POSTDOCTORAL CLINICAL-RESEARCH TRAINING IN PSYCHIATRY - A MODEL FOR TEACHING GRANT WRITING AND OTHER RESEARCH SURVIVAL SKILLS AND FOR INCREASING CLARITY OF MENTORING EXPECTATIONS

The authors describe a model for teaching grant writing and other rese arch survival skills to postdoctoral clinical-research fellows in psyc hiatry and for improving research mentoring. Over the past 4 years, th e authors have developed a course oil writing grant applications for p ostdoctoral clinical-research fellows, using peer-review processes mod eled after a National Institutes of Health study section. At the same time, the authors have clarified expectations of mentors in ways desig ned to help fellows prepare ''K'' (Research Career Development) applic ations and to receive mentored practice in skills being taught in the course. Sixteen of 30 fellows have succeeded ill receiving their first extra-mural support by the end of their two-year fellowship tenure or during the succeeding year The authors conclude that by teaching gran t-writing skills in a supportive peer environment, providing peer revi ew of proposals, and sharpening expectations of mentors, it may be pos sible to reduce the time between the end of fellowship and the receipt of the first extramural grant.