IAMSE-ScholarRx Educational Research Grant Program for Students

The International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE) is pleased to announce the “IAMSE-ScholarRx Educational Research Grant” Program. The purpose of this program is to promote student educational research and scholarship that is innovative and relevant to the mission of IAMSE. IAMSE strives to advance health profession education through teacher development and to ensure that the teaching and learning of medical science continues to be firmly grounded in foundational sciences and the best practices of teaching. This is done by:

  • providing multidisciplinary, interprofessional and cross-cultural forums for discussion of issues affecting medical science education and educators;
  • designing and evaluating current and innovative means to teach the sciences fundamental to health professions, and sharing the results for the development of all health professions educators and;
  • serving as an international voice to enhance appreciation of the crucial role of medical sciences in health and health care.

Up to four (4) student grants will be awarded for up to $2500.

The definition of student is as follows: A student is a person who is enrolled in a degree/certificate program (such as BS, MS, PA, PharmD, PhD, MD, DO) at a school or other institution. Please note: Persons with advanced/terminal degrees (such as postdocs, PhD, MD, MBA) who are employed in their field, or who have faculty appointments, are not eligible to apply for these grants.

The grant award may be used over a 2-year period.

Students must be members of IAMSE to be eligible to apply for this grant. All students will need to have a faculty mentor sign off on the proposal confirming that all policies will be met. Proposals must be accompanied by a letter from an appropriate institutional official confirming that the institution will pay to send the student to the IAMSE conference the year following project completion to present the results of the proposed work; timing of the presentation is flexible as to be appropriate for the completion of the project.

Any scholarship (e.g. publications, posters) resulting from IAMSE-funded research must acknowledge the ScholarRx-IAMSE Student Educational Research Grant on the work. If the research involves human subjects, a letter of approval from the host Institutional Review Board stating that the project is approved or that approval was not necessary will be required prior to disbursement of funds.

Application Format and Submission Process:

1. Applications are to be submitted via the online submission form to the International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE). ALL parts of the proposal must be submitted in ONE PDF document saved with the name of student PI and mentor.

2. Cover page to include:

  • Name of applicant(s) and institution affiliation(s)
  • Project Title
  • Contact information for student investigator and faculty mentor (to include name, address, email, telephone)
  • Institutional grant/development officer to whom payment will be made (name, title, address, email, phone)

3. Format for Submissions

I. Main Proposal (limited to 5 double-spaced pages, 12-point type)

  • Introduction/Background: State the problem with relevant references from the literature. Describe the importance of the proposed project and the need.
  • Specific Aim(s) and Objectives: Include specific aim(s) of the project, and hypothesis if applicable. List objectives to explain how the project will reach its goal.
  • Methods: Describe the research methods: identify the research participant population, expected sample size, context, and setting; describe the educational innovation, intervention, or activity; describe the data collection methods and analyses.
  • Potential Impact: Discuss the impact of the study on medical science education.
  • Project Timeline: Not to exceed 24 months.

II. Budget and Justification (1 page): Include itemized costs and justification. Use form provided. Budgets should be appropriate for the project and are limited to $2500. Indirect costs are not allowed.

III. Biographical Sketches: Include PI, Mentor and any other key collaborators (up to 3 pages for each individual.) Include relevant skills that demonstrate knowledge/skill in the area being proposed for study.

IV. Letters of Support: Include letter from Mentor stating commitment to the project and from an appropriate institutional official confirming that the institution will provide funds necessary for the student PI to attend the IAMSE conference the year following project completion in order to present the results of the proposed work. Letters of support are to be submitted in PDF format with the proposal.

V. Plan for Dissemination: Include a statement of your intent to present your work at an IAMSE Conference within 3 years of the award start date.

Review Process:

  1. Grants must be received by the deadline (January 15) to be considered for review and possible funding. Note: Most institutions require internal documents routed through the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs or comparable research offices, which typically requires internal processing and official signatures BEFORE grant submission. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your institutional processes to meet the submission deadline.
  2. The Student Professional Development Committee will review the grant submissions, make final decisions, and present the grant awardee(s) to the IAMSE Executive Board. Reviewers may not be mentors of the proposals under consideration.
  3. Funded proposals will be announced via email, and at the IAMSE annual conference.

Evaluation Criteria:

Grant applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

  1. The project is innovative and relevant to the mission of IAMSE.
  2. The project includes a clear statement of project goals and objectives.
  3. Identified need is clearly described supported with references to relevant literature.
  4. Research methods are appropriate to address the specific aims and objectives.
  5. The outcomes are measurable.
  6. The outcomes are likely to be applicable to others.
  7. The project is feasible given the budget and resources.
  8. The timeline is realistic.
  9. The budget is appropriate for the project.
  10. The student investigator and mentor are qualified to complete the study.
  11. The plan for dissemination of the project results is appropriate.

Required Reports for Funded Projects: The Student Investigator will be required to submit a report at the end of year 1 of the grant cycle (June) to the Student Professional Development Committee, and a final report within 3 months of the end of the 2-year grant funding (September 15)—or sooner if the project has been completed.

Questions:

All inquiries and communications should be addressed to:

IAMSE Support (support@iamse.org), International Association of Medical Science Educators (IAMSE)

Please indicate in subject line: ScholarRx-IAMSE Student Educational Research Grant