Pediatric Scientist Development Program Grant

Pediatric Scientist Development Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: March Of Dimes Inc
Amount: Up to US $250,000
Last Updated: February 07, 2026

Summary

The Pediatric Scientist Development Program (PSDP) supports early-career pediatricians committed to research. It emphasizes flexible research proposals, fostering scientific inquiry in pediatrics, particularly in areas like prematurity and health equity. Funded by March of Dimes and other organizations, the program aids scholars in gaining vital training and mentorship while contributing to advancing pediatric health outcomes. Applicants must have completed pediatric residency in the USA or Canada and demonstrate a strong commitment to medical research.

Overview

NOTE: Prospective applicants initiate the process by first reading the Statement on Clinical and Translational Research and submitting an Eligibility Form to the Program Administrator. Eligibility forms are due by Letter of Inquiry deadline above. Pediatric residents apply by April 15 in their PGY-3 year. Residents who are “fast tracking” should inquire by the autumn of their PGY-2 year.Candidates in sub-specialty programs (such as cardiology, critical care, neonatology, or emergency medicine) apply by April 15 of their first clinical fellowship year.Any PGY4 first-year subspecialty fellow may apply as long as they are guaranteed two full years of research as a fellow. Our Mission Our mission is to lead the fight for the health of all moms and babies. Our goals are to end the preventable maternal health risks and deaths, end preventable preterm birth and infant death, and close the health equity gap. Pediatric Scientist Development Program No matter where in their early career path applicants find themselves, scholars must be committed to a career in pediatrics and medical research Scholars use the PSDP program as a springboard into the type of deeper and more targeted scientific inquiry their careers will ask of them. Due to its focus on young scientists who may not have had rigorous experience or training in scientific inquiry or publication, the PSDP program is more flexible in terms of research proposals, and recipient acceptance into the program does not imply a need to conduct and publish novel, breakthrough scientific work in the pediatrics space, as this in and of itself is rare. Rather, the program is a March of Dimes effort to recognize and strengthen the wide breadth of human talent in the pediatrics field and spark a lifelong confidence, passion and commitment to fetal, neonatal and childhood health research that will undoubtedly change not only clinical outcomes, but lives, in the decades to come.  As such, research proposals must be translational in nature and relate to the field of pediatrics – with a focus on prematurity, neonatal morbidity and mortality and fetal and neonatal health equity – but the outcome of the work is less important than the training and shaping of the recipient during the grant period. This program is administrated by a host institution and is funded by a coalition of organizations including the March of Dimes, with coalition members pooling funding to support the research work of about a dozen grant recipients annually, the grant structure has recently changed, with each coalition organization funding a specific recipient. Areas of Research Pediatrics and its subspecialties

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Candidates must be completing or have completed pediatric residency in the USA or Canada.Candidates must be citizens or lawful permanent residents of Canada or the United States of America Please note this is a requirement for the NIH-funded slots only; the PSDP has secured funding from partnering organizations that will support fellow slots who do not meet the NIH requirementThe proposed research project can be categorized as basic, clinical, health services, or translational research.  The PSDP supports broad research training across research disciplines supported by mentors who are federally and privately-funded leaders within their field. In the clinical and translational research disciplines, the PSDP strongly supports candidates who wish to acquire rigorous training in those scientific disciplines listed in the Statement on Clinical and Translational Research Training for the PSDP. Candidates must have an MD, DO, or MD-PhD degree and must be enrolled in a pediatric training program Applications may be accepted from candidates whose academic training has been interrupted prior to fellowship or who have pursued alternative career tracks and wish to re-enter academic training.  Please note that a maximum of 25% of training positions are available for MD-PhD applicants each year.Letter from Nominating Chair. A candidate must be nominated by the Chair of the pediatric department in which the candidate completes his/her pediatric residency. The nominating department bears the responsibility of sponsorship or identification of another sponsoring department for support of clinical fellowship training and must commit to assist the candidate in finding a junior faculty position at the conclusion of PSDP training. The letter will acknowledge the department’s commitment to help the candidate identify a junior faculty position providing two years of support with 75% time for research.Letter from Sponsoring Chair. The Chair of the sponsoring department (which may or may not be the same as the nominating department) must commit to funding the clinical component of fellowship training and to helping the candidate identify a junior faculty position that provides two years of support with 75% time free for research. The Sponsoring Chair must further verify that the candidate will have no clinical duties during the first two years of PSDP research training, and affirm the candidate will have at least 80% protected research time during their third year of PSDP training in their program. Exceptions to this plan must be approved by the Steering Committee.Proposed MentorThe proposed mentor has an academic appointment in a department conducive to the proposed research project. The mentor should hold the rank of Associate Professor or higher. In choosing a mentor, prospective PSDP candidates should consult with the nominating department chair and the relevant section chief, if the candidate plans to remain at the home institution. If the candidate plans to take a fellowship at another institution, then additional consultation with the sponsoring chair and the relevant section chief at the fellowship institution is a good first step. Candidates are encouraged to identify potential mentors at their chosen institution.If assistance is needed in making a selection, applicants are encouraged to seek input from their department Chair.  Once a candidate has identified 2-3 potential mentors, the PSDP office can provide helpful advice in choosing among them.Letter of support and acceptance from proposed research mentor. The mentor should hold the rank of Associate Professor or higher and have an academic appointment in a department relevant to the proposed project. The letter should include a description of laboratory, scope of research, educational curriculum for trainee (mentoring plan), and other personnel to be involved in the training process. The letter should further cite agreement with the policy of no clinical duties during first two years of fellowship. Approval must be acknowledged by the mentor if the candidate is proposing patient-oriented research or translational research that requires patient contact.

Ineligibility

Candidates with PhD degrees alone are not eligible.