Attachment 3.1 Customer Satisfaction On-line Survey: PI (paper version)

ATTACHMENT A.3.1: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ONLINE SURVEY FOR APPLICANTS: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS (VERSIONS A & B)

OMB# ­ 0925-XXXX EXP. DATE: XX/XX/XXXX

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY FOR APPLICANTS

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: NIH, Project Clearance Branch, 6705 Rockledge Drive, MSC 7974, Bethesda, MD 20892-7974, ATTN: PRA (0925-0476). Do not return the completed form to this address.

Section I: Background

1. How did you first learn about the Early Independence Award (EIA) program? Please select all that apply.

The NIH website (webpage, e-newsletter posting, blog, etc.)

An NIH-sponsored listserv email or notice

Your institution’s listserv email or notice

A notice from a professional society

A faculty mentor

Other (please specify):_________________________

2. Which option below best describes your situation? Please note that “current institution” refers to the institution at which you are completing your doctoral degree or medical residency, or have a position/appointment. Please select only one option.

A. The institution with which I applied for the NIH EIA program was the same as my current institution at the time of application

B. The institution with which I applied for the NIH EIA program was different from my current institution at the time of application

3. Which option below best describes your degree status at the time of application? Please select only one option.

A. Within the following 12 months, I will complete all the requirements for a doctoral degree

B. Within the following 12 months, I will complete my medical residency

C. Within the preceding 12 months, I received my terminal doctoral degree

D. Within the preceding 12 months, I completed my medical residency

If responses are “A” or “B” for question 3, respondent will complete VERSION A of the application survey.

If responses are “C” or “D” for question 3, respondent will complete VERSION B of the applicant survey.

VERSION A: APPLICANTS WHO ARE COMPLETING THEIR DEGREE

STOP: Only continue if you WILL COMPLETE your medical residency or all the requirements for a doctoral degree within the following 12 months. If this is not the case, please return to Question 3 and select either C or D.

4. Since the EIA grant application must be submitted by the institution hosting the Early Independence Awardee, how many institutions did you apply to in order to be selected as Principal Investigator for the EIA application? Please note that “current institution” refers to the institution at which you are completing your doctoral degree or medical residency. Please select only one option.

A. I ONLY applied to my current institution

B. I applied to institution(s), INCLUDING my current institution

Please indicate the number of institutions (including your current institution) you applied to ____(Please provide only numeric values)

C. I applied to institution(s), and DID NOT apply to my current institution

Please include the number of institutions you applied to ____(Please provide only numeric values)

Section II: Seeking an Institution to receive support for the EIA Program

5. Please indicate how you would prioritize each of the following factors when seeking an institution to receive support through the NIH EIA program.

Factors	High Priority	Medium Priority	Low Priority	Not a Priority/ Not Applicable
a. Scientific fit to my own research at the institution
b. Familiarity with program and faculty at the institution
c. Access to collaborators at the institution
d. Reputation of the institution
e. Clear and comprehensive picture of support environment from the institution
f. Financial support from the institution
g. Likelihood of being accepted at the institution
h. Confirmed appointment/position at the institution
i. Desirability of geographic location
j. Personal, family reasons
k. Other (please specify):_____________

Only respondents who answered “A” for question 4 will answer question 6 below.

6. If you ONLY applied to receive support for consideration as a candidate for the NIH EIA program at your current institution, which of the following factors were considered in your decision process?

Factors	Yes	No	Not Applicable
Beneficial to research goals to stay at current institution
Resources (staff, equipment, etc.) provided by my current institution meet the needs of my research
Access to collaborators at my current institution
Established relationships at my current institution
Already have a position at my current institution
Insufficient time to search for other institutions
Not sure how to go about finding other institutions
Other (please specify):________________________

Only respondents who answered “B” or “C” for question 4 will answer the question below, which will become their question number 6.

If you sought support through institutions other than your current institution, what strategies did you use to seek an institution to receive support through the NIH EIA program? Please select all that apply.

I focused on institutions where I had long-term relationship with mentor(s) and/or collaborator(s)

I focused on institutions based on my personal and family situation

I focused on institutions based on networking with other colleagues

I focused on institutions that advertised an open position

I focused on institutions that were specifically recruiting for the EIA program

I focused on the institutions where I have been offered a position

I focused on the institution where I have accepted a position

Other (please specify): _____________________________________________

7. What difficulties did you encounter due to the time allowed after the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) RFA-XX-XXX was released to actually submit an application?

8. What was the process you went through to be selected/nominated by the institution(s)?

I DID NOT undergo a competitive selection process

Please explain: ____________________________________________________________________________________

I DID undergo a competitive selection process

Please describe the review/approval process, including the selection criteria and materials requested: ________________

Section III. NIH EIA Grant Application

9. What challenges did you encounter in preparing the content of the NIH grant application to comply with the RFA instructions for the EIA program?

Section IV. Plans

10. In addition to submitting the NIH grant application for the EIA program, have you applied for other position(s)/appointment(s)? For example, postdoctoral position, faculty position, fellowship for a medical specialty, etc.

I have NOT applied for any other position/appointment.

I have applied for other position(s)/appointment(s). Please list the types of appointments below:

_________________________________________________________________

11. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of “skipping the post-doc or clinical fellowship” in terms of your career?

Section V. Suggestions

12. What are alternative methods for matching host institutions and candidates that might be more effective than the current method? Examples may include, awarding grants to institutions which then find suitable candidates, or allowing NIH to match host institutions and candidates.

13. How could NIH improve the EIA program (e.g., eligibility requirements, RFA instructions, letters of recommendations, review criteria and process, length of time, size and number of awards, etc.)?

VERSION B: APPLICANTS WHO RECEIVED THEIR DEGREE AND HAVE A POSITION OR APPOINTMENT

STOP: Only continue if you HAVE COMPLETED your medical residency or RECEIVED your terminal doctoral degree within

the preceding 12 months at the time of application. If this is not the case, please return to Question 3 and select either A or B.

4. What position/appointment do you have at your current institution at the time of application? For example, postdoctoral position, tenure-track faculty position, non-tenure track faculty position, etc.

4. Did you seek to receive support for the NIH EIA program through an institution other than your current one?

A. I ONLY sought support through my current institution

B. I sought support through institution(s), INCLUDING my current institution

Please indicate the number of institutions (including your current institution) through which you sought support______ (Please provide only numeric values)

C. I sought support through institution(s), but NOT my current institution

Please include the number of institutions through which you sought support_____ (Please provide only numeric values)

Section II: Seeking an Institution to receive support for the EIA Program

4. Please indicate how you would prioritize each of the following factors when seeking an institution to receive support through the NIH EIA program.

Factors	High Priority	Medium Priority	Low Priority	Not a Priority/ Not Applicable
a. Scientific fit to my current research at the institution
b. Familiarity with program and faculty at the institution
c. Access to collaborators at the institution
d. Reputation of the institution
e. Clear and comprehensive picture of the support environment from the institution
f. Financial support from the institution
g. Likelihood of being accepted at the institution
h. Confirmed appointment/position at the institution
i. Desirability of geographic location
j. Personal, family reasons
k. Other (please specify):_____________

Only respondents who answered “A” for question 5 will answer question 7 below.

4. If you ONLY applied to receive support for the NIH EIA program at your current institution, which of the following factors were considered in your decision process?

Factors	Yes	No	Not Applicable
Beneficial to research goals to stay at current institution
Resources (staff, equipment, etc.) provided by my current institution meet the needs of my research
Access to collaborators at my current institution
Established relationships at my current institution
Already have a position at my current institution
Insufficient time to search for other institutions
Not sure how to go about finding other institutions
Other (please specify):________________________

Only respondents who answered “B” or “C” for question 5 will answer the question below, which will become their question number 7.

If you sought support through institutions other than your current institution, what strategies did you use to seek an institution to receive support through the NIH EIA program? Please select all that apply.

I focused on institutions where I had long-term relationship with mentor(s) and/or collaborator(s)

I focused on institutions based on my personal and family situation

I focused on institutions based on networking with other colleagues

I focused on institutions that advertised an open position

I focused on institutions that were specifically recruiting for the EIA program

I focused on the institutions where I have been offered a position

I focused on the institution where I have accepted a position

Other (please specify): _____________________________________________

4. What difficulties did you encounter due to the time allowed after the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA RFA-XX-XXX) was released to actually submit an application?

4. What was the process you went through to be selected/nominated by the institution(s)?

I DID NOT undergo a competitive selection process

Please explain: ____________________________________________________________________________________

I DID undergo a competitive selection process

Please describe the review/approval process, including the selection criteria and materials requested: ________________

Section III. NIH EIA Grant Application

4. What challenges did you encounter in preparing the content of the NIH grant application to comply with the RFA instructions for the EIA program?

Section IV. Plans

4. In addition to submitting the NIH grant application for the EIA program, have you applied for other position(s)/appointment(s)? For example, post-doctoral position, tenure-track faculty position, etc.

I have NOT applied for any other position/appointment.

I have applied for other position(s)/appointment(s). Please list the types of appointments below:

_________________________________________________________________

Section V. Suggestions

4. What are alternative methods for matching host institutions and candidates that might be more effective than the current method? Examples may include, awarding grants to institutions which then find suitable candidates, or allowing NIH to match host institutions and candidates.

4. How could NIH improve the EIA program (e.g., eligibility requirements, RFA instructions, letters of recommendations, review criteria and process, length of time, size and number of awards, etc.)?

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