Research Assistance and Grants 

All applications need to be submitted using the online application.

Applications focused on curricular innovations should have a clear tie-in to existing curriculum and/or buy-in from the curriculum leader (e.g., block director, clerkship block director, residency program, etc) and build on previous work published in the field.  Applications focused on using existing CU SOM data (e.g., evaluation of students) should have demonstrated support from the owner of the data.

Rymer Award Detailed Instructions

Research proposal: Not to exceed 5 pages.

Sections must include:

• Abstract
• Aims
• Background,
• Design/methods
• Ethics (plan for IRB approval and efforts to avoid coercion and preserve confidentiality among all study participants)
• Feasibility
• Timeline
• Outcome(s). 

Abstract
In 2-300 words describe your project using the following headings:

• Background
• Specific Aims
• Methods
• Anticipated Outcomes

Aims/objectives
Write 2-3 specific aims/objectives.  Consider using SMART goals framework.  

Background
Include a concise review of the medical education literature that provides the framework for your study.  The literature review should clearly identify what is already known and what gap this project will fill. Highlight the reason(s) your project is important to CU SOM learners and how the learnings will be of relevance to the larger, external medical education community. In this section, you can also include pilot data, if relevant.  Be sure to include your research question succinctly stated and your hypothesized outcomes.  Keep this section to 1-2 pages. 

Design/methods
Describe your methods in detail including the setting, participants, recruitment (if applicable), educational intervention, comparison group, and evaluation plan.  If you are doing an educational intervention, such as a curriculum, explain the instructional strategies that will be used.  Research projects should include planned statistical analysis and power calculations.  Be sure to include how you will evaluate the outcomes of your project.  Approaches can include surveys, focus groups or interviews, knowledge, or skills tests, etc. Pay attention to the alignment between your aims/objectives and the design and evaluation approach.  Consider including a section on possible barriers and how you will overcome them.

Ethics
Include details regarding plans for IRB approval and steps you will take to avoid coercion and preserve confidentiality among all study participants.  This is particularly important if your study includes students or residents as they are considered a ‘vulnerable population.’  Be sure to be up to date on your IRB training so that there are no delays to project implementation.

Feasibility & Timeline
Carefully consider what can be realistically accomplished within the budget and the time allocated to the project.  Provide a timeline delineating what you will do by each quarter of the project.

Outcome(s)
Briefly restate the anticipated outcome(s) from the project.

Budget & budget justification
Explain in detail how the grant funds will be used. The budget should be realistic and itemized.  The grant will pay for time, research assistants/support staff, participant remuneration, survey costs, statistical costs, and publication support. The grant will not cover travel expenses or equipment. Partial support from other sources (e.g., departments) may be included to offset expenses.  A letter of commitment from the additional funder must be included with the application.

To complete the budget: 

• Download the budget template and the example of a completed budget template.
• Rymer Budget Worksheet and  Budget Example
• Complete all categories as appropriate to your project. The cells will auto-calculate a total. If you do not need a category (e.g., equipment), leave it blank. If you have questions, contact your department finance grant lead. 
• Save your budget on your computer. 
• When you are ready to complete the application online, answer the questions as prompted until you reach the budget page. Then, upload the file to the online application form. 

Note: Rymer grants do not cover: travel, conference fees, equipment, or personal professional development (e.g. course fees).

The following components do not count toward the page limitations:

• References
• Letters of support: Relevant education leader (program director, associate dean, department/division education chair, medical school curriculum leader) if using existing CU SOM data or resources (e.g., simulation center), or implementing a curricular innovation

 Proposals will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Innovation and scholarly merit (e.g., builds on prior work, grounded in educational theory/solid principles, appropriate and clearly described methods)
• Alignment with SOM priorities
• Feasibility (e.g., realistic within timeframe, sample size, budget
• Team experience (including mentor qualifications)
• Value add (to SOM and elsewhere)
• Appropriateness of budget
• Clarity of writing (e.g., coherence between goals, methods, evaluation)

Q: What can I do to maximize my chances of receiving a Rymer Innovation award?
A: To submit a highly competitive application:

1. Follow instructions precisely, including page limits.
2. Include a brief literature review that places your project in the context of the existing literature.  Explain the value your project will add to the SOM.
3. Clearly explain your method, including evaluation of the project.
4. Include a mentor with appropriate expertise.
5. Provide a detailed budget explaining how you are going to use the funds.
6. Have a timeline in your feasibility section.

Q: Do I need a mentor?
A: It is helpful to have mentor with relevant experience on your team.  If you are an experienced educator, invite a peer to act as the mentor on the project.

 

Q: Can a Fellow with an upcoming staff appointment apply as primary investigator?
A: Only if the Fellow has a faculty appointment and the appropriate academic rank at the CU SOM that starts when the funding starts.

Q: Are all investigators required to have academic rank?
A: Only the primary investigator.

2024-2025 recipients

Jennifer Adams, MD
A comparative analysis of value factors in clerkship education across health care systems at the University of Colorado School of Medicine

Kate Adkins, MD and Nicole Larrea, MD
Denver Health Equity and Structural Competency Series: Learning from Our Patients

Catherine Callister, MD
Considering an equitable division of hospitalist teaching time:  A survey of academic hospitalists and development of a model for distributing teaching time in the Division of Hospital Medicine

Andrew Maertens, MD
Measuring Performance Outcomes in a Standardized Longitudinal Microsurgical Training Curriculum

Anna Neumeier, MD
Development and implementation of a competency-based simulation curriculum for gastroesophageal balloon tamponade in acute variceal hemorrhage: a model for high acuity, low occurrence (HALO) procedures

Shawna Tonick, MD
Student Pathway in OBGYN Education Curriculum (SPEC) 

Kathryn Rhine, MD
Small Things Observed: Assessing the Impacts of Arts-Based Educational Programs among Medical Students

Emily Rosen, MD
Improving Resident Wellness through Flexibility: Lifestyle Medicine Track for OBGYN Residents

2021-2022 recipients

Aaron Carlson, MD
Novel integration of neuroradiology and pathology in the Advanced Neuroscience Course with BAR Lab sessions and 3-D printed anatomical specimens

John Cunningham, MD
The "ECG of the Week": utilizing spaced repetition to improve medical student ECG interpretation skills in a Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship 

Christie Reimer, MD  
Public Health Advanced Integrated Science Course
And
Animal/Human Translational Medicine Integrated Science Course

2020-2021 recipients

Jonathan Freedman, MD, PhD
Onboarding Medical Students, Interns and Residents onto Surgical Services using a Wiki

Aimee Bernard, PhD
Enhancing Medical Students' Ability to Apply Immunology Knowledge to Immune Diagnostics

Matthew Taylor, MD
Medical Genetics and Genomics Advanced Integrated Science Course

Sneha Thamotharan, PhD
Mitigating sexual and reproductive health disparities in young women of color: Using simulation based assessment to foster cultural responsiveness among medical students

2019-2020 Grant Recipients

Heather Cassidy, MD
Aspirations, Impact, and Realities: Characterizing Community Partners' Experiences Collaborating with Medical Students Via Longitudinal Service-Learning Curricula

Christopher King, MD
Improving Faculty Training for Bedside Value Communication: Identifying Value Response Themes Based on Value Time Out Prompt

Jennifer Kolb, MD
A Comprehensive ORiginal Experiential learning curriculum for Barrett's Esophagus and determination of learning curves for gastroenterology trainees (CORE-BE)

William Manning, MD
Implementation of a Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound Curriculum for Pediatric Hospitalists

Jay Shiao, MD, MPH, MSc
Developing an Interstitial Brachytherapy Simulation-Based Training Education Curriculum for Gynecologic Malignancies

Caterina Zagona-Prizio, BS
Enhanced Cricothyrotomy Training Program for Critical Care and Emergency Physicians

2018-2019 Grant Recipients

Ryan Good, MD
Simulation-Based Training and Assessment in Central Venous Catheter Placement For Pediatric Providers

Benjamin Griffin, MD
Validation of a Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Patient Simulator Educational Tool

Dana Judd, PT, DPT, PhD
Efficacy of Virtual Reality Training for Physical Therapy Students

Amy Nordon-Craft, PT, DSc
Improving Physical Therapy Students' Ability to Apply Neuromuscular Knowledge and Skills to Community Volunteer Patient Examination

2017-2018 Grant Recipients

Jennifer Adams, MD
Longitudinal Social Medicine elective for graduates of the Denver Health Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (DH-LIC)

Tyler Anstett, DO
Sub-I QI Curriculum: Longitudinal Project Work for Lasting Change and Learning

Kshama Jaiswal, MD
Longitudinal evaluation of personality and grit of general surgery residents influencing burnout and stress

Amy W. McDevitt, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT
Utilization of a Clinical Reasoning Grading Rubric in a Physical Therapy Curriculum: A Pilot Study

Jeffrey SooHoo, MD   
Lean on Me: Anonymous Text-based Support System for Medical Students