’s training activities during the course of the Fellowship (e.g., coursework, skills development, grant preparation, etc). The letter should also describe any past or current research experience and committed or pending external funding.

3) A current curriculum vitae in the current Harvard format (http://fa.hms.harvard.edu/faculty-medicine-cv-guidelines).  Although the Harvard format does not allow the listing of submitted papers, please add these along with the name of the journal to which the manuscript was submitted.

4) A Research Plan.  This should include:  (a) title of project, (b) brief abstract not to exceed 150 words, (c) description of the specific aims of the project, (d) background and significance of the proposed research project, (e) description of the research design, (f) description of methods, (g) discussion of proposed analyses to be used in the project, and (h) timeline for completing the project during the fellowship year. If a two-year full-time award is requested, a clear rationale for the extended project timeline should be provided. The Research Plan has an absolute limit of 4 pages, single-spaced, with standard type size of 15 characters per inch (using Arial or Times New Roman 11 font).  One extra page will be allowed for a listing of referenced literature.  Appendices will not be accepted.

5) A listing of other research resources available to support the project (e.g., supplies, technical assistance, diagnostic laboratory tests).

6)  Mentoring is a key component of evaluating the candidate for an award as well as an important factor in the evaluation of the application.  The mentor will work with the applicant to select a project that is feasible within the time frame and budget proposed. Support from the Fellow’s faculty mentor is an important factor in the evaluation of the application.  The mentor must address each item in the Mentor’s Statement.

7)  All projects will be reviewed closely for feasibility and the recruitment plan will be evaluated. Clinical trials in particular will need to clearly demonstrate feasibility. Projects involving large scale clinical trials with multiple groups must provide additional assurances that the proposed study has sufficient financial support and can be completed in the proposed time period. Projects that include drug studies or new devices that do not have approved IND or NDA certification at the time of application will not be considered.

8)  The applicant is expected to work closely with their mentor to develop an application that is both scientifically rigorous and feasible within the budget and time commitment proposed. 

9) A letter from the head of the sponsoring hospital department which needs to include a statement of willingness to assume the cost of fringe benefits.

Summary of Fellowship Requirements

• MDs in the Department of Psychiatry are eligible.
• 25% of the fellow’s institution’s fringe benefits will be paid by the fellowship; the remainder of fringe benefits (and indirect costs) must be funded by the sponsoring institution.
• One electronic copy submitted as a single PDF document must be emailed to linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu by Tuesday, December 1, 2020; awards will be announced in late January, 2021.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered

Download the Mentor's Statement and Fellowship Application Front Page forms.

For further information, contact Linda Messier [linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu].

Available through the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, this award will provide a fellowship stipend effective July 1, 2021. Historically, 1-2 fellowships have been awarded annually.

Award
This notice calls to your attention the availability of the Kaplen Fellowship on Depression for the academic year beginning July 1, 2021.  The Kaplen Fellowship was endowed specifically to support training in research on depression and allied affective disorders.  Funds are to be used solely for salary support.  A full-time award is considered to represent at least 80% effort.  To allow increased flexibility with respect to project time-course, the Committee will consider a request to extend an award over two years at half-time (50%) effort, providing that the applicant and mentor provide a clear rationale and information on the applicant's other half-time activities.   The award will also cover 25% of the fringe benefits charged by the fellow’s institution. Applicants must have an MD and/or PhD degree in the Department of Psychiatry and must not be more than three years past the completion of training at the time of the application.  Applications will also be considered from young investigators who have achieved faculty status of Instructor, but not from those holding the rank of Assistant Professor.

Further, to promote research development, half-time stipends at the equivalent of a half-time PGY-4 stipend may be awarded for use in the PGY-4 year.  While a solid research plan is expected, reiew criteria for these half-time PGY-4 stipends will focus primarily on the strength of the training plan, quality and extent of mentoring, and the candidate’s potential to develop into a clinician-scientist.

It is expected that recipients will update the Research Committee by submitting a summary of progress on their projects at six month intervals and a final report at the end of the fellowship.

A Kaplen fellow who receives an NIH Career Development Award, or some other significant award, will be asked to relinquish the remaining portion of their Fellowship funds at the time the NIH or other significant award begins.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for an award:

• MD degree (at PGY-4 level or higher) and/or PhD degree and be a member of the HMS Department of Psychiatry at time of application; Psychology trainees are eligible to apply if they will have received their PhD by July 1, 2021
• MD degree at PGY-3 level at time of application and be a member of the HMS Department of Psychiatry for a stipend paid at half of the PGY-4 rate
• No more than three years have passed since the end of U.S. accredited clinical training or of the postdoctoral training period
• Cannot hold a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry of Assistant Professor or higher during fellowship period
• Applicants who have received NIH R or K awards as the PI are not eligible to apply

Application Process
One electronic copy submitted as a single PDF document must be emailed to linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu by Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Combined applications for Dupont Warren, Kaplen, Livingston, and Zinberg Awards are permitted. The following items must be present in the application to be considered for the fellowship award:

1)   Fellowship Application Front Sheet

2)  A cover letter, not to exceed two pages, from the applicant explaining how the Fellowship year will fit into his/her upcoming career plans.  The letter should include details of the candidate’s training activities during the course of the Fellowship (e.g. coursework, skills development, grant preparation, etc).  The letter should also describe any past or current research experience and committed or pending external funding.

3)  A current curriculum vitae in the current Harvard format (http://fa.hms.harvard.edu/faculty-medicine-cv-guidelines) .  Although the Harvard format does not allow the listing of submitted papers, please list these along with the name of the journal to which the manuscript was submitted.

4) A Research Plan.  This should include: (a) title of project, (b) brief abstract not to exceed 150 words, (c) description of the specific aims of the project, (d) background and significance of the proposed research project, (e) description of the research design, (f) description of methods, (g) discussion of proposed analyses to be used in the project, and (h) timeline for completing the project during the fellowship year.  The Research Plan has an absolute limit of 4 pages, single spaced, with standard type size of 15 characters per inch (using Arial or Times New Roman 11 font).  One extra page will be allowed for a listing of referenced literature.  Appendices will not be accepted.

5)  A listing of other research resources available to support the project (e.g., supplies, technical assistance, diagnostic laboratory tests).

6)  Mentoring is a key component of evaluating the candidate for an award as well as an important factor in the evaluation of the application.  The mentor will work with the applicant to select a project that is feasible within the time frame and budget proposed. Support from the Fellow’s faculty mentor is an important factor in the evaluation of the application.  The mentor must address each item in the Mentor’s Statement.

7)  All projects will be reviewed closely for feasibility and the recruitment plan will be evaluated. Clinical trials in particular will need to clearly demonstrate feasibility. Projects involving large scale clinical trials with multiple groups must provide additional assurances that the proposed study has sufficient financial support and can be completed in the proposed time period. Projects that include drug studies or new devices that do not have approved IND or NDA certification at the time of application will not be considered.

8)  The applicant is expected to work closely with their mentor to develop an application that is both scientifically rigorous and feasible within the budget and time commitment proposed. 

9)  A letter from the head of the sponsoring hospital department including a statement of willingness to assume the cost of fringe benefits not paid by the Fellowship.

Summary of Fellowship Requirements

• MDs and/or PhDs in the Department of Psychiatry are eligible.
• 25% of the fellow’s institution’s fringe benefits will  be paid by the fellowship; the remainder of fringe benefits (and indirect costs) must be funded by the sponsoring institution.
• One electronic copy submitted as a single PDF document must be emailed to linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu by Tuesday, December 1, 2020; awards will be announced in late January, 2021.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered

Download the Mentor's Statement and Fellowship Application Front Page.

For further information, contact Linda Messier [linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu].

Available through the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, this award will underwrite research expenses, travel expenses, or equipment for one year, effective July 1, 2021.

Award
In keeping with the intentions of the donor to provide support to beginning investigators in psychiatric research, annual awards will be made in the range of $2,000 to $10,000 (the average award is $3,000-$5,000 with 5-7 awards made each year) and no indirect costs may be charged to this award.  It is expected that recipients will update the Research Committee by submitting a brief summary of progress statement on their funded research projects at six month intervals and a final written report at the end of the award period.

In the event that a Livingston Award recipient receives an NIH Career Development Award, or some other significant award, the recipient will be asked to relinquish the remaining portion of the Award at the time the NIH or other significant award begins.

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for an award:

• MD and/or PhD degree and be a member of the HMS Department of Psychiatry at time of application with plan for continuation of advanced training
• Fellow status preferred at time of application, but not more than Instructor level for one year prior to application permitted
• Applicants who have received NIH R or K awards as the PI are not eligible to apply for this award

Application Process
One electronic copy submitted as a single PDF document must be emailed to linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu by Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Combined applications for Dupont Warren, Kaplen, Livingston, and Zinberg Awards are permitted. The following items must be present in the application to be considered for the Livingston Award:

1) Fellowship Application Front Page

2) A cover letter, not to exceed two pages, from the applicant explaining how the Fellowship year will fit into his/her upcoming career plans. The letter should include details of the candidate's training activities during the course of the Fellowship (e.g., coursework, skills development, grant preparation, etc).  The letter should also describe any past or current research experience and committed or pending external funding.

3) A current curriculum vitae in the current Harvard format (http://fa.hms.harvard.edu/faculty-medicine-cv-guidelines).  Although the Harvard format does not allow the listing of submitted papers, please add these along with the name of the journal to which the manuscript was submitted.

4) A Research Plan.  This should include: (a) title of project, (b) brief abstract not to exceed 150 words, (c) description of the specific aims of the project, (d) background and significance of the proposed research project, (e) description of the research design, (f) description of methods, (g) discussion of proposed analyses to be used in the project, and (h) timeline for completing the project during the fellowship year.  The Research Plan has an absolute limit of 4 pages, single spaced, with standard type size of 15 characters per inch (using Arial or Times New Roman 11 font).  One extra page will be allowed for a listing of referenced literature.  Appendices will not be accepted.

5)  Mentoring is a key component of evaluating the candidate for an award as well as an important factor in the evaluation of the application.  The mentor will work with the applicant to select a project that is feasible within the time frame and budget proposed. Support from the Fellow’s faculty mentor is an important factor in the evaluation of the application.  The mentor must address each item in the Mentor’s Statement.

6) A completed Budget Page, specifying how the award will be utilized, with a brief justification for each item.  If support for equipment or travel is requested, the mentor must initial the Budget Page to indicate the mentor’s willingness to provide 50% of the costs of these items.  Additionally, if salary support is requested for a research assistant, the applicant must specify the tasks to be done by the research assistant and the tasks to be done by the applicant.

7) A listing of other research support available to the applicant.

8)  All projects will be reviewed closely for feasibility and the recruitment plan will be evaluated. Clinical trials in particular will need to clearly demonstrate feasibility. Projects involving large scale clinical trials with multiple groups must provide additional assurances that the proposed study has sufficient financial support and can be completed in the proposed time period. Projects that include drug studies or new devices that do not have approved IND or NDA certification at the time of application will not be considered.

9)  The applicant is expected to work closely with their mentor to develop an application that is both scientifically rigorous and feasible within the budget and time commitment proposed.

Summary of Fellowship Requirements

• MDs and/or PhDs in the Department of Psychiatry are eligible for non-salary support
• One electronic copy submitted as a single PDF document must be emailed to linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu by Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Awards will be announced in late January, 2021.
• Incomplete applications, or those received by fax, will not be considered or returned

Download the Budget Page, Mentor’s Statement, and Fellowship Application Front Page forms.

For further information, contact Linda Messier [linda_messier@hms.harvard.edu].