IMPORTANT: The availability of all awards is contingent upon receipt of adequate funding.

Application Deadline: March 3, 2025

AACAP is pleased to announce the Jeanne Spurlock, MD, Minority Medical Student Research Fellowship in Substance Use Disorders, supported by NIDA.

Overview

The AACAP Jeanne Spurlock, MD, Research Fellowship in Substance Use Disorders offers a unique opportunity for minority medical students, or students whose project will focus on underserved youth, to explore a research career in substance abuse and/or addiction in relation to child and adolescent psychiatry, gain valuable work experience, as well as receive mentorship and meet leaders in the child and adolescent psychiatry/ substance use and addiction field. The fellowship opportunity provides:

• Up to $4,000 for 12 weeks of summer research under a child and adolescent psychiatrist researcher/mentor.
• Coverage for required attendance to the AACAP 2025 Annual Meeting, October 20 - 25, 2025 in Chicago, IL, to present their research in a new research poster session. (Complimentary registration, four-paid nights in the hotel, and travel reimbursement for the Annual Meeting are included in addition to the fellowship stipend.)

Time Commitment

Students are expected to complete 12 consecutive weeks (60 working days at 8 hours per day) of fellowship training during the summer following acceptance into the program. The amount of time an applicant proposes to spend in the fellowship training will be taken into account by the selection committee. If an applicant is unable to complete 12 weeks, a slightly shorter fellowship experience may be proposed in the application. If approved, the stipend will be pro-rated to reflect the reduction in time spent completing the fellowship. [IMPORTANT: Fellowships proposals with a duration of less than eight weeks will NOT be considered.]

Selection of Mentor

Check out AACAP's Guide to Finding a Mentor!

There are three ways to select a fellowship mentor:

• A student may work with a child and adolescent psychiatrist with whom they have an established link.
• If a student is interested in applying for the fellowship but is not linked with a child and adolescent psychiatrist, he/she should contact his/her local child and adolescent psychiatry department.
• If the local child and adolescent psychiatry department does not have a mentor available, the student may contact the AACAP Department of Research, Grants, and Workforce for assistance in connecting with a child and adolescent psychiatrist mentor of compatible clinical interests. Mentor selection must take place prior to the onset of the fellowship.

The student's mentor must:

• Have experience in the type of research that is being proposed and it is preferred that their work include children and adolescent participants.
• Commit to working extensively with the student throughout the summer for the duration of the fellowship training.
• Provide guidance on the format and content of papers and presentations.
• Assist in the preparation of the final paper and research poster.
• Discuss work and future career plans with the award recipient at the end of the fellowship.

The student will submit an application with a detailed outline of the proposed research proposal and a description of the student’s involvement in the project.

Training

The research training must provide for significant contact between the student and the mentor and for exposure to state-of-the-art substance abuse and addiction research. The plan should include program planning discussions, instruction in research planning and implementation, regular meetings with the mentor, laboratory director, and the research group, and assigned readings. Research assignments may include responsibility for part of the observation or evaluation, developing specific aspects of the research mechanisms, conducting interviews or tests, use of rating scales, and psychological or cognitive testing of subjects. The training plan also should include discussion of ethical issues in research including protocol development, informed consent, collection and storage of raw data, safeguarding data, bias in analyzing data, plagiarism, protection of patients, ethical treatment of animals, etc. Upon completion of the training program, the mentor should hold a closing interview with the student to discuss the work as well as future career plans. The student is required to submit a brief paper summarizing the research experience, a copy of the research poster, and a program evaluation completed by the student and mentor. The mentor should assist in the preparation of the final paper, providing guidance on the format and content of typical research papers. [NOTE: The data collection for the project must be IRB approved prior to June 1, 2025.]

AACAP Annual Meeting Participation

Selected fellowship participants are required to attend four days of AACAP’s 71^st Annual Meeting where they will receive complimentary general meeting registration, travel and four paid-nights lodging, along with reimbursement for one workshop and one institute, and in-transit travel.

Participants are required to:

• Submit a proposal to present their research in a new research poster session. [IMPORTANT: Poster presentations are contingent upon the acceptance of the Call for Papers submission   after peer review.]
• Attend  AACAP’s Annual Meeting during the dates of October 21 -24, completing SEVEN (educational, mentoring and/or networking) sessions, including the Medical Students and Residents Meet Life Members, the Karl Menninger, MD, Plenary, the Junior Research Scholars Lunch (where the fellowship participant along with their respective mentor will receive recognition), and the Two-Day Mentorship Program.

Stipend Distribution

Fellowship stipends will be distributed in two installments:

1. Upon receipt of the fellowship, the first installment of $3,000 will be sent to the student's mentor to be disbursed at the onset of the summer fellowship.
2. Once all program requirements are completed, the last installment will be sent directly to the recipient and will be pro-rated according to the total amount of time spent completing the fellowship.

Fellowships lasting the full 12 weeks will receive the maximum amount.

Fellowship Requirements

• Applications are considered from African-American, Native American, Alaskan Native, Mexican American, Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander students in accredited U.S. medical schools or students whose research will focus on minorities.
• Project focus must involve substance abuse in relation to child and adolescent psychiatry.
• Applications are considered from African-American, Native American, Alaskan Native, Mexican American, Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander students in accredited U.S. medical schools.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• Participants must obtain AACAP membership which is FREE for medical students.
• Students must commit to working 8 hours per day for the duration of the fellowship which will last 12 consecutive weeks; fellowships of less than 12 weeks in duration must receive approval by AACAP. [NOTE: Fellowships less than eight weeks will NOT be considered.]
• Participants agree to submit a Call for Papers submission for presenting their research experience in a new research poster session by July 12, 2024.
• Participants agree to attend the AACAP 2025 Annual Meeting, October 21 - 24, 2025.
• Participants agree to provide a poster presentation, if accepted, at the AACAP 2025 Annual Meeting.
• Participants agree to submit all required reporting documentation directly after the AACAP Annual Meeting, including a final report, a copy of the new research poster (if applicable), a copy of a thank you letter to the funder, and an evaluation of the program completed by the participant and the mentor.
• Participants agree to participate in all annual surveys as part of the program's evaluation process.
• [NOTE: Meeting format, dates and times are subject to change]

Selection Process

The merit-based process, which takes place during March-April involves the following:

Administrative Review - Submissions are vetted for completion of required application materials. Incomplete applications will not be forwarded for further review. Please ensure you meet the eligibility requirements and have submitted all requested application materials before finalizing your application.

Selection Review - Applications undergo a review process by an AACAP selection panel comprised of two members of the Substance Use Committee, along with one member of the Diversity and Culture Committee. These AACAP members with relevant expertise score and prepare written comments on each application factoring the following criteria:

• Applicant qualifications: Applicant’s interest and suitability to carry out the proposed project considering the academic and personal background information provided in the candidate’s statement, CV and mentor letter.
• Relevance: Degree to which the proposal addresses an important issue in substance use and/or addiction in relation to child and adolescent psychiatry
• Approach: Degree to which the proposal is adequately developed, well integrated, well-reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the fellowship.
• Feasibility: Potential for a successful and feasible experience in the allotted time.
• Environment: Degree to which the scientific/clinical environment in which the work will be done and the mentor with whom the work will be done contribute to the probability of success.
• Mentor Suitability: Alignment of mentor qualifications and relevant experience with proposal’s intent and goals.
• Creativity/Innovation: Originality and innovativeness of proposal.

The selection process is finalized after the panel’s discussion of the overall top ranked proposals. which also factors representation considering the ethnicity, institutional and geographic distribution.

Notifications will take place upon confirmation of the award funds during May/June.

Application Materials

Applicants must complete the following:

Submit an online application which includes uploading the documents below.

• CV
• Statement of Interest
  • The two-three page narrative should include reasons for one’s interest in the program, as well as a project proposal. Include a concise background discussion specific to child and adolescent psychiatry, research, substance abuse and addiction interests and career goals, along with the research project background, objectives, plan, timeline and references, as appropriate.

Letter of support from proposed mentor which describes:

• The mentor’s role in the project
• Details on the scope of commitment to the applicant’s training
• A summary of their relevant mentorship background

Provide a letter of good standing from the applicant's medical school directly to AACAP via email at training@aacap.org or fax at 202-587-9663.

AACAP reserves the right to waive liabilities.

For more information contact the AACAP Department of Research, Grants and Workforce at 202-587-9663, or training@aacap.org.