ACES Membership

Membership in the Academy of Clinical & Educational Scholars (ACES) signifies outstanding contributions to the educational and clinical mission of the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM). ACES Fellows are selected through a competitive application process based on their accomplishments in one or more aspects of medical education. Every year, a call for applications will be sent out to all faculty in the RSOM School of Medicine. Those selected as ACES Fellows will receive one-on-one mentorship from ACES Mentors to carry out a medical education scholarly project. All ACES Fellows are expected to be active participants in medical education, as well as faculty development sessions, workshops and our Annual Retreat in the Spring. ACES Fellows are expected to complete their project within two years.

Benefits of Membership 

  • Opportunities to build professional connections and networking
  • Internal recognition that supports annual faculty evaluations
  • Enhancement of a broad range of educational skills
  • Access to the faculty development events focused on growth and innovation
  • Recognition of membership during promotion and tenure process
  • Mentorship and guidance from ACES leaders and distinguished medical educators
  • Support and sponsorship for advancement into educational leadership roles at institutional, regional, or national levels

Expectations 

ACES Fellows 

  • Scholarly Projects. Carry out at least one scholarly project throughout their tenure.
  • Annual Progress Report. Submit a yearly progress report to the Evaluation Committee.
  • Monthly ACES Meetings. Attend 80% of monthly ACES meetings. Present their scholarly project progress with their mentor (Senior ACES member) at least once per year.
  • Committee Participation. Be part of one of the ACES committees to ensure the smooth functioning of all ACES activities.
  • Retreat. Attend the annual ACES retreat. Assist during the event as a group facilitator or in other roles.
  • Participate in Faculty Development. Present your work and share other areas of expertise with your colleagues through presenting at a faculty development workshop.

ACES Mentors

  • Mentorship. ACES Mentors are expected to mentor an ACES Fellow and are encouraged to participate in mentorship skill development, in particular providing support for their scholarly research project.
  • Monthly ACES Meetings. ACES Seniors members are expected to attend most of the monthly ACES meetings.
  • Committee participation. All ACES Mentors are expected to be part of one of the ACES committees to ensure the smooth functioning of all ACES activities.
  • ACES Annual Retreat. ACES Mentors are expected and welcome to attend the annual ACES Retreat, and guide their mentees in the presentation of their work.

Apply for Membership

ACES Fellows Membership Application

Application for Fellows Membership in the Miriam & David Donoho Academy of Clinical and Educational Scholars (ACES) is open.

 

ACES Application Information

 

ACES membership signifies an outstanding contribution to the educational mission of the Renaissance School of Medicine. Junior members are productive educator-scholars seeking to solve our community's academic and clinical scholarship challenges. Members serve as thought leaders engaging in all facets of medical education scholarship.

Candidates can apply for membership by submitting an Educational Scholarship and Mentoring Grant proposal. ACES is seeking proposals to facilitate educational and clinical scholarship. Preference will be given to research projects related to service learning or interprofessional learning involving a health problem in the surrounding community.

Proposals will be accepted through March 16, 2026.

Grant term: April 1, 2026—March 31, 2028.

Funding: $5,000

Eligibility

  • Preferably be an Assistant Professor with at least two years at the Renaissance School of Medicine and affiliate institutions.
  • Express commitment, which is evident by engaged participation in medical education. Preference will be given to instructors and course directors or participation on education-related committees.
  • Must have a proposal for a scholarly project within the scope of medical education.
  • Must be willing to commit to membership for at least two years.

Proposal Requirements

  • Face Page. A face page must be included with the proposal's title, the Principal Investigator's name, the principal investigator's contact information (email address, local work address, and phone number), the associated faculty members, and department affiliations.
  • Mentoring Plan. A paragraph that describes the role of a trainee (medical student or resident) in the research project and a brief mentoring plan.
  • NIH Biosketch of the applicant.
  • Research Proposal. The research proposal must be no longer than five (5) pages in length and include the following:
    • Abstract
    • Significance/Impact and Innovation
    • Approach (with data analysis plan)
    • Timeline (up to 2 years)
    • Budget (allowable costs include a trainee stipend)

Proposal Evaluation and Selection 

Evaluation of each proposal will be done by a peer review committee and will be based on the following criteria:

  • Clear objectives and outcomes
  • Significance and innovation of the proposal
  • Feasibility and practicality of the proposal
  • Consideration of medical student(s) or resident(s) involvement and mentoring plan
  • Use of service learning to solve a problem in the surrounding community (recommended)

Notification

Information on all successful proposals will be provided by Tuesday, March 31, 2026, with anticipated implementation in AY 2026-28. All proposals must be submitted to the Office for Faculty Affairs by March 16, 2026.

Assistance from the Dean's Office

Please contact Dr. Maria Athanasopoulou (maria.athanasopoulou@stonybrookmedicine.edu) for questions about developing your proposal.

Proposals must be submitted to the Office for Faculty Affairs by Monday, March 16, 2026.