THE NEED FOR FUNDING

Most radiology research is unfunded – the work is done without any financial support and the researchers are either giving up their time for free (almost all radiology research in South Australia is like this), or alternatively is supported by the radiologist’s wage in the form of protected research time during work hours. The latter situation is currently rare, although we hope it becomes more common as interest and support for high-quality research grows among the South Australian radiology community.

Clinicians are well placed to perform unfunded research, because unlike other academic professions we are capable of earning significantly above the average wage even when working part-time. Many clinicians decide that working on research is more valuable than working full time. Considering the benefits of research, such as the value of advancing knowledge and improving practice, the ability to gain world-class expertise, and the collaborative relationships formed with referrers, many radiologists see this a fair trade.

However, some research has significant costs attached. This is usually in the form of supplemental or expert staff, required for specific tasks. Examples include biostatisticians to assist with optimal study design as well as data analysis, research assistants for data collection, graphic designers to make publication quality figures and diagrams, and even post-doctoral students to perform parts of the research itself. Furthermore, travel to conferences to present research, publication costs and other related expenses can add up.

Higher degrees for radiologists also have costs attached. While all higher degrees by research (Masters, Doctorates) are fully Commonwealth funded, meaning you will pay no fees to undertake the degrees, they are very time consuming and as such even part-time work can be a challenge. This should be factored in to the decision to pursue higher degrees, and some of the cost of lost wages can be recouped via scholarships.

HOW MUCH CAN RESEARCH COST?

Research can be expensive. It is sensible to think of three major “tiers” of research in terms of cost:

  • Tier 1: no need for external funding. All elements of research are performed by people willing to accept the benefits of research as an “in-kind” payment. No paid professionals are involved. Even for significant research projects, the preliminary research phase is often in this category.
  • Tier 2: small amounts of additional funding. Short-term involvement of paid professionals, such as several days or weeks of work for a graphic designer or statistician. Many of these resources can be sourced within hospitals, often for free. For example Flinders Medical Centre has a staff graphic designer available for research tasks.
  • Tier 3: large projects involving multiple paid research professionals for extended periods of time. Very few radiology projects fall in this category, but the potential outcomes can be very important.

As a rough guide, the overall funding required at each tier is:

  • Tier 1: $0
  • Tier 2: $5,000 – $50,000
  • Tier 3: $100,000 – $1,000,000

Technically, a Tier 4 exists, but if you are ready to apply for grants of that level, you don’t need to read this page!

 

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HIGHER DEGREES BY RESEARCH

If you are pursuing a higher degree (masters or PhD) you may qualify for a scholarship. There are several sources of funding, but they essentially come in two flavours – NHMRC Practitioner Scholarships, and everything else.

 

NHMRC Practitioner Scholarships are designed specifically for doctors pursuing PhDs. They have several important features that make these more attractive for medical practitioners:

  • They are significantly more money, to offset the higher loss of income a doctor experiences undertaking a higher degree.
  • They allow part-time work, acknowledging the needs for clinician-researchers to maintain their clinical skills or progress through clinical training while undertaking long-term research.

 

Other scholarships are not specifically targeted towards clinicians. Examples include:

  • Divisional scholarships offered by various Schools within universities.
  • Australian Postgraduate Awards

These scholarships are still important and can help offset research costs, however they have significant limitations for doctors. Most notably, these scholarships often heavily restrict the amount of paid work you can do while receiving the scholarship. The trade-off here is very noticeable, even on a registrar’s wage, and the work limits will often conflict with minimum training requirements preventing you from progressing in the training program.

Please contact SARRN if you are considering a scholarship other than the NHMRC practitioner scholarship, as at least one SARRN member has been able to maintain an Australian Postgraduate Award and continue part-time work as a trainee.