Criteria for Awarding

The following conditions would make an application MORE likely to be favorably reviewed:

Applicant’s qualifications

• The applicant is qualified and at the appropriate career stage to pursue the proposed opportunity
• Ability to articulate how opportunity will enhance applicant’s strategic career objectives
• A clear strategic career plan/roadmap
• Has not received a faculty development and diversity grant in the previous two years

Mentoring plan for early- to mid-career faculty

• Outlining a clear mentoring plan with established mentor or mentoring team
• Mentor(s) may be internal or external and may be peer or senior

Institutional benefits

• Clear description of how the program will enhance institution (more important for senior faculty)

Section support demonstrated in the following ways:

• Relief from clinical, educational or administrative duties, i.e. “in kind” support
• Subsidizing of training opportunity, i.e. financial support – typically ~half of the grant (in addition to the funds provided to faculty as discretionary/GME account)
• Unless otherwise discussed with your section chief, a letter of support does not reduce the RVU expectations for your clinical effort

Craft of the application

• Junior faculty are encouraged to review the application with section chief or with mentor(s)

Training quality

• Evidence that the educational opportunity is of high quality
• Training program must not take place after the application deadline

No other funding resources available

• No other resources are available within the institution to achieve the objectives, such as existing grants, start up packages, etc

Represents a modest amount of monetary support required

• Although there are exceptions, the FDGs typically fund proposals that are $1500 to $4000.  Proposals that are too financially resource intensive (translation: expensive) severely curtail this program’s ability to benefit a larger number of faculty
• Programs with larger budgets are typically funded by the Dean or Department Chair

Projects beyond the scope of the Faculty Development Program:

• Direct research activities (other DOM programs available)
• Sabbaticals
• Salary support
• Professional society meetings (e.g. SGIM, AHA)
• Review courses or application fees for board certification

Sample application (BU community only)