Revised July 18, 2013
At the May 2001 Annual Meeting, the Massachusetts Medical Society House of Delegates adopted Report: 411, A-01(D), which established an annual international health studies grant program to be administered by the Massachusetts Medical Society and Alliance Charitable Foundation (Foundation), with input from the Committees on Global Health and Medical Education.
Medical students and resident physician members of the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) are eligible to apply for grants for up to $2,000 to defray the costs of study abroad. This program is supported, in part, by an annual donation from the MMS. Additional monies have been raised through private donations to award a total of five grants annually.
Primary Goal
To encourage international education, particularly focusing on underserved populations.
Application Deadline
The Foundation Board of Directors will consider applications once a year. Applications must be submitted via the online application and be received by 4:00 p.m. on September 15. In order for the application to be considered complete, a PDF of a letter of support on institutional letterhead, from the supervising faculty, must also be submitted via email to foundation@mms.org by 4:00 p.m. on September 15. A funding decision will generally be made within 45 days of deadline. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
A review committee comprised of members of the Foundation Board of Directors and representatives from the MMS Committees on Global Health and Medical Education will review all applications. Evaluation of each application allows for consideration of applicant’s level of training. We welcome applicants from the four medical schools in Massachusetts and associated residency training programs. The review committee will submit recommendations to the Foundation Board of Directors for grant consideration and final approval.
Funding Priorities
Preference will be given to projects providing health care related work and/or training of staff; and to applicants planning careers serving underprivileged populations in the world. Research projects that do not involve direct clinical care or teaching WILL NOT be considered.
What materials should be submitted?
An approved application form, describing the planned project or elective, including start and ending dates; description of the intended use of grant funds; and a description of your career plans.
Supervising faculty at the applicant’s school or residency training program must submit a letter on institutional letterhead attesting that the applicant is in good standing, and that the project or elective is already approved and supervised.
DO NOT include your CV, as this will not be considered as a component of your application. DO NOT include a letter of reference. Letters of reference elaborating on the applicant or project are prohibited in order to standardize the evaluation process.
Funds will be distributed to the selected applicants by the Foundation after completion of the project or elective and submission of a report of their experience, along with relevant photographs and a letter from the supervising faculty attesting to the applicant’s completion of the program. Receipts for travel, lodging, and meals, for which you are seeking reimbursement, must also be submitted with your report. Additionally, all selected grant recipients will be invited and expected to showcase their lessons learned at a Medical Society sponsored event.
For more information on the Foundation and its activities, visit www.mmsfoundation.org or contact Jennifer Day, director, at (781) 434-7044, or via email at jday@mms.org.
