Application Period Now Open for ABMS Scholars Program

The American Board of Dermatology (ABD) invites qualifying dermatologists to apply for the ABMS Scholars Program before midnight June 22, 2026. This one-year, part-time program supports the work of early-career physicians and researchers and facilitates their evolution as health care leaders within and across the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) community. 

Early career physicians, junior faculty, fellows, and residents are eligible to apply, as well as individuals holding master's or doctoral degrees in public health, health services, research, educational evaluation and statistics, public health policy and administration, and Veterans Affairs trainees and researchers. Student visas are not available.

An award of $15,000 will be provided to support the direct costs of research and travel expenses associated with program participation. The ABD is a sponsoring board of this ABMS program.

The ABMS is presenting an informational webinar on the Visiting Scholars Program from 6-7 p.m. Eastern time on April 28, 2026. Those interested may register here.

Gillian Heinecke, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, SSM Health/Saint Louis University, was the ABD’s first ABMS Visiting Scholar (2023-24). In 2024, Vinod Nambudiri, MD, MBA, MPH, EdM, Associate Professor of Dermatology and Internal Medicine at Harvard Medical School, received the scholarship.

During the year-long program, the Visiting Scholars remain at their home institutions and work with self-selected mentors. Also, they are assigned an ABD executive staff mentor with whom they will have monthly conference calls. They participate in monthly ABMS webinars where they provide research project updates to their peers, a select panel of subject matter experts, and Visiting Scholars alumni who provide guidance, support, and feedback to barriers current scholars may be experiencing in their research.

Some of the research topics of interest to the ABD include:

• Trend analysis of high-performing and poor-performing ABD assessment questions, identifying question characteristic trends to follow or avoid
• Artificial intelligence use, validity, and reliability in assisting to compose evidence-based critiques for board-style self-assessment questions
• Competency-based assessment strategies beyond medical knowledge assessment, including procedural and in-office microscopy diagnostics assessment
• Outcomes assessment of ABD CertLink, including diplomate assessment of relevance, time, stress, value
• Outcomes of implementing the APPLIED Exam, including diplomate assessment of the Applied exam
• Integration of cultural competency principles into the ABD assessment continuum
• Analysis to explore if any demographic biases are identified in ABD assessments (once collecting AAMC demographic data)
• Relationship of Core Exam results with Applied Exam Results, and Core Exam module results with corresponding fellowship Subspecialty Certification Exam results
• Practice-related quality measures among board-certified dermatologists

Qualifying projects can be ongoing or launching, and may build on one at the applicant’s home institution. A research mentor must be selected.

Please contact the ABD at communications@abderm.org with any questions.