MiCEHS PhD Program in Minority Health Statistics

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Purpose

The National Center for Health Statistics has made funds available through MiCEHS to support Ph.D. dissertation research on minority health statistics.  The purpose of the minority health statistics grant program for dissertation support is to make awards for (1) the conduct of special surveys or studies on the health of racial and ethnic populations or subpopulations; (2) analysis of data on ethnic and racial populations and subpopulations; and (3) research on improving methods for developing statistics on ethnic and racial populations and subpopulations.  University of Michigan doctoral students may apply to a committee established expressly for the purpose of making such awards for dissertation support.

 

 Eligibility

Eligible applicants must be registered doctoral candidates in resident or nonresident status at the University of Michigan.  All requirements for the doctoral degree other than the dissertation must be completed by the time of the award.  Students seeking a doctorate in any relevant research discipline are eligible.  The proposed investigator (i.e., doctoral candidate) cannot be receiving support for dissertation research under a pre-doctoral training grant or fellowship awarded by any other agency, or component, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

 Award

It is expected that the average award will be $20,000 ranging from $15,000 to $30,000. Awards will begin on or about September 1, 2001, and will be made for a 12-month budget/project period.  Total costs will not exceed $30,000 for the entire project period, with applications exceeding this amount returned to the applicant.  No supplemental funds will be awarded.  Funding support may only be requested for the amount of time necessary to complete the dissertation within the authorized project period.

Allowable costs include the doctoral candidate’s salary and direct project expenses such as travel, data processing, and supplies.  University of Michigan fees for maintaining matriculation or other fees imposed on those preparing dissertations are allowable costs.  Applicants are expected to work full time on the project.  Any level of effort that is less than full time must be fully justified.

 

 Requirements  

Responsibility for the planning, direction, and execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the doctoral candidate.  The dissertation must examine and/or develop some aspect of statistical research on racial and ethnic populations or subpopulations.  It should focus on one or more of the following research program areas: community-based research, methods and theory development, health promotion and data standards development, and data analysis and dissemination.

The dissertation must be officially accepted by a faculty committee in the candidate's department and also include a letter from the chair of the candidate’s doctoral committee.  Prior to submission of the application, the dissertation proposal must be approved by the dissertation faculty committee and certified by a letter from the chairperson submitted with the grant application.

Applications from doctoral students who are women or members of minority groups are especially encouraged.

 

 Application Process  

Once second year funding is approved, an announcement of the availability of funds will be made to the graduate students and faculty at the University of Michigan through email, a web site notice, and the University Record, the official publication of the University.  Application instructions will be posted at the Michigan CEHS web site, including links to required PHS forms.  Applications will be received by the Director of the Michigan CEHS by August 3, 2001, and disseminated to a review committee consisting of the Director, two University of Michigan faculty (at least one of whom is from the School of Public Health), and the NCHS Project Officer for the Michigan CEHS (ex officio).  The Committee shall review the applications and make decisions on funding awards.  The MiCEHS Director shall administer the awards through the Center per the decisions of the Committee.

Applicants will follow the instructions in the Research Grant Application PHS Form 398 in preparing the application with the following information/changes: (1) the doctoral candidate should be identified as the Principal Investigator; (2) a questionnaire may be included as an appendix if it is essential to evaluate the proposal; (3) a list of literature cited is required in an appendix, with no other material provided in an appendix; (4) a letter from the doctoral candidate’s faculty committee certifying that the committee has approved the formal proposal for the dissertation, the grant application represents the dissertation proposal, and the applicant will complete all requirements for the doctoral degree except the dissertation by the anticipated date of the grant award; (5) a statement of human subjects protection and gender and minority representation; (6) a project description consisting of  the scientific significance of the work, including its relationship to other current research, and the design of the project in sufficient detail to permit evaluation; (7) a detailed budget identifying the items for which funds are requested and estimated costs, and a budget justification explaining the necessity for the research; and (8) statements of "Current and Pending Support" for both the student and the chair of the dissertation committee on form GG.  In addition, the application must identify all members of the faculty committee by listing the names on Form BB.  A brief biographical sketch for each should be provided as explained in form 398, page FF.

 

Evaluation of Proposals

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria by the review committee: (1) significance and originality of the research; (2) knowledge of research relevant to the topic; (3) appropriateness of methods and data, including a description and justification of the analytic techniques that will be employed and a discussion of the methodological problems that might be encountered; (4) availability and adequacy of data; (5) organization of the project; (6) adequacy of facilities and resources; (7) human subjects involvement and protection (when appropriate); (8) representation of women and minorities (when appropriate); and (9) appropriateness of the budget.

 

Final Report

The dissertation will constitute the final report of the grant.  Three copies of the dissertation shall be submitted to the CDC, together with an original and two copies of an annual progress report, a financial status report no more than 90 days after the end of the budget period, and the final financial status and performance report no more than 90 days after the end of the project period.