Bayer HealthCare

Bayer Droegemueller Award in Clinical Research

Purpose
This award supports promising research in clinical obstetrics and gynecology; the scope can include screening, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, etc. It can support ongoing or new investigations. These typically involve clinical outcomes in humans (e.g., infection, operating time, relief of pain) as opposed to laboratory measurements. Studies with animals or with laboratory outcomes may be eligible for a Basic Science Research Award.

Eligibility
The award is limited to obstetrician/gynecologists permanently living and working in the United States. Applicants must have an M.D. degree and have completed residency training in obstetrics and gynecology. Since this award is designed to support early career development, candidates should be either in the last year of fellowship training or in the first five years after beginning a full-time faculty position. Approval by the applicant’s Institutional Review Board is required before beginning the project.

Selection Process
The application is available from this web site. As part of the application, a letter from the Department Chair is required to confirm that the candidate will have an academic position during the period of the award. The letter also confirms that the requirement for protected time will be honored. A second letter of recommendation, e.g., from a research mentor, is required as well.

Applications with strong research methods are encouraged. Randomized controlled trials should adhere to the CONSORT guidelines.^1,4 Given the limitations of the award in dollars and time, it’s understood that completion of a definitive randomized controlled trial is often impractical, given delays involved in clearance by an Institutional Review Board. This award may generate pilot data that can then be used as part of a research proposal to the National Institutes of Health or other sources of funding.

Terms of the award
The total amount for each award is $110,000 for a period of 24 months. It will be paid out in two installments of $55,000 with the second installment being subject to the completion of a written report by the end of the first year of research. The award is made to the institution at which the candidate will conduct the research. The award terms stipulate that $40,000 of the award be used for salary support of the candidate and the balance be designated for laboratory and other uses. The award requires that a minimum of 20 hours per week be protected for the research project. One site visit is usually done during the first year of support; this visit helps the recipient trouble-shoot problems, monitors research progress and assures Bayer that the required protected time is being provided.

Reporting requirements
A short progress report is required at six months after award receipt and a full report at year’s end. Recipients are encouraged to publish their results in a peer-reviewed journal.

References

1. Altman DG, Schulz KF, Moher D, Egger M, Davidoff F, Elbourne D, et al. The revised CONSORT statement for reporting randomized trials: explanation and elaboration. Ann Intern Med 2001;134:663-94.
2. Grimes DA. Clinical research in ancient Babylon: methodologic insights from the book of Daniel [see comments]. Obstet Gynecol 1995;86:1031-4.
3. Grimes DA, Schulz KF, Droegemueller W, Munsick RA, Lisanti S. A faculty development course in obstetrics and gynecology. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;183:1041-4.
4. Moher D, Schulz KF, Altman DG. The CONSORT statement: revised recommendations for improving the quality of reports of parallel-group randomised trials. Lancet 2001;357:1191-4.
5. Schulz KF, Chalmers I, Grimes DA, Altman DG. Assessing the quality of randomization from reports of controlled trials published in obstetrics and gynecology journals. JAMA 1994;272:125-8.
6. Schulz KF, Chalmers I, Hayes RJ, Altman DG. Empirical evidence of bias. Dimensions of methodological quality associated with estimates of treatment effects in controlled trials. JAMA 1995;273:408-12.