title: Recruiting post-doctoral fellows into global health research: selecting NIH Fogarty International Clinical Research Fellows.
abstract: From 2008 to 2012, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fogarty International Clinical Research Fellows Program (FICRF) provided 1-year mentored research training at low- and middle-income country sites for American and international post-doctoral health professionals. We examined the FICRF applicant pool, proposed research topics, selection process, and characteristics of enrollees to assess trends in global health research interest and factors associated with applicant competitiveness. The majority (58%) of 67 US and 57 international Fellows were women, and 83% of Fellows had medical degrees. Most applicants were in clinical fellowships (41%) or residencies (24%). More applicants proposing infectious disease projects were supported (59%) than applicants proposing non-communicable disease (NCD) projects (41%), although projects that combined both topic areas were most successful (69%). The numbers of applicants proposing research on NCDs and the numbers of these applicants awarded fellowships rose dramatically over time. Funding provided to the FICRF varied significantly among NIH Institutes and Centers and was strongly associated with the research topics awarded.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Departments of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Georgia; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland douglas.heimburger@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Douglas C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Heimburger
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Departments of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Georgia; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Tokesha L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Departments of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Georgia; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Catherine Lem
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Carothers
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Departments of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Georgia; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Meridith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blevins
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Departments of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Georgia; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Departments of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Georgia; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Pierce
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Departments of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Georgia; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Aron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Primack
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Departments of Medicine, Biostatistics, and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Georgia; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, New York; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: Sten H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Vermund
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D055552:Infectious Disease Medicine / Q000191:economics; D007391:International Cooperation; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.) / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce