[The Junior Research Academy 2017 of the German Research Foundation (DFG) - Promotion of Young Researchers in Health Services].

The fourth Junior Research Academy in Health Services Research was once again funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) in 2017. The academy was initiated by the Centre for Health and Society (chs) in Düsseldorf with the participation of the Centre for Health Services Research Cologne (ZVFK), the Research Centre for Health Communication and Health Services Research (CHSR) of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy of the University Hospital Bonn, the Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Services Research (IZVF) in Witten and the Institute for Health Services Research and Clinical Epidemiology (IVE) of the University Marburg. The aims of the Junior Research Academy are for imparting skills in the development and elaboration of innovative project ideas, to increase the number of proposals from the field of health services research to the DFG, to strengthen basic research within health services research in Germany and to network the scientific community. Young researchers from all over Germany were eligible to apply for participation by submitting an application in the form of a research proposal. A total of 83 applications were received. The 21 most promising applicants (14 women and 7 men) were selected in a 2-stage review process; 20 of these completed the Junior Research Academy program. After a one-day preparatory workshop, the preparation and review of a sample application, an academy week and a finalisation phase, all applications were submitted to the DFG on time. Of these proposals, 9 were funded. The first alumni meeting of the DFG Junior Research Academy took place in Düsseldorf in July 2019.