“Why grant writing?” | Elisabeth DeMarco
The short answer to “why grant writing?” — I was required to. As part of Saint Louis University’s MD/PhD Program, I knew I would be required to submit an NIH fellowship grant. This was in some ways a low-stakes endeavor — I am guaranteed funding for the duration of the program. It did, however, require that I organize my thoughts for my dissertation proposal very early in my graduate training and learn to tell two stories at once — that of my work and that of my potential as a researcher. During the course of writing that F30 and working with a program officer, I was told the NIH would be looking for evidence of formal instruction in grant writing. I am very fortunate that my mentors knew of Dr. Iwelunmor’s class and encouraged me to take it, both so I could formally document training to bolster my current grant application and so that I could improve my skills as a researcher more broadly. Through this course, I hope to become a better storyteller, navigating between my curiosity, what patients need most, and the priorities of my funders. I hope to become more adept at writing and reading grants, gaining familiarity with this style of academic writing and discovering how I can integrate grant writing with my other academic work. This short answer, while true, doesn’t really speak to my underlying motivations.
The longer, more accurate answer points back to the reasons I chose an MD/PhD program in the first place. I have known I wanted to work with patients to improve their health and wellbeing since I was very young. My dad is a rheumatologist and a researcher in his own right, so discussing a new ultrasound technique or clinical trial was a typical dinnertime conversation. I was fascinated by the two profound ways I saw my dad make a difference to his patients — by his direct patient care and by testing new ways of improving that care for future patients. During my undergraduate education, I worked in several basic science labs, shadowed a few physicians, was a teaching assistant for cell biology, and worked as a resident assistant. I found I was happiest and most productive when I could balance time spent in community with my residents and fellow RA staff members with time spent on my own in the lab or library thinking about science. Too much of one or the other left me emotionally exhausted or intellectually stalled, respectively. As I prepared for my medical school applications, several advisors suggested I look into MD/PhD programs — they knew I was interested in clinical practice and saw my potential as a researcher. When I explored this option, I discovered the potential to achieve that balance of time spent working with people to improve their health now and time to think about the big picture questions, the ideas that would drive improved health for many people. I am fortunate to be in the MD/PhD program here at SLU, where I can train for both my clinical and research careers.
How does grant writing fit in? Grant writing is likely to be my ticket to protected research time. I am working toward a balance of research, clinical practice, and teaching, which is likely best accomplished at an academic medical center. Time spent in clinical practice is guaranteed income for the institution. Time spent in research is time away from clinical practice. Gaining grant funding is one strategy to protect my research time, so that I can focus on the questions that I think will improve care for future patients. Success in grant writing has the potential to improve my clinical care too — when I achieve a balance of time spent on research and time spent in clinic, I can be more emotionally available and energized to work with my patients. I want to do it all — see patients in clinic to be reminded why my research agenda is important, pursue my research agenda to benefit many more people, and teach the next generation of clinicians and clinician-scientists to better serve patients of today and tomorrow.
Grant writing just may be the right tool for me to carve out my ideal career, so I can bring my best self to all the facets of my career. — Elisabeth DeMarco
