Boston University Medical Campus
Medicine

Faculty Development and Diversity Grant Objectives and Guidelines

Faculty Development Grants: Criteria

I. Objectives of the Faculty Development grants (FDG)

A. Promote faculty growth to enhance achievement of career objectives

1. Educational programs will be highly diverse.  The training will foster the acquisition of

• New skills in research, education, administration, and advocacy
• Enhanced clinical care or procedural skills

2. Faculty taking risks to innovate in their career

• Anticipate evolution and changes in their field
• Going outside their discipline or institution to gain new expertise

B. Improve faculty retention at BU

C. Diminish faculty ‘burnout’ from academia by giving opportunities to improve current skills or develop new directions

D. Bring new skills, programs or research directions to BU DOM

E. Encourage cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional, or translational research, educational, clinical or advocacy programs

II. Flexible criteria informing review of applications

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

1. Applicant’s qualifications:

• The applicant is qualified and at the appropriate career stage to pursue the proposed educational opportunity
• Ability to articulate how opportunity will enhance applicant’s strategic career objectives, including: Outlining a clear mentoring plan (mentoring could be internal or external and a clear strategic career plan/roadmap.

2. Institutional benefits

• Clear description of how the program will enhance institution

3. Section support demonstrated in one or more of the following ways:

• Relief from clinical, educational or administrative duties, i.e. “in kind” support
• Subsidizing of training opportunity, i.e. financial support
• Robust mentoring plan

4. Craft of the application

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

5. Training quality

• Evidence that the educational opportunity is of high quality

B. The following conditions would make an application LESS likely to be favorably reviewed:

1. Other resources available to achieve objectives

• Untapped resource available at BU
• Funds available via an existing grant or existing start up package

2. Outside the scope of the faculty development program – the FDGs are NOT intended to fund:

• Direct research activities  (other DOM programs available)
• Sabbaticals (beyond scope of FDG program’s resources)
• Salary support

3. Too financially resource intensive

• Although there are exceptions, the FDGs typically fund proposals that are $1500 to $4000;

4. Faculty development and diversity grant within prior 2 years

• • Although not an absolute rule, preference will be given to first time applicants, and applicants without a grant within the preceding 2 years.

1=inadequate; 2=poor; 3=average; 4=good; 5=excellent