Writing the Environment and Institutional Commitment to Candidate Section

Slide 1: Section 3: Environment and Institutional Commitment to Candidate

• Evaluation criteria (Environment):
  • Adequacy of research facilities and the availability of appropriate educational opportunities.
  • Quality and relevance of the environment for scientific and professional development of the candidate.

Slide 2: Section 3: Environment

• Describe the research facilities and educational opportunities of the sponsoring institution (UCSF) that are related to the candidate's career development training and research plans.
• Include relevance of each component to your career development plan.
• Describe resources outside UCSF, as needed.

Slide 3: Section 3: Institutional Commitment

• Evaluation criteria (Institutional Commitment)
  • Applicant institution's commitment to the scientific development of the candidate and assurances that the institution intends the candidate to be an integral part of its research program.
  • Applicant institution's commitment to protect at least 75% of the candidate's effort for proposed career development activities.
  • These assurances are stated in a letter from your department chair (see Example 8).
    • Note: For fellows, this letter must state that you will be promoted from your current position to a 'higher' position (ideally, to a full-time faculty position) during the K award period.

Slide 4: 3 Sealed Letters of Recommendation

• Letters should be from senior investigators who have competed successfully for NIH funding and have been involved in the training of junior investigators.
• Can be from any period in your career (e.g., medical school, residency).
• Cannot be from your primary mentor or co-mentors.

Slide 5: Letters of Recommendation (cont'd)

• Letters should address the candidate's potential for a research career.
  • Potential for conducting research
  • Evidence of originality
  • Adequacy of scientific background
  • Quality of research endeavors or publications to date
  • Commitment to patient-oriented research
  • Need for further research experience and training

Slide 6: Letters of Recommendation (cont'd)

• NIH recommends that you send each of them a self-addressed envelope with the following words in the front bottom corner: DO NOT OPEN PHS USE ONLY
  • Envelopes should be sealed, with the author's signature across the sealed flap.
  • Sealed letters should be sent to the candidate.
  • Sending a prepaid FED EX order form will ensure prompt delivery of sealed letters.