Sound intriguing? Here are the basics.

AcademyHealth and the National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR) of the National Library of Medicine are hosting the second annual HSRProj Research Competition.

Graduate and undergraduate students will identify missing or under-represented topics in funded health systems and services research.

The students will use data from the NLM Health Services Research Projects in Progress (HSRProj) database, in conjunction with other sources, to identify research gaps—particularly in population health and social determinants of health.

Am I someone who should enter?

We are looking for health services research aficionados, sleuths, and visionaries, working alone or in small groups.

Specifically, this competition is for students in health policy, health services research, public health, health informatics, or information science/library science who are interested in—

• Understanding and identifying research gaps in health services research and related fields; and
• Gaining greater visibility as a new researcher in the fields of health services research and data science.

If this sounds like you, check out the contest details.

Can you tell me more about HSRProj?

HSRProj is a free, openly-accessible, searchable database of information about ongoing and recently completed health services, system, and policy research projects. HSRProj provides a snapshot of who is funding and conducting cutting-edge research, highlighting newly-funded projects long before their final results are published. HSRProj also reflects investments in health services research from the 1990s to the present, and so supports qualitative and quantitative analysis of trends and gaps in the focus and support of US health services and systems research.

Is there more information for me? How do I apply?

The application instructions specify eligibility criteria and what content you will need to submit. The contest deadline is March 23, 2018.

And if I win?

The winner or winning team will be invited to present their research as a featured poster at the 2018 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting in Seattle, Washington, June 24-26, 2018. In addition, the winner(s) will be invited to work with AcademyHealth staff to write a blog post for AcademyHealth’s website.

Tell me more about the sponsoring groups.

AcademyHealth is the leading national organization for health services researchers, policymakers, and health care practitioners and stakeholders. Funded by NLM, HSRProj is a joint effort of AcademyHealth and the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

NICHSR, a center within NLM, maintains free tools and resources for health services researchers, educators, decision makers, and the public health workforce. The center is dedicated to integrating resources for research and practice.

Can an NLM expert tell me why this competition is important?

Sure, let us introduce you, virtually, to Lisa Lang, head of NICHSR and NLM assistant director for Health Services Research Information.

Good questions are essential for good science; good science prompts further questions! We look forward to hearing your ideas for how to improve the scope of health services research to examine population health and social determinants of health. For assistance with your project, check out our tools and resources and visit your school’s library. 

Additional questions?

Please contact HSRProj@AcademyHealth.org.