Jennifer Kong, PhD – The Early Career Voice

In pursuit of power productivity: key mindsets for career success from an MD MBA director (part 1)

July 28, 2021July 15, 2021 Jennifer Kong, PhD

In Santa Clara County, 75.6% of individuals (12 years+) are currently fully vaccinated. With cases of COVID-19 down and street traffic on the rise, it is clear that the “normal” I once dreamed of is quickly approaching. I am a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. In the laboratory, most restrictions are gone; there are no shifts, no distancing limits, and no limited room capacities. Yet, I still feel like I’m struggling. I still feel like I’m functioning at reduced productivity levels. While I completely acknowledge that my pre-pandemic lab hours were a bit crazy, and I should be okay with where I am, I want to get back to where I was. To help me with this, I spoke with an expert on productivity and stress, Dr. Steven Chan. Dr. Chan is on faculty at Stanford University, has taught students at the School of Business and School of Medicine, and has spoken and written on mental health at venues such as Google, NPR, and the American Psychiatric Association.

Please describe yourself and your pursuit of improved productivity?

I am currently a medical director at a busy service in Northern California. I also work on healthcare technology, focusing on projects in the area of digital mental health. I am interested in the application of mental health on technology, and how this can improve people’s lives.

Productivity has always been a lifelong pursuit for me. Growing up, I was always very busy with extracurriculars: music, martial arts, exam prep, newspaper, the list goes on. There was always a lot to do that required a lot of time to excel at it. Then, when I went to college, the pattern continued. Same thing again with work life.

Over time, I’ve realized that it’s not only important to understand how the right tools can help you get more done, but also how to identify the right work to tackle.

What do you mean by “right work?” How do you decide where to invest your time?

When I am approached with a new opportunity, I choose to take on new projects based on three criteria:

Enjoyment. Is this something I enjoy doing? Do I have good feelings?
Skills. Am I good at this task? Or, is this an opportunity to learn new skills?
Returns. Is there a return on investment (ROI)? This return doesn’t have to be purely financial and monetary; it could be rich in social connections. It could be valuable for your organization and yourself.

Ideally, new projects would have all three. Otherwise, a project would be imbalanced. Take enjoyment, for example. If a project involved evaluating pizza, well, I enjoy eating pizza, but it doesn’t take much skill and it’s unlikely someone would pay me to eat pizza.

Time is your most precious commodity. In careers such as medicine and science, there is an abundance of work and projects. Choose to do things that you enjoy, you are skilled at, and are worth your time.

I find myself saying “yes” to a lot of things — and I get overwhelmed! How do you say “no”? How do you deal with feelings that you are passing up on an opportunity?

Anytime you say “yes” to something, you have to be aware that you are saying “no” to other opportunities.

When people think about the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) or the fear of disappointing others, they think that they are permanently closing the door on an opportunity. This is simply not true.

In the past, I used to say “yes” to a lot of opportunities because I didn’t know where to best invest my time. The key to choosing good opportunities is to first have a good bird’s eye view of the opportunities out there. This requires some work and reflection. Know all the things going on in your life, identify your goals and values, and then get to know all the opportunities available to you. And after doing all this, make commitments using the three criteria we discussed earlier.

One final point, have regularly-scheduled reviews of your commitments. Do a weekly assessment, think about all the things you want to accomplish in a week, a month, and a year. Then adjust your commitments to ensure your maximal efforts line up with your long-term goals.

I feel like I am always short on time. What are the top 3 things I can do to help me with my productivity?

There are a lot of calendar hacks and to-do tips out there. But having the right mindset is critical before taking on new apps and new techniques:

Keep experimenting. There is no one perfect solution or single app that will organize your life. However, there is a whole community out there devoted to time optimization and productivity. These solutions and best practices evolve and change as you move through life. For example, when I transitioned from medical school to the work world, I quickly realized that it was no longer sufficient to write things down on paper. So, I turned to automated calendars. Now I use Busycal and Google Calendar, with Outlook at my main job.

Do reflections and get to know yourself. You can’t understand what you are good at, what you enjoy, and what you want in life without self-reflection. I remember going through the motions of classes and training, and it wasn’t until I got to stop and reflect that I truly was able to ensure a better balance between work and self-care.

Know your energy levels. For example, I know that I can’t get anything done in the evenings because I’m exhausted. When I was in medical school, I used to beat myself up over this because I felt the need to study every evening. But, now I know that I have much more energy in the mornings and commit more time to getting work done then. In addition to knowing when you work best, you can hack your energy levels by optimizing caffeine intake and exercise to boost energy levels when required.

Lastly, adjust your surroundings. Equip yourself with the right technology — fast, reliable computers; fast, reliable internet; and fast, reliable smartphones. Surround yourself with the right people to maximize your output. The energy levels of your peers matter. Establishing an environment with minimal toxicity and drama is essential. Do this at work, at home, and in your relationships.

How do you quiet that inner critic? How do you deal with feelings that you are not doing enough or not making enough progress?

Recontextualize or reframe this to determine if this feeling of inadequacy is true. Again, make time for reflection. List out all your projects and accomplishments, and then assess if you really are not doing enough. Ideally, a therapist, counselor, or coach can help you with this reflection — but there are so many worksheets and courses on the internet to guide you in doing the same.

Every year, instead of making New Year’s resolutions, I assess all the things I have done and the things I have failed at. Yes, I keep a failure list, which sounds horrifying. I can’t tell you how many internships, jobs, relationships, and projects of mine have failed! But, I feel having a list of failures is an important step in beating perfectionism. A failure isn’t a bad thing. It means you are experimenting! Experimentation is good, leads to growth, and helps you learn. While failure can be a brutal blow to self-esteem, we need to fail in life. Failure provides feedback. In fact, if we have repeated failures, this tells us that we need to make significant changes in what we’re doing!

Are there resources that you would suggest to help with improved productivity and mental health?

Take a look at articles published in the business world regarding productivity and human performance. In business, people want to get the most out of their precious resources: time, money, and human resources. Read up on project management techniques, as these will help you run efficient labs, manage clinical teams, and even run research papers and grant-writing projects.

Where can you find these? A major resource is a library or even your HR team: many universities and workplaces have access to LinkedIn Learning and Skillshare. And, Mental Power Hacks — the website I run — plus my social media feeds at @mpowerhacks, also feature a lot of these techniques. I know this is a lot, and you won’t conquer it all in one sitting, but incorporate this learning in your routines to build these skills over time.

Thank you so much for these! In our next blog entry, we’ll talk about how to improve your productivity by managing relationships in both work and social life.

“The views, opinions and positions expressed within this blog are those of the author(s) alone and do not represent those of the American Heart Association. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them. The Early Career Voice blog is not intended to provide medical advice or treatment. Only your healthcare provider can provide that. The American Heart Association recommends that you consult your healthcare provider regarding your personal health matters. If you think you are having a heart attack, stroke or another emergency, please call 911 immediately.”

25 Useful Tips for Establishing a Writing Routine

May 21, 2021May 13, 2021 Jennifer Kong, PhD

I am a notorious writing procrastinator. As a graduate student, I consistently used stress and the doom of pending deadlines to drive my writing practices. While I rarely missed deadlines, this writing process was exhausting and often left me reluctant to initiate new writing tasks. Determined to break the cycle, I began integrating a writing routine into my schedule as a postdoc. At its core, a writing routine is a commitment, a promise to adhere to regular writing habits to more effectively tackle large writing tasks. However, a writing routine can be so much more than a tool. By carving out time and a sacred space in which to write, these practices can bring back joy to the task of writing. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not easy. Developing a solid writing routine requires commitment, practice, and revision (as you identify and modify what works for you). After six years of working with a writing routine, I am still far from perfect and stray all the time from good practices, especially when a deadline appears deceptively distant. However, writing routines have changed my feelings about writing and I would encourage everyone to give them a try. I recently ran a Writing Routine Workshop where I asked the class about their strategies for maximizing their writing productivity. So, if you are starting a writing routine or looking for ways to improve the routine you have, here are 25 new ideas to try out.

Define your writing time. Determine what time is best for you and block off this time on your calendar. Some people write best in the morning after a cup of coffee. Other people write best in the evening when life is a bit quieter.
Establish a writing area. Set yourself up for writing success by creating an environment that allows you to write productively.
Identify and eradicate distractions. Major distractions include cell phones and the internet. Among workshop participants, techniques to minimize distractions varied widely. Among the methods shared: put down your cell phone, turn off your cell phone, and close all of the windows in your internet browser. One individual even said they turn off their WiFi router to avoid distractions — yikes.
Pick out some good tunes or move to a quiet space. Some people require absolute silence, while others write best while listening to music. Figure out what helps you get in the zone and incorporate this into your routine.
When you are stuck, go for a walk. Sometimes getting up and moving around can help you develop new ideas or break up long writing sessions.
Exercise. For many people, exercise and writing go hand in hand. Some people come up with their best ideas while jogging. Try it out!
Treat yourself! After you write a substantial amount text or for a considerable amount of time, reward yourself with a snack, a drink, or some time on the internet.
Gamify your writing. Keep track of how many words you write each day and try to write as much or more each subsequent day.
Use productivity apps or the Pomodoro Technique to stay focused for short writing bursts.
Non-science writing before science writing. “Warm-up” first by writing about non-science topics before writing about science.
Read to inspire. Read an inspiring paper or grant before writing.
Write now, edit later. Write freely and then edit later.
Form a writing pact with friends. Start a writing routine with a friend, then hold each other accountable.
Write with others. Similarly, you can form a writing team. Commit to a time and place (even over Zoom works) to write together. Encourage each other to stay the course.
Force yourself to write by creating artificial deadlines. Promise to send a draft to a friend or mentor and adhere to this promise.
Quiet that inner negative voice. Don’t get discouraged and toss out what you just wrote after you write. First, acknowledge that you are writing the first draft and that it won’t be perfect from the very beginning. Second, figure out what you don’t like about what you wrote and work to make it better. Third, seek feedback from others if you cannot figure out what you don’t like about what you wrote because sometimes you need an outside perspective.
Coffee or tea. Caffeine is sometimes the stimulant people need to get started. The ritual of preparing a cup of coffee or tea can also function as a trigger to begin the writing process.
Break it down. Break up your large (seemingly impossible) writing task into smaller accomplishable pieces. Then create a schedule to space out deadlines and help you finish the writing task.
Build writing bridges. At the end of your writing time, note down what you want to write next. A writing bridge will help you start writing again and excite you to continue.
Just sit there and write. Commit to your writing time. Even if you are stuck, make yourself sit there and write. If you are having an uninspired writing day, start by with an easier writing task like the materials and methods (for a paper) or the personal statement (for a grant).
Get out of the lab. On par with avoiding distractions, sometimes it’s just best to write in a space with fewer distractions.
Snack writing. Acknowledge that you cannot set aside large swaths of time for writing and begin writing in small snack-like pieces. Write while eating lunch. Write down notes while waiting for a spin or a reaction to occur.
Outline it! If you don’t know where to start, begin with a rough outline and gradually expand on areas until you have a coherent first draft.
Awake writing vs. sleepy writing. There are times when we are all tired and unable to write our best. On these days, focus on more manageable writing tasks like preparing outlines or writing documents that require less mental energy like figure legends or the equipment document of your NIH grant.
Adapt your writing routine as needed. On average, it takes about 66 days for a daily practice to become a habit. Be kind and honest to yourself. If your writing routine is not working for you, adjust it to fit your needs. Most importantly, try to stick with it.

Additional resources
1. Peterson TC, Kleppner SR, Botham CM (2018). Ten simple rules for scientists: Improving your writing productivity. PLoS Computational Biology 14(10): e1006379. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006379
2. Gardiner M and Kearns H (2011). Turbocharging your writing today. Nature 475: 129-130. doi:10.1038/nj7354-129a

Updates to the NIH Biosketch

April 22, 2021April 20, 2021 Jennifer Kong, PhD

For this week’s blog, I wanted to focus on a central component of any NIH grant — the biosketch. Did you know that the NIH is updating the biosketch format for all applications due on or after May 25th, 2021? Did you know that your application can get rejected if a biosketch in your grant application is formatted incorrectly? Regardless of where you are in your research career, if you are planning to apply for an NIH grant, it’s a great time to either get started on your biosketch or update what you have.

What is an NIH biosketch?
An NIH biographical sketch (or biosketch) is a five-page resume of your scientific work. A biosketch is required for all NIH grant applications and renewals. Like a resume, the goal of the biosketch is to communicate to the reviewers that you are the ideal person to undertake the research proposed. In its current form, the biosketch consists of four sections: (A) Personal Statement, (B) Positions and Honors, (C) Contributions to Science, and (D) Additional Information: Research Support or Scholastic Performance.

How to get started writing your NIH biosketch?
There are two major types of biosketches: Fellowship (for F-awards) and Non-Fellowship (for most other awards, including K-awards and R-awards). The NIH biosketch needs to be written in a specific format. The format varies a tiny bit between Fellowship and Non-Fellowship types, so first determine which kind of biosketch you want to prepare. There are two options to get started:

Download the appropriate biosketch sample from the NIH Grants and Funding website and modify it as needed.
Use the NIH SciENcv website (linked to your My NCBI account) to create your biosketch. I love this website and highly recommend giving this approach a try. The NIH SciENcv website is a joy to work with and incredibly simple to use. All you need to do is create a personal NIH bibliography, input all your information, and then export your biosketch as either a Word Document or PDF. The NIH SciENcv website automatically formats your citations and correctly inserts your data into the biosketch layout.

What are the major changes to the new biosketch?

For a complete list of changes, read more about the upcoming changes to the biographical sketch and other support format page in the NIH notice here: NOT-OD-21-073. As you will read, the changes are few but significant. I’ve highlighted a few of the major changes here in bolded italics.

Section B has been renamed. Instead of “Positions and Honors” it is now “Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors.” In this section you now need to include both domestic and foreign positions and scientific appointments. The NIH is asking that individuals now list any affiliations with foreign entities or governments. If this applies to you, definitely read through this section carefully as titles can include full-time, part-time, or even voluntary positions.
In Section B, the “Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors” should now be listed in reverse chronological order. In the past, these materials were listed in chronological order.
For non-Fellowship biosketches, Section D (Additional Information: Research Support) has been removed. In its place, details about ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years should be included in Section A (Personal Statement).

What are the major changes to the “Other Support” section?

While the changes to the NIH biosketch are minimal, in the same notice (NOT-OD-21-073) the NIH will now require more documentation for the “Other Support” section of your grant. These changes include:

Inclusion of all resources, including in-kind contributions (i.e. office/laboratory space, equipment, supplies, or researchers supported by an outside source).
Addition of a signature block (for the Principal Investigator and Other Senior/Key Personnel) to certify the accuracy of the information.

Conquering the K99 (Part 2)

March 16, 2021March 15, 2021 Jennifer Kong, PhD

Greetings postdocs! Are you thinking about applying for a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award? Here are ten tips to help you get started.

Make a submission timeline and apply sooner rather than later

To apply for a K99, an applicant must not have more than four years of postdoctoral research experience. Surprisingly, determining your postdoctoral start date is not trivial. Generally speaking, the clock begins when your degree was conferred (a date documented by your university). Recently, the NIH released two notices indicating that an applicant can apply for a one-year extension on their eligibility window due to childbirth (NOT-OD-20-011) or a two-receipt cycle extension due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 (NOT-OD-20-158). In deciding when to apply, you need to do the submission math to ensure that you provide yourself enough time to resubmit your application if required. There are three times a year (or cycles) in which you can apply. The review process is long, and you must account for a gap cycle between the initial submission and resubmission. For example, if you apply for a K99 in the first cycle, you will not get your score and comments back in time to resubmit in the second cycle. The earliest you will be able to resubmit your application is in the third cycle.

Make a checklist

The K99 is a beast of a proposal. In the end, my K99 application was 87 pages long. But, fear not. The trick is to divide and conquer. First, go to the NIH Grants and Funding website and download the application guide. Then, to stay organized and motivated, make a checklist of all the items you need to prepare. Here is the checklist I made below.

*Items that you will need to gather from others.

Create and adhere to a writing routine

Establish a writing routine to avoid panic writing and sleepless nights. Specifically, create a list of writing rules for yourself. Determine when you will write, where you will write, and the conditions under which you will write. To build accountability, share your writing plan with others and establish artificial deadlines to ensure you stay on track to complete your application on time. For more writing routine ideas, check out the article “Ten simple rules for scientists: Improving your writing productivity” (Peterson et al., 2018) for inspiration.

Sketch out your research plan before you write your specific aims

In writing a K99, one of the most intimidating tasks is to develop a research plan that is that the magic combination of significant, innovative, and feasible. In coming up with a plan, start early, create rough outlines, discuss your unrefined ideas with other scientists (i.e., friends, lab members, and mentors), and then edit as needed until you have a solid plan. Once you have a solid plan, then begin writing your specific aims. In preparing your research plan, avoid nested aims, where one aim’s success depends on another aim’s success. Also, focus on hypothesis-driven science where any outcome (positive or negative) is informative. Avoid writing yourself into experimental corners and dead ends.

Identify the NIH institute that is right for you

The NIH consists of 27 different institutes and centers. To determine which institute to apply to, use the NIH RePORTER Matchmaker tool to find the institute that is the best match for your research. If there are multiple options available, look up the published success rate of an institute’s K99s and consider picking the institute with the higher success rate. Alternatively, choose the institute where your mentor has already successfully applied to and received an NIH grant.

Contact your institute’s program officer

After you write a solid draft of your specific aims, contact your institute’s program officer. What is a program officer? Each NIH institute has program officers responsible for a set of grants (Ks, Fs, or Rs). Throughout the application process, the program officer is your primary NIH contact with whom you discuss materials regarding your grant’s content. The program officer makes significant funding decisions, including if your grant fits within the scope of the institute you are applying to. Thus, it is important to contact them sooner rather than later. Before you write the rest of your proposal, check in with your program officer to ensure that your grant matches the institute. You don’t want your grant to get rejected because of a poor fit.

Gather an excellent scientific mentoring team

One of the joys of the K99 writing process is that you have the opportunity to submit six letters of support. Use this opportunity to initiate collaborations and build an incredible scientific mentoring team that will help you execute experiments and provide mentorship for the long uphill climb that is obtaining a faculty position.

Don’t forget that the K99 is a transition grant, so let your training potential shine through

A common mistake is that people overstate their early postdoctoral accomplishments, elaborating on all that they have already learned and executed. Singing your praises is excellent, don’t take it out! However, don’t forget to include plans that beautifully elaborate on all the learning the K99 will fund and how this additional knowledge will elevate your science. Remember, the K99/R00 is a transition award. The K99 is supposed to be the training period that prepares you for the R00 independent phase.

Plan ahead and carve out the time to prepare a solid application

My mentor told me that time is your most precious resource. The K99 requires a lot of time and planning to execute well. If possible, put your experiments on hold and commit focused time to prepare your application. In addition to communicating with your program officer at the NIH, initiate early communications with the individuals at your university/institute that will help you prepare your budget and potentially other components of your grant.

Talk to others

Regardless of how much you read and how thoroughly you go through the application materials, you will have questions as you prepare your application. For these questions, your most powerful asset is your mentor and your postdoc peers that have already applied, so seek their advice. The process is long and hard, but regardless of the outcome, the exercise of writing the grant will help you think more deeply about your science and facilitate new collaborations.

Good luck and happy writing!

References

Peterson TC, Kleppner SR, Botham CM (2018) Ten simple rules for scientists: Improving your writing productivity. PLoS Comput Biol 14(10): e1006379. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006379

Conquering the K99 (Part 1)

February 18, 2021February 16, 2021 Jennifer Kong, PhD

Greetings postdocs! I wanted to share my experience with postdoc fellowships and grants for this month’s blog. As a postdoctoral researcher, I applied to over 15 grants and fellowships. Getting funding as a postdoc is difficult, and I did not receive most of the grants I applied to. However, my research proposal improved with each subsequent application, and I eventually found success first with an American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship (thanks AHA!) and later with a K99 Pathway to Independence Award. Over the past two years, I have been a grant-writing coach and in the next few blogs wanted to share the many things I learned about applying for NIH funding.

What is the K99/R00?
The K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award is an NIH career development award that supports up to five years of research. The five years consist of up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral training (K99) and 3 years of independent support that funds your brand-new laboratory (R00).

Who is eligible to apply?
Unlike most NIH grants, both US citizens and non-US citizens (with a research or clinical doctoral degree) are encouraged to apply! Typically postdocs have four years (after degree conferral) to apply for a K99. However, postdocs can request extensions for numerous reasons, including medical issues, disability, family care responsibilities, and natural disasters. Recently, the NIH released two new notices that allow postdocs to apply for a one-year extension for childbirth (NOT-OD-20-011) and a two-receipt cycle extension for disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic (NOT-OD-20-158).

Should I apply?

If you are eligible and have any inkling that you want to pursue a career in academics, then go for it! In my experience, postdocs often build a wall of concerns that delay their application process. Let me address a few of the most common concerns I have heard here:

“I don’t have a chance at getting a K99 because I do not have a first-author postdoc publication yet.” You don’t have any chance of receiving a K99 if you never apply. While it is true that having multiple publications will likely strengthen your application and that some reviewers are overly critical of a lack of publications, I have met postdocs that received a K99 without a first-author publication. Do not disqualify yourself! It is better to apply without a first-author publication and address this issue in your resubmission instead of applying late and not giving yourself sufficient time to reapply.
“I don’t have enough preliminary data to write a K99.”
The K99/R00 is unique in that it is a transition grant. The research you propose to do for your K99 must have a substantial training component that will elevate your science-self. Thus, while the science is important, the NIH is looking to fund people, not projects. The preliminary data’s sole purpose is to convince the reviewers that your project is feasible. Instead of worrying about gathering more preliminary data, refocus this energy towards building a strong team (aka. your scientific committee) that will function as the foundation of your training plan.
“NIH success rates are low. I don’t think I’ll get it, and it’s not worth trying.”

Compared to other grants and fellowships, the K99 success rate is relatively high (~24% in 2019, with significant variability depending on the institute). Admittedly, preparing a K99 does take a lot of time. However, there are many benefits, even if you don’t get the award. First, it’s an excellent exercise in thinking deeply about your research. Second, it’s great practice for writing NIH grants. Lastly, in organizing your scientific committee, you have the potential to gain additional mentors and build real collaborations that can help you and your research succeed.

In my next blog, I will cover how to get started writing a K99, so stay tuned!

In Pursuit of Converting Resolutions into Regular Routines

January 21, 2021January 21, 2021 Jennifer Kong, PhD

I love the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. At the stroke of midnight, you take a moment to reflect on the past year and think about all the things you would like to do better in the next… call my parents more often, express more gratitude to those around me, eat out less, save more, read and write more, go to bed earlier, drink more water… my list of planned improvements goes on and on. With a new year dawning, everything seems possible on January 1st. However, like so many others, I tend to make lots of New Year’s resolutions in January, stick with them for a few weeks, and then gradually abandon them by February as deadlines build and the reality of life sets in. Determined to defy the odds and convert my resolutions into routines this year, I sought strategies online. No surprise, there are many articles out there, but here are three pieces of advice that I found helpful and will use to better design my resolutions this year.

Be honest with yourself and choose a well-defined resolution that is achievable. “False hope syndrome” is a term used by psychologists to describe the cycle of making overambitious goals, experiencing discouragement when these goals are not achieved, and then returning to the same overambitious goals in the future with the false hope that the results will be different (J. Polivy 2001; Janet Polivy and Herman 2002). This cycle of continued failure can overtime lower an individual’s self-esteem. Thus, to avoid this outcome, be reasonable about your goals. In addition, as the year progresses and the goal feels increasingly out of reach, feel free to refine your goals to ensure that slow (but steady) progress is still made.
Set yourself up for success with a plan. Design a plan that includes tasks that will make it easier to adhere to your goals. In addition, in your plan provide opportunities for immediate rewards that will help you keep going. Studies have shown that immediate rewards help individuals stay motivated and ultimately promote the success of long-term goals (Woolley and Fishbach 2017).
Establish accountability by working with like minded people. In a recent study of over 1000 resolution makers (Oscarsson et al. 2020), it was found that individuals in social support groups were more likely to stick with their resolutions than individuals tackling their resolutions alone. Thus, when you make a resolution, share it with others and find support groups where you can encourage one another to keep going.

My resolution for 2021: Establish a writing routine
As an academic, a recurring personal resolution has been to establish a writing routine to stay on top of my many writing tasks. In adhering to the three pieces of advice above, my achievable resolution will be to write for 1 hour a day (5 days a week) in the morning before I get started with my lab work. To ensure I write daily, I will plan to write as I drink my coffee, which I have every morning. With regards to immediate rewards, my immediate reward will be a functional first draft of a paper. Lastly, to ensure I keep with this routine, I will form a writing group with my fellow postdocs.

References

FA… wha? Oh… FAHA! Becoming a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA)

November 16, 2020November 16, 2020 Jennifer Kong, PhD

Curious about what a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) was, I attended the “Journey to becoming FAHA” panel discussion this afternoon to learn more from Dr. Annet Kirabo (Vanderbilt University), Dr. Nasrien Ibrahim (Massachusetts General Hospital), Dr. Swapnil Hiremath (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute), and Dr. Antonio Cabrera (University of Utah). Collectively, this panel covered many topics for the FAHA curious. Below are some of the major questions answered.

What is a FAHA and how do I become one?
Broadly speaking, a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) is a physician, scientist, nurse, or other healthcare professionals that has made sustained contributions to the field of cardiovascular disease and/or stroke. General FAHA requirements include a history of AHA membership (i.e.being an AHA partner for at least two years), holding a Premium Professional or Premium Professional Plus membership, possessing an affiliation with one of the 16 AHA Scientific Councils, and a letter of recommendation from an existing FAHA member. However, each Scientific Council has an additional set of FAHA criteria that must be met for a successful application, so do your research and make sure you qualify. Each year, there are two FAHA application due dates, meaning there are many opportunities to apply. To learn more, check out the American Heart Association (AHA) website: https://professional.heart.org/en/partners/fellow-of-aha.

What are the benefits of becoming a FAHA?
As stated on the AHA website, the many benefits of becoming a FAHA include free online access to AHA journals, priority registration for AHA Scientific Sessions, and reduced registration fees to AHA meetings. However, all of the panelists highlighted the additional networking benefits of being a FAHA that have helped them in their early careers. Dr. Cabrera specifically noted that the AHA is an excellent source of role models and mentors for both scientists and clinicians. In addition, Dr. Ibrahim noted that being a FAHA has been helpful for her research, with networking ultimately resulting in more publication and speaking opportunities.

How can I showcase my commitment to the AHA? What kinds of AHA service opportunities are there?
To successfully become a FAHA means showing sustained commitment and service to the AHA. Thankfully, the AHA makes this easy. As Dr. Kirabo noted, on the AHA website you can fill out the Science Volunteer Form to receive emails with volunteer opportunities. In addition, Dr. Ibrahim promoted the AHA Early Career and FIT Blogging Program, which initially allowed her to amplify her voice in the cardiovascular health and clinical cardiology fields.

If I am not a researcher, does a lack of published paper prevent you from becoming a FAHA?

Depending on the Scientific Council you are applying to, a lack of publications can play a role. However, Dr. Cabrera noted that there is a great deal of variation in assessing productivity and scholarship and that the AHA tries to create opportunities for teachers and clinicians (not only research scientists) by assessing achievement using criteria beyond publications.

If I applied but was not approved to be a FAHA the first time, what should I do? How can I improve my chances?
Check the criteria for becoming a FAHA. Check with a FAHA on your Scientific Council and determine where the gap is and how it can be filled. Most importantly, don’t give up — try again!

Do you have any last pieces of advice for FAHA applicants?

Use your two years of required AHA membership to build up your AHA service — most importantly, commit this service to something you are genuinely interested in. Get a solid personalized letter of recommendation from an existing FAHA member for your application. Lastly, don’t hesitate, just do it.

Find out more about FAHA: https://professional.heart.org/en/partners/fellow-of-aha

Greatness in Grant Writing

November 15, 2020November 15, 2020 Jennifer Kong, PhD

As a first time AHA Scientific Session attendee, I was thrilled with the diversity of topics covered in today’s program. As I learned about topics ranging from structural racism in science and healthcare to the difficulty associated with diagnosing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, I had the opportunity to see some of the major challenges that prevail in cardiovascular health and was in awe of the advances being made to address them.

As a researcher constantly striving to write better grants and fellowships, I would highly recommend checking out the recording of “My first grant writing breakthrough — tips and tricks for early career researchers” by Lifestyle Council’s Early Career Committee. In this Zoom hosted chat, Dr. Alain Bertoni (Wake Forest School of Medicine), Dr. Norrina Allen (Northwestern University), and Dr. Kara Whitaker (University of Iowa) shared their secrets for grant writing success. Below are a few points that I took away with me.

Give yourself time to write
I was surprised to learn that some of the panelists had spent years working on a research idea and crafting it into a successful R01 grant. While most of us don’t have the luxury of years to write a grant, the panelists made it clear that writing a solid specific aims page (the backbone of any NIH grant) is a long process that requires many drafts and critical feedback from close colleagues. Thus, a theme repeated throughout the panel was time. Give yourself a lot of time to write and start your grant writing process as early as possible.

Surround yourself with people that are smarter than you are

Don’t be shy, reach out to others for help. A constant theme of this session was the sense that our peers are our strongest asset. As the grant will be read by experts in the field, the panelists emphasized that it is likewise important to get feedback from knowledgeable peers to ensure that the science is exciting, the approach is solid, and that the ideas you are presenting are fundable.

Read other grants and try to gain the first-hand experience with the NIH peer review process

In a final tips takeaway, the panelists noted that one of the best ways new faculty members can learn how to write excellent grants is to expose themselves to excellent grants. This can be achieved through reading successful grants written by peers. Alternatively, the NIH has an Early Career Reviewer Program that allows early-career scientists to participate in the NIH peer review process to help them understand how grants are evaluated.