ACP Programme Funding - Nurturing Clinician Researcher Scheme (NCRS)

Objective

The objective of NCRS is to nurture young clinicians to become successful clinician-researchers of the SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC, by supporting them with resources, including funding and protected time, to optimize their research competencies & experience, thus their competitiveness for external research grants and readiness to embark on a sustainable research career.

It consists of the Nurturing Clinician Scientist Award (NCSA), Nurturing Clinician Innovator Award (NCIA) and Clinician Investigator Development Award (CIVDA).

Background Information

1. A candidate must be nominated by his or her primary ACP.

2. The Review Panel may recommend:

3. 1. For a NCSA – support of up to $200,000 over a tenure of up to 3 years.　

   2. For a NCIA –support of up to $150,000 over a tenure of up to 3 years.

   3.  For a CIVDA –support of up to $75,000 in quantum for a 2-year project / up to $100,000 in quantum for a 3-year project.　

4. The Review Panel may also include specific condition(s) which shall be a pre-requisite to be accepted by the shortlisted candidate and his/her ACP to be considered for an award.

4. This scheme is to help the awardee to gain experience and to generate pilot data in order to compete successfully for external grant.

Eligibility Criteria

• Qualified medical doctor / dental specialist registered with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) / Dental Specialist Accreditation Board (DSAB) respectively, and employed to perform clinical duties in a SingHealth institution (hereinafter referred to collectively as “clinicians”). Additional SMC or DSAB certified qualifications, such as PhD, MCI or equivalent, are preferred.

• Residents in final year of residency with MD-PhD / MBBS-PhD background (including A*STAR MD-PhD Scholars / Duke-NUS MD-PhD graduates) and SingHealth CS-Residents in final year of residency are eligible for the funding support. The candidate must be supported by the potential employing institution and the ACP with which the nominee will be associated, upon their successful exit from their Residency Training Programmes.
  

• A nursing or allied-health practitioner with a relevant PhD qualification, who performs clinical duties and aspires to become a clinician-researcher working on human clinical research that has potential health impact may be considered. Such a nominee must have strong support of the ACP to which the nominee is associated.

• The nominee must not be a scientist or staff whose primary career commitment is to perform research.
  

• The nominee must not be past recipient of a NCSS / NCRS award.
  

• After receiving the NCRS grant, the applicant must not have received internal funding to conduct their own research project as PI which cumulatively exceeds S$300,000, and must not have received internal and external funding to conduct their own research project as PI which cumulatively exceeds S$500,000. This is to ensure financial prudence and that the applicant can fulfil the eligibility criteria for NMRC CS-IRG-NIG application, in the vent the NCRS awardee is unable to secure a TA or CSA-INV award.
  

• For clinicians (with MBBS / MD / BDS) applying for NCSA / NCIA, the maximum number of years after exiting from specialist training should not exceed 5 years; and for a PhD holder who is applying on an exception basis, the maximum number of years of post-doctoral experience is 5 years post PhD. [This is to align with NMRS's criteria eligibility of ≤8 years post specialist exit / post PhD].

• A CIVDA candidate should demonstrate prior research experience such as past / current participation in research, with at least 3 publications. 

• All candidates must include a Career Development Plan endorsed by the ACP Academic Chair, which briefly outlines steps to be taken over the immediate next 5 years to put the nominee on track to becoming a clinician researcher.

• The ACP must commit to set aside at least 20% protected time for the awardee to perform the research (Khoo Scholars programme in terms of protected time will apply where applicable). The associated cost shall be borne by the awardee's host institutioion.

Deliverables

• For NCSA and NCIA, the awardee is expected to apply for a NMRC grant, preferably a Talent Development Award, such as NMRC TA, within the duration of being supported, with the view of working towards a CSA / HCSA / CIA eventually. The awardee should continue in his / her effort to secure a national/external grant throughout the whole NCRS grant period, and beyond, if necessary.

• For NCSA, the NMRC NIG may be considered as an intermediate deliverable.  
  

• For NCIA, the NMRC NIG, NHIC Innovation to Develop (I2D) Grant, SMART Innovation Grant, A*STAR Biomedical Engineering Programme (BEP) and NRF Central Gap Fund etc. may be considered as intermediate deliverables.
  

• For CIVDA, the awardee is expected to secure further funding to develop a supported research platform for the specific research focus, such as any competitive national grants, including NIG. At the end of the grant period, the awardee should aim to have a sustainable support as PI or Co-PI of a variety of public (e.g. NMRC or NHIC grants) and / or private (e.g. industry or charitable foundations) research grant funding, as well as clinical trial funding, where appropriate.
  

• Successful NCRS awardees will be scheduled for a mid-term review within the grant duration.

• Upon successfully attainment of the NCRS main deliverable (i.e. awarded NMRC or other national / external grants as indicated in the infosheet), the degree of overlap between the research projects proposed for NCRS and the national / external grant and NCRS grant utilisation will be reviewed. Any double-dipping of funds is discouraged and JOAM will work with the awardee and ACP on the next steps on a case-by-case basis after he / she has garnered a national / external grant.

• No NCRS grant extension period will be considered upon receipt of any NMRC Award. 
  

Contact Person

• Lin Qiaojun (lin.qiao.jun@duke-nus.edu.sg) – PAEDS ACP
• Lin Fenru (lin.fenru@duke-nus.edu.sg) – SURG, CVS, PATH & RADSC ACPs
• Jobeth Lim Kar Yee (jobethlim@duke-nus.edu.sg) – MED, NEUROSC, ONCO, FM, and EM ACPs 
• Yeng Ai Foong (aifoong@duke-nus.edu.sg) – OBGYN, EYE, ORH, ANAES and MUSKSC ACPs

 Additional Information

Please refer to the website here for more information.