Evaluation of Early-Mid Career Grants demonstrates excellent value for NSW 

Researcher retention and improved healthcare practice and policy are some of many benefits highlighted by an independent evaluation of the Early-Mid Career Grant Program.  

In 2016, the Office for Health and Medical Research established the Early-Mid Career Grant Program to support researchers in the early years of their careers before they have established their own research groups and laboratories. The first of its kind in Australia when initially launched, the Program now awards up to $500,000 (over three years) to provide funding for research, professional development, and equipment. 

Evaluating the outcomes 

The ongoing and far-reaching benefits of the Program have been highlighted in the recent report undertaken by the Hunter Medical Research Institute titled ‘The Impact and process evaluation of the NSW Health Early Mid-Career Grant Program 2024’. The independent assessment tracked results of the first two funding rounds which, combined, offered 30 research grants totalling $11.1 million. The report highlights significant positive impacts related to knowledge, policy, practice, community, and the economy, and has affirmed that the Program provides outstanding value to NSW.  

Key program aims

Attracting and retaining skilled early-mid career researchers within the NSW health and medical research sector is a priority of the Program which supports projects that build capacity and capability in areas of identified need. The Program is designed to encourage collaboration and leadership and prioritises translation from bench to bedside. It also supports researchers to gain additional grants and fellowships from national competitive grant schemes, philanthropic sources and industry.  

A snapshot of outcomes

The report highlighted many positive impacts including: 

Knowledge sharing

The 30 projects funded in the two rounds resulted in 313 published papers. Almost 70% of these were in Tier 1 publications, the most rigorous and respected of scientific journals. By the end of 2023, these articles had collectively been cited more than 8,072 times. Grant recipients gave 335 presentations, were the focus of 10 national television news stories, and created several datasets now accessed by other researchers. 
 
Capacity building and collaboration

The Program enhanced knowledge sharing and new partnerships, evidenced by the initiation of 196 new collaborations, 52 of them international. Recipients held 84 positions on more than 40 research networks and committees. Collectively, they supervised 35 PhD students and mentored 61 researchers, building future research capacity across NSW.

Skills acquisition 

Health and medical researchers require ongoing training and skill development, but their learning is greatest in the early phase of their career, so skills development is a central pillar of the Program. During the period of funding, researchers developed 80 new skills and enhanced 125 existing research skills. Main skills acquired or enhanced included research translation, research leadership and management, evaluation methods, health systems research, imaging, and implementation science.  

Policy change

Up-to-the-minute evidence-based policy is pivotal to best healthcare practice and 30% of the funded research projects directly contributed to policy change, particularly in heart health. Examples include the 2017 Atrial Fibrillation SCREEN White Paper, 2017 European Heart Rhythm Association Atrial Fibrillation Screening Consensus Document and 2018 Atrial Fibrillation guidelines for the Australian Heart Foundation/ Cardiac Society of Australia & New Zealand.  
 
Practice changes

Twelve projects enabled changes to research or health practices in areas such as genetic sequencing and profiling, heart health and cancer diagnosis. For example, whole genomic sequencing was used for a project called, ‘Improving Mitochondrial Disease Diagnosis’, led by Dr Ryan Davis. As a result of this research, Mitochondrial Disease diagnosis is now faster and less invasive.  
 
Community benefits

Practice changes arising from the Program have translated into community benefits. For example, Professor Robyn Clay-Williams, led work on an innovative new system design which improved safe patient flow through Emergency Departments at Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals.  
 
Economic benefit

The return on investment for the first two rounds of the Program was almost seven dollars for every dollar of NSW funding (after adjustment for inflation). The program assisted researchers to leverage 145 additional grants and fellowships, many from nationally competitive grant schemes, valued at over $145 million.  

Career progression

Many recipients credited the Program with developing and progressing their careers, with 97% still working in the NSW health and medical research sector five to six years after the grants were awarded. Recipients of the grants saw faster career progression than their peers, with promotions coming two years sooner than similar career researchers. They gave examples of how the grant completely changed their career trajectory, allowing them to stay in research, establish their own research groups, and go on to supervise PhD students to become researchers of the future. 

Read the full report on our website.