BMUS Research & Innovation Grant

BMUS provides a Research & Innovation Grant, which offers funding up to a maximum of £10k per annum to embrace any initiative that furthers the aims and objectives of BMUS. 

 

Examples of how the grant could be used :

 

  • Organising a meeting, study day, or network around a specific topic or group 
  • Creating guideline documents, or patient information materials, (e.g. a booklet for children undergoing an ultrasound exam to read with their parents so that they can understand more about what will happen during the scan).
  • Implement an ultrasound service innovation. Write a report for the Ultrasound journal about whether your initiative was successful in improving patient comfort or outcomes (e.g. introduction of a bladder scanner to improve bladder volume reproducibility for pelvic radiotherapy treatment)
  • Develop ultrasound teaching materials, simulations, or online tools/apps that can be made available through the BMUS website.
  • Conduct a national audit, survey, or service evaluation (e.g. of ultrasound QA, or AAA screening) to inform best practice.
  • Investigate a new ultrasound technology and provide some recommendations, or a systematic literature review/evidence synthesis.
  • Investigative studies (e.g. image quality, machine safety)
  • Scientific and clinical research studies.
  • Outreach and public patient involvement. 

Grant Terms and Conditions
The grants are to fund ultrasound-based education, studies or research projects which align with the broad aims of the Society which are:

  • To guide ultrasound practitioners in maintaining high standards of professional clinical ultrasound practice
  • For the advancement of scientific and clinical medical ultrasound research and technology
  • For leadership in medical ultrasound education and training, including provision of advice and information to the public.

Applications are welcome from BMUS members who have been a BMUS member for at least one year prior to the grant application. Co-applicants do not have to be BMUS members.

  1. Applications will be assessed throughout the year
  2. The maximum grant awarded is £10,000. However, more than one grant may be awarded up to the maximum allocated sum of £10,000 annually.
  3. A grant payment will be made at the start of the project and subsequent instalments will be given on completion of milestones associated with the project, which will be agreed in advance by the successful applicant and BMUS
  4. Time extensions for missed milestones may be given in mitigating circumstances and if the successful applicant notifies BMUS in a timely manner
  5. If the successful applicant decides not to complete the agreed work and has not taken reasonable steps to provide BMUS with a satisfactory alternative, BMUS will expect to recover any grant payments which have been made already
  6. On completion of the work, the successful applicant will be required to submit a short report to the BMUS quarterly newsletter, present the findings of the award at the BMUS annual scientific meeting (ASM) as either a poster or oral presentation and acknowledge BMUS funding in all publications related to this work.
  7. Travel and subsistence to BMUS ASM (in the year following the award) to present the results of the project should be included in the application (maximum £450).
  8. An assessment panel comprising of members of BMUS Council will consider applications and the decision-making process can take up to 6 months. The decision of BMUS is final and binding.

Format of Application
The case for the Research & Innovation Grant should be a maximum of 2 pages long.  Due to the wide-range of topics that BMUS are willing to consider for funding under this scheme, no clear structure will be imposed on the application except that each proposal must have 

  • a clear aim
  • a reasonable method and timeline that may fulfil the aim
  • justification of the resources requested 
  • how the proposal will benefit BMUS members, the wider ultrasound community, or patients, bearing in mind the Society’s aims and objectives 
  • a supporting letter from the Head of Department.

Applications should be made using the form which can be downloaded here and should be sent to office@bmus.org marked for the attention of Emma Tucker.

Successful applicants will be informed by email notification and also announced at the BMUS Annual Scientific Meeting in December each year.

Information & Application Form