In addition to the potential for major research grant funding, participation in the GGP has other potential benefits to the home department of participating GGP fellows. Family medicine researchers who wish to learn to write successful research grants as part of their development and training can take advantage of the GGP fellowship. With its emphasis on critical thinking, analysis and writing, the skills learned in the GGP can be generalized to other grant-writing projects and scholarly writing activities. Such training should have long-term benefits in preparation for future grant development activities. GGP fellows and their departments will also derive benefits from networking activities, gaining valuable contacts with other family medicine researchers throughout North America and internationally.

Eligibility

The GGP is open to all faculty members who are interested in pursuing investigator-generated independent research on topics of interest to primary care. Applications are welcome from individuals with MD, PhD, ScD, EdD and other terminal degrees. Previous course work or applied experience in research methods is preferred for optimal participation. Research methods will not be taught during this fellowship.

Each Fellow will be responsible for a $4,000 USD tuition (does not include conference registration fees) in addition to their travel costs. A limited number of scholarships are available.

Expectations for Fellows

The GGP demands a high level of commitment from its participants. Fellows are required to meet all deadlines for completion and revision of documents, submission of materials to mentors and submission to the GGP program. Fellows are required to have a mentor to consult with throughout the fellowship year. This may be an experienced researcher/grant writer from their own department or program, or an experienced researcher/grant writer from another department, university or program. Fellows generally select their own mentors. If requested, the GGP director may be able to provide recommendations or assistance in making contact with potential mentors. Fellows are expected to attend the two full day in-person sessions even if this attendance is done virtually.

Expectations of Sponsoring Departments and Programs

To be considered for participation, candidates must submit a letter of support from their Department Chairs, including explicit commitment of:

• At least 20 percent protected time to complete grant writing activities. Letters of support from the sponsoring Department Chair or Program Director, required as a component of the GGP application, must specify the amount of protected time that will be given if the applicant is accepted into the program.
• Sufficient time to conduct the study if funded.
• Commitment to pay GGP fellowship fee.
• Financial support to attend all GGP in-person sessions (1-2 per academic year).

An information session will be held in September to introduce the Fellows, Course Faculty and Mentors to the program. This year, Mentors are expected to take an active role in the program to provide Fellows with timely feedback on key milestones.

By the end of this course, GGP Fellows should be able to develop and describe an integrated research project or program relevant to primary care research. This will include being able to effectively communicate a research agenda in various formats from written to oral for a range of audiences with varying levels of research experience.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate increased competency of scientific communications
• Apply techniques and methods to develop a scientific protocol in health research

Evaluation will be based on completion of each online module, participation in the in-person sessions and completion of the milestones.

We strongly encourage Fellows to attend NAPCRG's Annual Meeting. However, due to potential travel constraints, our in-person sessions will enable people to attend virtually if need be.  You will need a mic, camera and reliable Wi-Fi.

If a Fellow has not self-selected a mentor, one will be assigned. Mentors should be met with formally at least 6 times during the year.

Each GGP Fellow will also be assigned to a course Faculty. Specific questions can be addressed by making an appointment with that Faculty member that will be done through our virtual meeting software (ZOOM).

Course Faculty

Course Director: Dr. Gillian Bartlett (University of Missouri)

Course Faculty: 

Tracie Barnett (McGill University)
Fariba Aghajafari (University of Calgary)
Ioannis Kakadiaris (University of Huston)
Kate Trout (University of Missouri)

NAPCRG Staff Liaison:  Leyla Haddad (NAPCRG)

GGP is generously supported by:

• North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG)
• American Board of Family Medicine Foundation (ABFM)
• The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
• Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM)
• The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Fellows’ home departments provide travel expenses to workshops, a laptop computer and “protected time” for work on GGP proposals. Volunteer time and in-kind support from the home programs of fellows, mentors, consultants and reviewers has been a key factor in making GGP possible.

Course Dates

Full Program Syllabus

Session I Online (September 15 – November 4, 2024)

• Orientation (Virtual Meeting) – September 18, 2024 – 12:30 – 2:00pm EST - Zoom
• Virtual Class – Q & A – October 23, 2024 - 12:30 – 2:00pm EST – Zoom
• Please refer to the syllabus for more specific deadlines and course content during this period

Session II: Interactive In-Person Session November 20, 2024 at the NAPCRG Annual Meeting in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
(for Virtual Participants times are GMT-4)

• Session is from 8:30am - 5:00pm
• Please refer to the syllabus for specific details of this meeting

Session III: Online (January 1 – April 25, 2025)

• Virtual Class – Q & A – March 14, 2025 - 12:30 – 2:00pm EST – Zoom
• Please refer to the syllabus for more specific deadlines and course content during this period

Session IV: Interactive In-Person Session May 3, 2025 at the STFM Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah
(for Virtual Participants times are GMT-6)

• Session is from 9:00am - 5:00pm
• Please refer to the syllabus for specific details of this meeting

*This schedule is subject to change.

Leading family medicine research often involves interdisciplinary teams, multi-method approaches and the collection of resource-intensive primary data in the practice setting. The cost structures of most medical schools, community residency programs and practices, however, do not provide salary support for family physicians or family medicine researchers from other disciplines to engage in research or scholarship.

As a result, the research in biological, behavioral, health services and medical sciences depends primarily on external grant support for sustained productivity. For family medicine and primary care to significantly grow its research capacity, investigators in the discipline must be able to apply for and obtain major research grants from one of three primary sources — the pharmaceutical industry, the federal government, and foundations.

Medical research funding is currently at the highest level in the history, yet family medicine researchers are still not sufficiently represented in this milieu. To develop successful research grant applications, family practice researchers need consultation, time, peer review, and technical assistance. One or more — or all — of these resources often are lacking in their institution, department, division, residency program, practice, or other organization. The Grant Generating Project (GGP) has successfully brought together many of these components into a “fellowship without walls” for family practice researchers.

Established during the 1995-1996 academic year through the efforts of the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Committee on Building Research Capacity, the GGP seeks to equip family medicine and primary care researchers with the skills they need to successfully develop and submit grants for research funding. Once learned, these skills continue to help generate new funds for family medicine research and training, year after year. On July 1, 2016, the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) assumed control of the GGP and its operations. NAPCRG established a GGP Oversight Committee. Under the leadership of Dr. Gillian Bartlett, PhD with assistance Dr. Tamara Carver, PhD, the Oversight Committee and volunteer faculty, the GGP program was completely re-vamped using the latest education technology. This allowed for more fellows to participate in the course while continuing to provide individualized networking and mentoring opportunities.