Application, Awards, and Deadlines

			On This Page Deadlines Information required with your application Suggestions for a successful application Sample applications

CPMS Applications and Awards

Scholarships carry up to 18 units of academic credit and provide up to $12,000 per quarter in grant support. Proposals will be accepted for research to be conducted during one to four quarters.

Deadlines

Information Required with Your Application

CPMS applicants must use the application forms and follow the application process of the Medical Scholars Research Program.

In preparing your application be sure to complete the following:

1. Provide a statement of public health/community context for the problem or issue to be addressed
   
   
2. Summarize the state/quality of the academic research in the area; provide the rationale or justification for the project’s research question (i.e., how will this project advance knowledge in fields related to the research question)
   
   
3. Provide specifics on the research partner organization and how its interests and needs are met through the research project; provide background on why and how the partnership was developed and established
   
   
4. Provide a project description and the project’s broad research question; enumerate clear and distinct research objectives and hypotheses
   
   
5. Detail the research methods to be used (e.g., study participants, data collection, measurements, analysis)
   
   
6. Discuss the relevance to community health/medical practice; how will this project advance health policy and/or medical practice and/or improve community health
   
   
7. Identify how the project’s results will be disseminated to the community partner and community, and to the academy

Students may view the CPMS Proposal Review Sheet (PDF file), which will be utilized by the CPMS Proposal Review Committee to assess proposals.

Suggestions for a Successful Application

Project proposals most likely to win approval will be those distinguished by clear description of a strong, identifiable partnership relationship between the researcher and his/her community partners. The research question should originate from or be directly related to the community partner’s information needs. While the partner need not be a full actor in the research process, he/she must be substantially involved in formulating the research goals and plans, and demonstrate a commitment to act based on the research outcomes.

Scholarly investigation need not be hypothesis-driven per se, but should fulfill the known scholarship criteria for the particular areas of study. A successful proposal would meet criteria for relevance and validity in the disciplines it addresses.

Projects that propose only program development activity without a significant research component will not be funded. Similarly, projects that are proposed as part of required course work (e.g., data gathering for an anthropology course) are not fundable.

A key factor in an optimal scholarship experience is the recruitment of enthusiastic advisors who will provide time, energy and resources for successful completion of the project. Community Health and Public Service concentration staff and committee members welcome queries concerning potential advisors, although the student is responsible for actually obtaining his/her advisors, explaining the Community Partnership Medical Scholars program to them, and submitting letters of support from each advisor. Although many of the projects will require advice and guidance from multiple sources due to the interdisciplinary nature of community-based research, students should list a minimum of two official advisors and note other resources in the text of the proposal.

In evaluating proposals, factors such as significance of the project, quality of the partnership relationship, educational merit, feasibility, innovation, and environment appropriate for the successful completion of the project will be considered. Background information about the student and advisor, relevant to the project at hand, is welcomed in the project proposal.

Sample Applications

Below are links to sample applications. Although they were submitted using a format that has since changed, the quality of each candidate's presentation is still considered representative of what the CPMS Proposal Review Committee seeks in an application.

Sample #1

Sample #2