The UC San Diego Health Sciences Academy of Clinician Scholars (AoCS) is the body of distinguished faculty recognized by their peers for exceptional clinical skills, their commitment to patient care, medical education, and the advancement of new medical knowledge. The Academy creates a legacy of excellent healthcare delivery by fostering the continuous professional development of UC San Diego’s clinician scholars.
In support of its mission, the Academy offers annual competitive awards to further professional development of clinical faculty at UC San Diego.
Applicant Eligibility:
Program eligibility criteria include the following:
- At the time of submissionm, must have an academic clinical appointment. MSP contracts or Volunteer basis are not eligible.
- Academic rank: Any rank
- Clinical activity must be at least 50% effort (including direct patient care and clinical administration). This must be confirmed by a letter from the department chair or division chief.
- Basic research proposals excluded.
- MD or DO eligible.
Types of Applications Suitable for Funding:
Proposals will be considered for funding in two categories: (1) Research proposals and (2) Skill Development proposals. Fundable activities awarded by AoCS may include but are not limited to the following areas:
- Clinical research proposals.
- Skill development proposals.
- Fostering improved patient/physician communication.
- Fundable activities awarded by AoCS may include but are not limited to the following areas:
- Support for a research project
- Acquiring a new clinical skill, procedure, or teaching skill tool
- Acquiring a new knowledge to build a clinical research database
- Support for new collaborations to enhance clinical research at UC San Diego
- Building a nascent program at UC San Diego in some new focused area or enhancing an already existing program
- Developing a new technology and bringing it back to UC San Diego
- Establishing a new training course for clinicians at UC San Diego
- Funding travel and support of sabbatical/leave activity to benefit the clinical programs and clinicians at UC San Diego
- Tuition and travel expenses to attend short courses that will enhance clinical, teaching, or research potential
Application Review Criteria:
Applications will be reviewed by members of the AoCS Awards Committee and other Academy members with relevant expertise. Applicants should submit a current curriculum vitae and complete the award application. The Review Committee will review the submitted application materials and interview applicants with competitive priority scores.
Review criteria include:
- Degree of innovation;
- Benefits to the Academy and clinical community at UC San Diego;
- Candidate's professional development needs;
- Qualifications of the applicant to complete the proposed work;
- How these resources will be leveraged (e.g. matching funds availability, assurance of protected time);
- Scientific merit (for research grants)
- Feasibility
Each criterion will be scored on a 0–5 scale (5=most favorable). In addition, reviewers will assign an overall project score (0-5).
Funding Range:
Clinical Research Awards may be made up to $10,000 and are intended to be expended over a 12 month period.
Kaiser Permanente Professional Development in Clinical Education and improved Patient/Physician Communication Awards for $10,000 for a 12-month period.
Reporting Requirements:
Awardees will be expected to present and submit a 6-month progress report and a final end-of-the-year report at 12 months.
Application Components:
A complete application will contain the following elements and comply with the following guidelines:
- 3-page limit, double spaced.
- Project title must be included
- Research description must be contained in the grant application.
- Do not submit separate documents.
- Current Curriculum Vitae.
- Budget and budget justification.
- Letter from either Department Chair or Division Chief confirming applicant's 50% clinincal activity (including direct patient care and clinical administration).
- Assistant Professors are encouraged to identify a suitable mentor for their proposed work and provide a letter of commitment from the proposed mentor.
Submission Deadline: August 14, 2023
Application Procedures:
Email applications to Roslyn Lara (rlara@health.ucsd.edu)
Grant Guidellines
2023 Grant Application
Chair/Chief 50% FTE Attestation