Program for Post-Graduate Trainees: Future Academic Clinician-Educators

December 6 – 8, 2025
Boston, MA

Application Deadline: June 30, 2025

December 7 – 9, 2024
Boston, MA

The Program for Postgraduate Trainees: Future Academic Clinician-Educators is sponsored by BCH and ISMMS, and affiliated with the Harvard Macy Institute.

Course Overview

Program Description

This 3-day intensive program equips post-graduate trainees (residents and fellows) with the skills needed to excel as future academic clinician-educators. Learning formats rely on small group project work and problem-solving, interactive small group activities with individualized feedback, and large group case-based discussions. Now in its 12th year, the program is led by a vibrant community of alumni and faculty who bring significant expertise and leadership in health professions education.

 

Participants will be encouraged to apply in trainee-faculty mentor teams, with explicit project support expected from the faculty mentor. The project will be the concrete vehicle to support the scholar’s learning and application of new concepts throughout the program. Each scholar must apply with a medical education project that aligns with their interests and benefits their current or future training program.

Target Audience

This course is geared toward post-graduate trainees from any specialty who are strongly committed to an academic health professions education career and have at least one year of post-graduate training experience.

Participants are required to identify a faculty mentor for project support.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, participants will:
  • Apply learning theories to enhance their own teaching practice
  • Align teaching strategies to achieve intended learning objectives
  • Leverage feedback to improve teaching and learning
  • Use a scholarly lens to reflect on their own and others’ work in medical education
  • Take a scholarly approach to educational project development
  • Broaden their own community of clinician-educators within medical education.

Additional Information

VIEW APPLICATION HERE

There will be three components to the application, detailed below. Your application will not be complete until all three documents have been received.

1. BRIEF BIO-SKETCH

There are 3 fields available in the online application that will make up your one-page bio-sketch (3300 characters max). In the Education and Professional Experience section, describe any relevant health sciences education experience (teacher, preceptor, course/curriculum designer). In the Scholarly Interest section, describe your future intended academic goals. In the Personal Background section, provide any brief personal information you would like to share with the faculty and fellow scholars in the program.

2. AN EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The project will be the concrete vehicle to support your learning and application of new concepts throughout the program. The project fields in the application have been divided into five sections: 1) Focus of Project, 2) Education Issue, 3) Positive Impact on education/enhanced learning/and-or patient care, 4) Supporting Literature, 5) Project Evaluation.

3. A MENTOR LETTER OF SUPPORT

This letter should detail the applicant’s academic background and potential as a clinician-educator. It should explain how the project will further the educational goals of the program/department/institution or applicant’s professional development as an educator. It should also highlight the mentor’s commitment, including meeting availability, guidance, networking, and resource access.  Mentors should include their contact information. Letters are able to be uploaded at the end of the application or emailed to the PGME Team at medicaleducation@childrens.harvard.edu.

The proposed health professions education project supports the scholar’s learning and application of new concepts throughout the 3-day program. Participants can choose a project in any phase of development, provided it is supported by a relevant literature search and information related to the project’s educational impact on learners.

Although the trainee participant will be responsible for the project work and management, the faculty mentor will serve a critical role in the implementation and success of the project at the home institution. Faculty mentors are invited and strongly encouraged to attend the project report-out on the afternoon of Day 3 (virtually, by phone, or in-person).

The course will be held December 6 – 8, 2025 at Boston Children’s Hospital Landmark Center. Attendance in-person is required for all three days. The program begins at 8:00 am the first day and ends at 5:00 pm on the last day. Scholars must plan accordingly. Please note that accommodations are not included for this program.

Tuition for the course is $2,000 per trainee participant–faculty mentor team, due by August 29, 2025.

Participants who are accepted but cancel at least 30 days prior to the course will be refunded their tuition, less an administrative fee. Tuition is non-refundable if cancellation occurs within 30 days of the course. Deferral to the following year will not be offered. Scholars are asked to re-apply in the next cycle.

Questions can be directed to the PGME team at medicaleducation@childrens.harvard.edu.

Don't Forget to Submit your Application

Deadline: June 30, 2025 11:59 pm ET

Testimonials

2024 PGME Cohort with Alan, Sue, and Reena (Course Directors)

Course Directors

Susan Farrell, MD, EdM

Associate Dean for Assessment and Evaluation,
Harvard Medical School

Reena Karani, MD, MHPE

Director, Institute of Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Alan Leichtner, MD, MSHPEd

Associate Medical Officer for Education, Co-Director, Center for Educational Excellence & Innovation, Boston Children's Hospital

Course Directors

Susan Farrell, MD, EdM

Associate Dean of Assessment and Evaluation Harvard Medical School

Reena Kavani, MD, MHPE

Director for Institute of Medical Education Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Alan Leichtner, MD, MSHPEd

Associate Medical Officer for Education, Co-Director, Center for Educational Excellence & Innovation, Boston Children's Hospital