Annual Research Grant Program

Application Process

Format

Proposal narratives must be uploaded into the application portal as a Word (.docx) or PDF (.pdf) document, with margins of at least 1 inch on all sides. The text portion of the application must be in 12-point Times New Roman font with single (1.0) line spacing.

The complete proposal narrative (Sections A–L) must not exceed 15 pages in total. Proposals exceeding this limit may be automatically rejected.

As a general guideline, applicants may devote approximately half of the narrative to Sections A–H (core project description) and the remaining half to Sections I–L (documentation and supporting materials); however, this distribution is flexible and at the discretion of the applicant.

Proposal Narrative

The proposal narrative should be organized as follows:

Title - Provide a concise, descriptive project title that reflects the study’s focus.
Background & Rationale - Focus on the problem or gap the project addresses. Summarize relevant literature or evidence that supports the need for this study and establishes its relevance to osteopathic medical education.
Research Questions/Objectives - Clearly state the project’s aims and specific research questions. Include SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-delimited).
Methods & Project Design - Describe the study design, setting, participants, data collection and analysis plan. Address feasibility and ethical considerations, including IRB review status.
Significance & Impact - Explain how this project will advance osteopathic medical education, research or practice. Explicitly describe how the work aligns with AACOM’s Strategic Plan and contributes to future scholarship, practice or policy.
Innovation & Potential to Scale - Describe how the project introduces a novel approach, method or model, and discuss its potential for replication or scaling across institutions.
Dissemination & Sustainability - Provide a clear plan for disseminating project outcomes (e.g., presentations, publications). Describe strategies for sustaining or expanding project impact beyond the funding period.
Budget Justification - Include a budget justification that explains the necessity and appropriateness of each expense in relation to project objectives.
Literature Cited - List all sources referenced in the proposal using a consistent citation style (APA or AMA preferred).
IRB Documentation - Provide evidence that IRB approval has been submitted or obtained for all participating institutions. Proof of clearance must be secured prior to funding.
Letters & Institutional Approvals - Include letters of commitment or support from department chairs, collaborators or research offices on institutional letterhead, as relevant.
NIH-Style Biosketch - Provide a biosketch for the PI and/or Co-PI following the NIH format (or similar style).

Budget

In the application portal we ask for the contact information of the COM’s Grant Management/Financial official. If accepted, funds are issued to the COM.

The budget must provide sufficient details to fully explain and justify the resources needed to accomplish all specific aims.

Download sample Excel budget sheet.

• Total Amount Requested: Include only direct costs related to the research project.
  
• Travel Budget: If a travel budget is included, the projected travel expenditure must total less than 50% of the total budget and the budget narrative must clearly state how the travel directly relates to the proposed research. Be sure to itemize the expenditures based on destination, number of researchers, etc.
  
• Funding support cannot be used for capital expenditures such as salaries, rent/utilities or other indirect costs.

Theme Examples

The following themes reflect AACOM’s strategic priorities and areas of ongoing interest. For additional context, please refer to the AACOM Strategic Plan.

Integrative and Innovative Approaches

• Projects related to technology integration, food as medicine, compassionate communities and curriculum innovation are encouraged as part of AACOM’s ongoing commitment to advancing holistic and future-ready osteopathic medical education.

Advancing Scholarship and Curriculum Innovation

• Proposals may expand opportunities for faculty and trainees to engage in rigorous research that contributes to the evidence base for osteopathic medical education. Studies exploring faculty research support, curriculum development and the quality of clinical experiences are also welcomed.

Strengthening the Osteopathic Community

• Proposals may focus on recruiting and nurturing a diverse faculty, strengthening the community of osteopathic role models and addressing challenges in community-based osteopathic education. Projects that sustain teaching, mentoring and growth mindsets rooted in osteopathic principles are particularly encouraged.

Enhancing Institutional and Collaborative Capacity

• AACOM encourages studies that develop ecosystems supporting osteopathic medical education, foster collaboration across institutions and create shared or networked solutions to advance patient care and osteopathic principles in practice.

Advancing Access and Pathways

• AACOM supports research that reimagines recruitment and admissions for osteopathic medical students and explores partnerships with undergraduate institutions, community colleges and communities that build pathways from pre-medical education to osteopathic medical education. Projects may also examine how technology—such as natural language processing or large language models—affects student and residency selection processes.

Demonstrating Value and Impact

• Projects may highlight the value and contributions of colleges of osteopathic medicine and their graduates, strengthen the voice and influence of osteopathic medical education and demonstrate measurable connections between osteopathic training and improved patient outcomes.

Expanding Diversity and Inclusion

• Research is encouraged that enhances the diversity of osteopathic medical students, reduces barriers to admission for underrepresented groups and examines campus experiences—especially in rural or underserved settings—to improve retention and success.