What if I never get an R01?
I’m an early(ish) career academic in the health sciences. It’s expected in my field to obtain NIH grant funding, particularly the holy grail of grants, the R01, for tenure and promotion. I’ve applied seven or eight times as PI or MPI; all my applications have been scored (some quite well) but never funded. I have a couple R03s, but that is it- I never applied for an F or K.
R01s seemed like a craps shoot before 2025, but now the possibility of real, sustained funding seems smaller than ever. Yet, I know several colleagues earlier in their careers than I am who just landed R01s on their first or second try.
I’m starting to think I just don’t have what it takes to make it in academia. I’m worried I’ll never land the big grants that launch an independent career, answer the questions I have, and help the people I set out to serve.
So, can you be a successful health sciences academic at an R1 without ever having R01 funding? Should I keep trying? And- what does the future of our federal funding landscape look like now that so much damage has been done?
Edit: thank you all so much for the comments- it’s really helpful to both commiserate and get split feedback on how to work through all of *waves hands wildly* this