Medical Education Research Grant Programs

The Medical Education Research Grant Programs reflect the ATS's commitment to developing outstanding educators in respiratory health. These programs support faculty designing, implementing, and evaluating novel educational approaches for health professional trainees, students, or patients.
 

• Medical Education Research Grant
  • For early-career faculty
     
• ATS-APCCMPD Research Grant for Medical Education of the Physician-Scientist
  • For faculty at any career stage

Timeline

Review the key dates and deadlines below to support your planning and ensure a smooth application process.

Review Process

Administrative Review 

ATS staff conduct a preliminary review to verify applications are complete and comply with all stated requirements. Incomplete or noncompliant applications may not move to the scientific review stage. 

ATS cannot accept changes or additions to applications once they have been submitted.
 
Scientific Review

The ATS Medical Education Grant Review Committee is composed of esteemed medical education researchers working in respiratory health. They lead a rigorous review process to identify the most impactful proposals. Reviewers assess each proposal’s potential educational impact and scholarly contributions to medical education, as well as feasibility. The applicant’s educational leadership, support, and resources within their institution are also considered. 
 

Medical Education Research Grant Details

One grant available - $10,000/one year

The Medical Education Research Grant provides early-career faculty educators the opportunity to perform scholarly work that advances undergraduate or graduate education in respiratory health medicine.

This grant is fully funded by the Section on Medical Education.
 
Applicants may request up to $10,000 for one year for salaries, statistical support/consultations, equipment, and supplies.

Travel expenses and indirect costs are not allowed. Salary expenses must be for necessary project personnel other than the applicant.
 
Presentation is expected at an ATS International Conference within two years of completion.

As this is an early-career investigator award, it is strongly recommended to include a mentor on the proposal. Preference will be given to projects that are multi-institutional and go beyond simple curriculum development. 

Eligibility

Applicants must be early-career faculty. 

ATS defines early-career faculty as individuals within 0-10 years of receiving their terminal degree (e.g., MD, PhD) or completing postdoctoral training, if applicable. For the 2026 grant cycle, this means that you must have received your terminal degree or completed postdoctoral training no earlier than 2016.

The ATS-APCCMPD Research Grant for Medical Education of the Physician-Scientist

One grant available - $10,000/one year

About the Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Directors

The Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Directors (APCCMPD) promotes excellence in clinical and research training in adult pulmonary and critical care medicine. It serves as a communication hub for training program directors and engages with organizations on issues related to training, accreditation, credentialing, workforce, and program funding.

Grant Details

The goal of the ATS-APCCMPD Research Grant for Medical Education of the Physician-Scientist is to support faculty investigating graduate medical education (GME) topics that advance the training of future physician-scientists in adult pulmonary and critical care medicine. 

Team applications are encouraged; however, one individual must be designated as the principal investigator. The PI will submit the application, receive recognition if awarded, and assume responsibility for all grant reporting requirements. 

Proposals may address any area of GME, using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches. Suggested topics include:

• Developing and validating methods to assess the competency of physician-scientist trainees
• Evaluating the effectiveness of novel training strategies
• Creating tools to improve the efficiency of physician-scientist GME programs
• Translating educational practices into research that advances the field
• Exploring the impact of organizational change on education and research culture
• Investigating learner or faculty experiences through qualitative analysis to inform curriculum development

Applicants may request up to $10,000 for one year for direct research costs including: salaries relating to statistical support/consultations, equipment, and supplies. 

Travel expenses and indirect costs are not allowed. Salary expenses must be for necessary project personnel other than the applicant. 

IRB approval, if applicable, must be acquired no later than three months after receiving the grant. The ATS may rescind the award if the grantee does not receive IRB approval within three months of the award.

Presentation is expected at an ATS International Conference within two years of completion.

Eligibility

This grant is open to medical educators at any career stage who are planning scholarly projects aimed at improving the training of physician-scientists in adult pulmonary and/or critical care graduate medical education.

Applicants must be:

• Licensed physicians
• ATS members
• APCCMPD members
• At an ACGME-accredited pulmonary, critical care, or combined pulmonary-critical care program

Questions? Contact us.

Other funding sources for medical educators are available here.