Description
The ASHP Research and Education Foundation’s Research Boot Camp is a research skills development program composed of distance education, on-site training, and research conduct components.

The program aims to: foster the development of pharmacists with practice-based research skills; drive the advancement of translational research by providing clinicians with the expertise, tools and support to start a practice-based research program and answer practice-based research questions; and enhance safe and effective medication use by promoting evidence-based decision-making for individual patients and populations of patients. 

The Research Boot Camp will provide an opportunity for up to nine new pharmacist researchers to participate in a comprehensive distance education and experiential program. Participants will develop a research idea into a well-structured research plan to be executed following program completion. 

The local mentor must have the requisite research experience to supervise the applicant’s research. The mentor’s track record will be evaluated based on formal research training, publication track record and success in obtaining extramural grant support.

Applicants to this program should demonstrate motivation to acquire research methods skills to conduct rigorous practice-based research, and should include an initial research idea.


Eligibility Criteria
Successful applicants will be pharmacists with an active pharmacy practice who demonstrate motivation to acquire research methods skills to conduct rigorous practice-based research. 

Pharmacists with faculty appointments and non-academic pharmacists are encouraged to apply. Individuals will not be eligible if they have completed a formal education program that provided strong research training (e.g., M.S., Ph.D.).

Applicants are required to submit an initial research idea pertinent to their clinical practice area. Support from the applicant’s home institution and committed local mentoring will be required. 

Other factors that will be considered in the application review process include: previous project management experience, demonstration of analytical and critical thinking skills, authorship of peer-reviewed publications (preferred), and existence of an established network of practitioners with a shared interest in conducting research. 

Applicants are required to demonstrate these qualifications through a provision of specific professional experience information, a personal statement, and letters of support.


Funding Information
This program is supported and administered by ASHP Foundation. The Boot Camp training opportunity is awarded to an individual participant. No stipend or honorarium is awarded to the participant. 

The participant is responsible for providing his/her transportation to the experiential site and lodging. The ASHP Foundation will provide group breakfasts, lunches, and one (1) dinner.  No per diem payments will be provided by the ASHP Research and Education Foundation.

The applicant's sponsoring institution must agree to provide seed support and/or resources that will enable completion of the proposed research over a 24-month period. Upon completion of the Research Boot Camp, the applicant will submit a project plan for the proposed research that complies with the ASHP Foundation’s grant instructions. 


Program Timeline
The research skills development program consisting of distance education, on-site training, and research conduct components will begin with the distance education portion in January 2012 and conclude in May 2012.  The on-site training will occur May 16 - 18, 2012, at ASHP headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. Research conduct begins immediately following the on-site training with submission of a research plan by September 1, 2012.


Application Process
Pharmacists interested in applying for the Research Boot Camp should refer to application and application instructions when available for full eligibility requirements and application procedures.


Selection Criteria
Applications will be reviewed using the following criteria:

• Practice Experience – 10 points
• Project Management Experience - 10 points
• Demonstration of Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills – 10 points
• Peer-Reviewed Publications – 5 points
• Applicant Training Expectations -15 points
• Local Mentoring – 15 points
• Evidence of Availability of a Network of Researchers with Common Interest -10 points
• Institutional Support -15 points
• Research Idea – 10 points


Deadlines
The 2011 application cycle is now closed. Please check back or subscribe to the ASHP Foundation E-news for information about the next application cycle.


Research Boot Camp Participants
• Read what participants said about this program.
• 2012 Participants
• 2011 Participants
• 2010 Participants
• 2008 Participants