Health Sciences Grant Writing Course (GWC)

​The goal of UC San Diego Health Sciences Grant Writing Course (GWC) is to enhance junior faculty skills in NIH grantsmanship. Junior faculty will participate in a 9-week course based on structured formative assessment using The Grant Application Writer’s Workbook, NIH version and develop a complete draft of an NIH grant proposal.  The course is taught by experienced senior faculty and meets once per week.

In addition to the weekly sessions, the participants will complete a number of homework assignments, participate in peer-to-peer group discussion, and meet with a research or content expert mentor for guidance. The content expert reviewer is identified by the junior faculty participant and can be internal or external to UC San Diego. The final grant proposals are reviewed by a mock study section comprised of senior professors in Health Sciences. Interested Departments/Divisions should identify senior faculty to participate as course instructors and facilitate GWC adoption within their units. The course is currently offered bi-annually.

Submit a GWC Interest Form

 

GWC Curriculum

Sessions
​Topic
​Homework
​​Class 1
​Orientation
Proposal topic
Hypothesis generation
Proposal Outline
Read Chapters 1 - 6
HW#1
​Class 2
 ​Specific Aims
Specific Aims
Read Chapter 7
Read Chapter 8
HW#2
​Class 3
​Specific Aims
Significance & Innovation
Rigor & Reproducibility
​Read Chapter 9
Read Chapter 10
HW#3
​Class 4
​Significance & Innovation
Approach
​Read Chapter 11
HW#4
​Class 5
Approach
Outcomes/Pitfalls  
 ​HW#4 (revised)
​Class 6
Approach
Title, Narrative, Summary/Abstract
Read Chapter 18
Read Chapter 19
HW#5
​Class 7 ​BioSketch/ Coverletter/ Facilities/Equipment/Authentication/Human Subjects /Animals/Budget/Resource Sharing Plan
​Read Chapters 12, 13, 15,16, 17
HW#6
​Class 8 ​Mock Study Session ​Final Proposals Due
​Class 9 Response to Critiques
​Read Chapter 5
HW #7



This program and program material is supported by the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences. 


Please contact hsfacaffairs@ucsd.edu for more information.

Faculty Director:
JoAnn Trejo, PhD

Faculty Facilitators:
(GWC Cohort 1) 
Tina Chambers, PhD
Andrea LaCroix, PhD
Davey Smith, MD


       “The Grant Writing Course was focused and appropriately paced for a diverse group of junior faculty in basic science and clinical research fields…I look forward to this course becoming an essential part of training for all fellows and junior faculty across Health Sciences.” -Tina Chambers, PhD


“I loved the intensive structure of the course that allowed us to dig deep in how best to present ideas in the NIH grant form.” -Davey Smith, MD