[Start-up grants for young scientists in German medical universities : Can the clinical scientist be saved?]

BACKGROUND: German medical faculties currently have severe financial problems. There is the conflict between financing teaching medical students, inpatient and outpatient costs and supporting basic and applied research.

METHODS: Young postdocs can apply for a grant to start research projects to establish techniques on publishing data as a basis for applying for grants from the German Research Foundation or foundations with a critical review system. Successful applicants from the years 1998-2011 were asked to answer a questionnaire.

RESULTS: The annual number of applications ranged from 28 to 96 per year. Within the first period of our analysis ranging from 1998 to 2004, a mean number of 69.5 % ± 14.0 % of submitted grant applications were approved annually in comparison to an average approval of 30.9 % ± 11 % in the years 2006-2001. In total 353 projects were funded with a mean amount of money for a project of approximately 18,640 EUR. The mean amount of external grant money following the start-up period was 7.2 times the money initially spent. That is an excellent return of investment. There were no differences between applicants from the department of surgery or department of internal medicine. In the meantime, 56 % of men and 42 % of women have achieved the academic degree university lecturer (privatdozent). Furthermore, 71 % of the participants evaluated this start-up research as supportive for their postdoctoral qualification (habilitation).

CONCLUSION: The program for initial investment for young postdocs by internal start-up grants is overall successful.