ACMS Foundation Research Mentorship Award

Intended to develop research skills in future leaders of micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology (mentee) under the mentorship of an experienced ACMS member (mentor).

Award Amount: $5,000 - $15,000 in direct research costs for 1 year (amount based on the robustness, clinical importance, and budget of the project)

Research Focus: Will favor focused projects with the potential to collect original data. Research projects must pertain to dermatologic surgery and cutaneous oncology.

Geographic Scope: United States and Canada

Eligibility Requirements:

• Mentor applicant: Must be a member in good standing of the ACMS
• Mentee applicant: May be an early career Mohs surgeon, a fellow in Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology, a resident in Dermatology, or a recent graduate of a Dermatology residency program
• Both applicants: Must not have received a grant from the ACMS Foundation within the past two years

Award Timeline:

• Awardees will be announced at the 2026 Annual Meeting
• Must plan for IRB approval to take place prior to July so work may commence on this project and produce results by the next Annual Meeting
• Award payments are distributed in January and July
• Recipients must submit progress reports at 6 months and 1 year
• Additional follow-up on publication or presentation of data from the award is encouraged
• Award winners must be willing to provide project updates during the ACMS 2027 Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, April 28-May 2, 2027

Application Requirements

Required Materials:

1. NIH-format Biosketches (maximum 3 pages each)
   • One biosketch from the mentor applicant
   • One biosketch from the mentee applicant
2. Research Proposal in PDF format with the following sections (maximum 2 pages total):
   • Specific Aims - Identify what you intend to research/accomplish and the hypothesis to be tested
   • Background and Significance - Describe why the research is important, what has already been done in the area of interest, and how this research will add to the current body of knowledge
   • Preliminary Studies - Describe any studies that you have already performed pertaining to the research subject
   • Methods/Experimental Design - Identify how you are going to carry out the research. Describe in detail the experimental design, methodology, and manner in which the data will be analyzed
   • Environment and Mentorship Plan – Describe in detail the organizational structure where you work, including support and resources available to you
   • Literature Cited (Not included in page limit)
3. Detailed Budget (maximum 1 page): Applicants are encouraged to use the entire award for direct costs related to the research. Any administrative or salary costs must be specified in the submitted budget
4. Letter of Support from Mentor Applicant (maximum 1 page)

Submission Process

• Applications must be submitted online using the application link (specific URL not provided in materials)
• Deadline: February 27, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT