This call is open to undergraduate and graduate students with strong quantitative research skills and an interest in the patient safety field. The final study could be part of their undergraduate or graduate dissertation. The study is limited to only one student (principal researcher).

Studies are encouraged to use data from the HMA survey. The HMA survey is an instrument based on the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC), developed by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The HMA survey was carried out in the two AHRQ’s HSOPSC versions. Version 1 was implemented from 2018 to 2020, and it has more than 5,800 responses collected from 33 hospitals in Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and Honduras. Version 2 was carried out from 2021 to today, with a sample of more than 90,000 responses obtained from hospitals in Chile (97), Peru (76 hospitals), Colombia (39), Brazil (12), and Argentina (3). The surveys were conducted in public and private hospitals, including large health systems like Ministry of Health networks and private health networks. 

The HMA survey is anonymous and voluntary, and the study is approved by the FIU ethical committee through IRB numbers 19-0444 and 23-0320. Access to the HMA data is limited to de-identified records (respondents and hospitals are not identified) and requires confidentiality agreement to be signed by the researcher. The instrument with all questions collected is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese at https://hma.fiu.edu/hmasurvey

Proposals must demonstrate a clear and feasible plan for researching and analyzing existing data (preferably HMA data), with a focus on improving patient safety and outcomes.

Applicants should submit the following through this link:

i. A proposal that includes:

• A brief overview of the research question to be addressed and its significance to patient safety. (Max 300 words)

• A clear plan for using existing data, including the source of the data. (Max 200 words). See section 2 for the HMA data.

• The methods to be employed (must be quantitative) to answer the research question. (Max 500 words)

• The expected impact of the research on improving patient safety and hospital practices. (Max 100 words)

• A description of the deliverables, including any reports, publications, or presentations expected as part of the project. (Max 300 words). See section 5 below for the minimum number of deliverables.

• A detailed timeline for the completion of the project, including major milestones and expected outcomes. (Max 200 words). Consider the required minimum timeline in section 6.

ii. Researcher information:

• Full contact details of the principal researcher: Names, email, university, undergraduate or graduate program, and academic performance, in particular in quantitative courses.

• A brief paragraph explaining how this award aligns with the current or future research interest of the principal research. (Max 200 words).

Awardees will work closely with HMA’s research team throughout the project. HMA will assign one advisor to provide guidance on methodology, data analysis, and interpretation of results. The project will be a collaborative experience with regular interaction and mentorship between awardees and advisors. 

As part of this collaboration, the HMA advisor will be coauthor and corresponding author on any resulting publication. A peer-reviewed journal for publication will be selected together by the principal researcher and HMA. Journals in predatory lists or paid open source are excluded. See a sample of potential/acceptable journals in this list.

The recipients of this funding are expected to produce a published academic paper with three minimum deliverables: 

i. A first draft of the academic paper with full introduction (background, research question, literature review), methods and preliminary quantitative analysis. The manuscript must be written in English.

ii. A final draft of the academic paper suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal selected together by the principal researcher and HMA. Journals in predatory lists or paid open source are excluded. See a sample of potential/acceptable journals in this list.

iii. The published academic paper with the HMA advisor as second coauthor and corresponding author, and acknowledgment of HMA as a funding source.

• Call for Proposals opens: March 30, 2025

• Proposal submission deadline: September 30, 2025

• Notification of awardees: November 17, 2025

• Research period: October 2025 – October 2026

• First deliverable due: December 19, 2025

• Second deliverable due: May 15, 2026

• Academic manuscript submission due: October 16, 2026

• Third deliverable: No later than 18 months after submission. It is expected that during this waiting time the awardee will share all correspondence with HMA, including requirements for reviewed versions and response to reviewers.

HMA will select up to two proposals to receive funding of up to US$1,000 each. Award recipients will work closely with HMA’s team of advisors throughout the research process that should last up to 12 months. The HMA advisor will be listed as the second coauthor and corresponding author in any resulting publication, and it is expected that all output derived from the funded research will acknowledge HMA’s financial support.

Payment of the award is as follows: 30% after approval of first deliverable. 30% after submission to a peer-review journal (see second deliverable). 40% after full acceptance for publication.

Complete the application form in this link no later than September 30, 2025. You will be asked to fill out a form with your research proposal, and complete your researcher information (see section 3).

We look forward to reviewing your innovative proposals and collaborating to advance patient safety research!

For questions, please contact:
hma@fiu.edu