SSAI postdoc grant – UPDATE

UPDATE: Announcing the new application period and extended application criteria

Are you a clinician, recently completed your formal research training, and now yearning to combine clinical and research activities to develop into a highly skilled, successful clinical scientist?

Announcing a new application period from the Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation, a 50% clinical postdoctoral research position over 2 years for a clinician employed as either a specialist (completed during 2014 or later) or a specialist in training in Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine, Pain Medicine or Critical Emergency Medicine in the Nordic countries (National Society and SSAI members). Two of these post-doctoral positions will be funded and they are both starting during 2021.
Application deadline: October 18th 2021

Job description

For promising clinician-scientists, this 50% of full-time support over 2 years is designed to support scientific productivity and development in one’s current clinical and research setting, particularly for those who have completed their formal research training (PhD) from 2014 or more recently. Part-time clinical activity is expected together with this post-doc support. The research time would be administered by the recipient’s hospital employer, where they will receive and administer this external grant to correspond to employer costs for the recipient for 50% of full-time. This worktime which the hospital department would assign for clinical work would then be allocated to scientific work and academic professional developmental activities, including formal methodological or pedagogical coursework.

The recipient will have an internal (within the hospital or university system) mentor, and one external (Acta Foundation/SSAI) mentor.

The topics of study will be decided by the recipient, though these should be related to the general area of scientific interest within the specialty, and consistent with the research program presented in the post-doctoral position application. Scientific productivity and professional development are expected during the 2-year program.

The mission

The goal of the post-doctoral position is for the recipient to develop further towards being a successful and independent clinical scientist, leader and supervisor, able to plan and conduct an important clinical research program, and also able to apply for, and secure, external research funding for their chosen research program.

The recipient’s profile, formal requirements

You are currently employed as either a specialist (completed during 2014 or later) or a specialist in training with a clear path to specialist certification in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine in a Nordic country. You also have completed your PhD degree in medical science from 2014 or more recently. You are an active member of your national specialty society and thereby also the Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine. You have written and verbal fluency in English.

Favorable personal skills and qualities

• proven knowledge and experience in chosen research area.
• proven skills for forming good research questions, designing and conducting good studies, as well as effectively disseminating results. Teaching and supervisor skills are also a merit.
• experience with a range of research methodology is a merit.
• working well in teams is a merit, with good interpersonal skills and a considerate manner.
• personal traits of being both structured and flexible are desirable.

What does the Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation (and SSAI) offer besides financing?

The principles of the Foundation and the SSAI are to support clinical and research activities within the specialty, as well as to foster cooperation, exchange and collaboration within the specialty in the Nordic countries. Therefore, projects which involve Nordic collaboration can receive extra priority.

Documentation for the application

Document 1:  Cover letter.  A cover letter with a short (one paragraph) presentation of how the applicant learned of this program, a brief description (one short paragraph) of their current professional situation, the title of their current research program, and any potential limitations for when one could start if receiving the grant.

Document 2:  Curriculum vitae and complete publication list.

Document 3:  Letter from employer.  A signed letter from your clinical department chairs stating that they agree to administer this external resource (max 500 000 DKK per year, for 2 years) to cover the employment costs (including salary and social costs) for the recipients 50% of full time with a research assignment, if the applicant receives the grant and that the grant will be claimed in 2021 and 2022 (max 500 000 DKK each year). As this grant is a donation from a non-profit foundation to an already employed employee, no overhead costs should be administered and this can be stated in this letter.

Document 4:  Recommendation letter 1.  A letter of recommendation from a senior research collaborator in the same institution/university attesting to the applicant’s personal and research competence as well as the applicant’s personal, professional and clinical competence

Document 5:  Research program.  The applicant’s research program, not to exceed 8 A4 pages, and can be shorter. Please include a budget, and a timeline including milestones and deliverables.

Document 6:  Personal statement.  A personal statement from the applicant to present how they will use this clinical post-doc research time if they receive this support, as well as the applicant’s vision for how they would like their professional activities to be in 5 and 10 year’s time.

Application process

Applications should be submitted in English and in electronic form (6 documents) by email, where there will be a receipt notification.

Submission address, and if further information is needed:

Michael Haney
Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation (and SSAI) Board member
Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Editor-in-Chief
michael.haney@umu.se

Alternative contact details

Michael Haney, MD, PhD
Professor and Academic Head, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine
Umeå University and the University Hospital of Umeå, Sweden
michael.haney@umu.se
+46 70 595 5263 (personal) or Skype for business +46 90 786 6255

Deadline for submission

October 18^th, 2021
Receipt of complete applications will be made by email.

The review and ranking process

The application review process will be conducted by a group representing all 5 Nordic countries, and the SSAI Research Committee, as well as the Acta Foundation Board. Applications will be scored on a rating scale consistent with the grant application rating system for the Scientific councils in the Nordic countries

The review group will assess the scientific quality of the application and use five basic criteria to come to one overall score on a 7 point scale:

• the scientific quality of the project
• innovation and originality
• applicant’s competence
• feasibility
• research environment

Once the written applications are graded by the review group, they will be ranked at a meeting of the grading group with review comments for all applications.  No interviews are planned.  A decision to offer the grant will be made by the Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation, and applicants will be contacted, until 2 have accepted. After that, a decision letter with review comments will be sent to each applicant who submitted a complete application.