NLM FELLOWSHIP IN APPLIED INFORMATICS

NIH GUIDE, Volume 21, Number 25, July 10, 1992



PA NUMBER:  PA-92-90 (superseded by PAR-03-070)



P.T. 22



Keywords:

  Biomedical Research Training 

  Information Science/Systems 

  Artificial Intelligence/Cybernetic 



National Library of Medicine



PURPOSE



The National Library of Medicine (NLM) wishes to increase the national

pool of health professionals capable of managing the knowledge and

techniques of medical informatics in health science organizations.

Medical informatics provides the theoretical and scientific basis for

the application of computer and automated information systems to

biomedicine.



Processing information faster and more efficiently, which today's

technology can easily accomplish, is not sufficient.  More intelligent

processing, logical aggregation of information, synthesis, and

analysis, and the development of knowledge systems that serve

purposeful ends are needed.



The biomedical sciences and health-care professions can best make use

of current information services and the emerging advanced automated

systems by becoming involved in their development and use.  Biomedical

institutions urgently need a cadre of individuals properly educated in

medical informatics at a level sufficiently scholarly to balance

professional needs, technical judgments, and cost-benefit issues.



HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000



The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health

promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"

a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This program

announcement, NLM Fellowship in Applied Informatics, is related to the

priority area of educational and community based programs. Potential

applicants may obtain a copy of "Health People 2000" (Full Report:

Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or "Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:

Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents,

Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone

202-783-3238).



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



Applications on behalf of the fellows may be submitted by domestic

non-profit organizations, public and private, such as universities,

colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local

governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal Government. Fellows

must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States, or have

been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of

appointment.  Individuals on temporary or student visas are not

eligible.  Individuals with a bachelor's, master's, or doctor's degree

in a field related to health care, or enrolled in a program leading to

such a degree, are eligible.  It is not anticipated that this training

will lead to a degree in most instances, although the training may be

useful for credit or certification in certain other educational

programs.  Applications from minority individuals and women are

encouraged.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



The mechanism for support for fellowships under this program

announcement is the individual fellowship (F37).  The amount of the

stipend to be paid shall be based on the salary or remuneration that

the individual would have been paid on the date of award from the home

institution, but in no case shall the award exceed $50,000 per year,

prorated on a monthly basis for awards shorter than 12 months.

Stipends may be supplemented by an institution from non-Federal funds.

Under no circumstances may the conditions of stipend supplementation

detract from or prolong the training.  In addition, the applicant's

institution/organization may request an institutional allowance up to

$3,000 per year for support of supplies, equipment, travel, tuition,

fees, insurance, and other training related costs. Training periods may

be for one or two years.



OBJECTIVES



Biomedical information is increasing at a rate so prodigious as to

confound traditional techniques of information management.  More and

more, health-care professionals must rely on computers and

telecommunications to help with storage, access, and appropriate use of

the exploding mass of data that provides the basis of research and

application in biomedicine.  The theoretical and technical complexities

of managing information with extraordinary new tools have fostered the

field of applied medical informatics.



With support by the NLM, a number of universities now offer predoctoral

and postdoctoral multi-disciplinary training in informatics with the

goal of producing scientists capable of carrying out research in the

myriad basic and applied problems of informatics.  The NLM also offers

individual fellowships in informatics research.



However, research alone is not enough.  If informatics is to realize

its full potential as an indispensable tool for researchers and

health-care workers, there must be adequate numbers of health

professionals able to apply the knowledge of informatics to: develop

modern information systems in traditional organizations, use the new

information techniques in a specific field, and help disseminate

promising programs and systems.  Accordingly, the NLM has developed a

fellowship in applied informatics for health-care workers interested in

learning and utilizing informatics in a relevant area of biomedicine.



Integrated Advanced Information Management Systems (IAIMS), networks

and databases, effective use of high-speed communication links,

electronic patient records, expert systems and decision-making aids for

research and for clinical practice, computer-assisted instruction,

clinical care outcome analysis, and a host of technological systems for

medical libraries are but a partial list of applications that could be

considered by a potential fellow.



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS

416-1 (rev. 10/91) and will be accepted at the standard application

deadlines as indicated in the application kit, January 10, May 10, and

September 10.



Application kits are available at most institutional offices of

sponsored research  offices and may be obtained from the Office of

Grants Inquiries, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of

Health, Westwood Building, Room 449,  Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone

(301) 496-7441.



Complete item 3 on the face page of the application indicating that the

application is in response to this announcement and print APPLIED

INFORMATICS.



The completed original and two legible copies along with the checklist,

the Personal Data form, appendix material, sealed reference reports,

and other required information must be sent or delivered to:



Division of Research Grants

National Institutes of Health

Westwood Building, Room 240

Bethesda, MD  20892



REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS



Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by the

Biomedical Library Review Committee, in accordance with the standard

NIH peer review procedures.  The review criteria customarily employed

by the NIH for fellowship applications will prevail.  Following

scientific-technical review, the applications will receive a

second-level review by the NLM.



AWARD CRITERIA



Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved

applications assigned to THE NLM.  The following will be considered

when making funding decisions:



o  Quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review



o  Availability of funds



o  Program balance among research areas of the announcement



INQUIRIES



Written and telephone inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to

clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.



Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:



Roger W. Dahlen, Ph.D.

Biomedical Information Support Branch

National Library of Medicine

Building 38A, Room 5S522

Bethesda, MD  20894

Telephone:  (301) 496-4221



Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:



Brian Campbell

Grants Management Officer

National Library of Medicine

Building 38A, Room 5N511

Bethesda, MD 20894

Telephone:  (301) 496-4253



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance, Medical Library Assistance, 93.879.  Grants will be awarded

under the authority of the Public Health Service Act, Section 472 (42

USC 286b-3) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal

Regulations, most specifically at 42 CFR Part 61 and 45 CFR Part 74.



This authority is separate and distinct from the National Research

Service Award.  Therefore, Section 487 of the Public Health Service

Act, as amended (42 USC 288) and implementing regulations (42 CFR Part

66), requiring satisfactory assurance of meeting the service

requirement is not applicable.  While signature is still required on

page 1 of the application, parts I, II, and III of the National

Research Service Award Service Assurance are not included.



This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review

requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.





**THE MAILING ADDRESS GIVEN FOR SENDING APPLICATIONS TO THE DIVISION OF

RESEARCH GRANTS OR CONTACTING PROGRAM STAFF IN THE WESTWOOD BUILDING IS

THE CENTRAL MAILING ADDRESS FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.

APPLICANTS WHO USE EXPRESS MAIL OR A COURIER SERVICE ARE ADVISED TO

FOLLOW THE CARRIER'S REQUIREMENTS FOR SHOWING A STREET ADDRESS.  THE

ADDRESS FOR THE WESTWOOD BUILDING IS:



5333 Westbard Avenue

Bethesda, MD  20816



.

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