Do intramural career development programs provide an advantage to rehabilitation scientists applying for merit-review scientific funding? A retrospective cohort study.

IntroductionThe Veterans Health Administration (VHA) offers intramural Career Development Awards (CDAs). The purpose of this research was to investigate if completing a VHA CDA influenced the funding success rate for subsequent VHA Merit Review award applications in rehabilitation science. MethodsA retrospective cohort study of all applicants who submitted a VHA Merit Review award application to the Rehabilitation Research, Development, and Translation (RRDT) Broad Portfolio from fiscal year 2020 to 2025 was performed. The factors of experience as a prior CDA recipient and the number of application submissions on the success of funding was evaluated in early investigators and mid-career/senior scientists. ResultsEarly-career investigators with prior VHA CDAs (n=14) submitted 32 new/revised applications for VHA Merit Review award funding. While early investigators with prior VHA CDAs had a numerically higher percentage of funding across the three application submission cycles (34.4% vs 25.0%), this factor was not statistically significant. Mid-career and senior investigators with prior VHA CDAs (n=78) submitted 180 new/revised applications and demonstrated an overall 30.0% funding success across the three-application submission cycle. Mid-career and senior investigators with prior VHA CDAs had a statistically significant increased odds of funding across the three-application submission cycle (30.0% vs 26.4%; ORunadj:1.62; ORadj: 1.54). DiscussionWhile investigators with prior VHA CDAs did not have a significant advantage when applying for VHA Merit Review awards from ORDs RRDT Portfolio during the early-career phase, there was a statistically significant benefit observed in mid-career and senior scientists on the initial application submission or overall. ConclusionBased on the potential benefits of the mentored research experience within the VA Medical Centers observed in the current study and in preceding studies, early-career scientists interested in working with Veterans are encouraged to apply for these awards following completion of the terminal degree or post-doctoral fellowship.