Site visits for the review of grant applications to the National Institutes of Health: Views of an applicant and a scientist administrator.
The review of applications to the National Institutes of Health for individual research projects and complex programs of research may involve a visit to the applicant institution. The site visit is a review technique that is used only when information necessary for the scientific and technical review cannot be obtained satisfactorily by other means. The agenda for the visit must be carefully planned, particularly in the case of large research programs, since adequate time must be allowed for the presentation and discussion of the more complex components of the proposed research. All of the participating investigators associated with the proposal should get together for a thorough and critical rehearsal a few days before the visit. The impressions conveyed to the site visitors are transmitted to the initial review group usually through a site-visit report. The final recommendation of the visitors, which is based on the scientific merit of the proposed research, the competence of the investigators, and the suitability of the institutional setting, results from a thorough discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed program. The initial review group, in turn, uses the information obtained at the site visit in arriving at their recommendation to the appropriate National Advisory Council.