This week, Prof Tom Wainwright was privileged to review grant proposals for the National Institute of Health and Care Research and The Academy of Medical Sciences.
In this blog post, Prof Wainwright shares his reflections on being an external and expert reviewer.
In healthcare research, grants are crucial support mechanisms to fuel projects from cutting-edge medical research to transformative healthcare initiatives. I am privileged to be an external and expert reviewer for numerous grant applications and proposals. Through these experiences, I continue to learn and reflect on the profound value this role offers to applicants and their projects, reviewers like myself, and the broader healthcare community.
The key role of serving as an expert reviewer is to objectively assess the feasibility, significance, and potential impact of proposed projects. By ensuring that only the most deserving proposals are funded, we, as reviewers, have the power to direct healthcare research and initiatives towards areas that genuinely need attention and have promise. This process aims to help allocate resources to support projects that could improve treatment, prevention, and patient care.
However, the assessment should always go beyond a simple approval or rejection. Constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement are precious for applicants, offering them a more straightforward path to refine their proposals. I have benefitted from this hugely when applying for my research grants, so I always provide clear feedback and recommendations. More broadly, at the end of a busy week of reviewing, I also reflect on the positive effect it has on my professional development, as I find that reviewing a wide range of proposals offers a unique opportunity to stay updated on the latest trends, innovations, and directions in healthcare research. This exposure continues to broaden my perspective and fuel my research ideas and ambitions.
Therefore, I will continue to see my role as an expert reviewer not just as a ‘part of the job’ but as a fantastic opportunity to shape the future of healthcare, serve the research community, and further my personal and professional growth. The experience of reviewing a wide range of proposals this week, staying updated on the latest trends, innovations, and directions in healthcare research, and broadening my own perspective has been inspiring and highly motivating.
