Vanneck-Bailey Scholars Program

 

Call for Proposals

The Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators of the Vagelos Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons seeks applications for the Vanneck-Bailey Scholars Program, now in its ninth granting year. The award is conferred on a VP&S faculty member who will create and develop new educational programs for medical students that will “ensure that VP&S students are among the finest physicians entering the profession, skilled in the knowledge and practice of medicine and modeling compassionate, humanistic care to all patients.” This $40,000 amount is to be committed to salary and fringe support to give the Scholar protected academic time for accomplishing the project. Applications are due by midnight Monday, January 12, 2026.

Nominations must include:

  • Statement of the proposed project: The proposed project must be directly related to undergraduate medical education at VP&S. It must be a project that will have a significant, demonstrable impact on medical student education. The statement must include background information about the project with at least three references, proposed methodology, plan for implementation, timeline, and proposed methods for evaluation (2 – 4 pages in length).
  • Personal statement: The personal statement should outline the applicant’s credentials as a medical educator and scholar, including their track record of completed scholarly projects and career trajectory in medical education. The statement must also indicate the applicant’s willingness to report on the project to the Apgar Academy members and guests at the end of the year in the Vanneck-Bailey Presentation (2 – 3 pages in length).
  • Letter of nomination from the department chair: In addition to information about the nominee’s credentials, this letter must indicate that, if selected, the nominee would have protected time for the project and would use the salary support for this purpose.
  • Letter from course director or clerkship director indicating that the project has been approved for inclusion in the curriculum if the project would result in a course for VP&S students.
  • Nominee’s current CV – please use Enhanced CV template to outline all educational activities.

The Vanneck-Bailey Scholars Program is executed and administered by the Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators. Vanneck-Bailey Scholars are encouraged to approach academy members as mentors. One Vanneck-Bailey Scholar will be chosen per academic year. Deadline for applications is midnight Monday, January 12, 2026. Please contact Renée Russas rs3970@cumc.columbia.edu with any questions.

Previous Vanneck - Bailey Scholars

2025-2026: Nathaniel Kratz, MD

Proposal: To equip future CUIMC physicians with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively identify and address substance use disorders.  The proposal builds on Dr. Kratz’ prior work founding NYP’s TRANSiT (“Therapeutic Resources and Assistance in Navigation to Services while in Transition”)  a substance use bridge clinic and graduate medical education teaching site focused on low-barrier access to treatment for substance use disorder.

2024-2025: Taylor B. Sewell, MD, MBA 

Proposal:  To enhance the LGBTQ+ Curriculum at VP&S toward providing outstanding compassionate, and inclusive care to patients by integrating more training in LGBTQ+ health into the VP&S curriculum. 

2023-2024: Delphine Taylor, MD

Proposal: To conduct a program evaluation of the current structure of the VP&S Coaching Program, create resources for students and faculty, integrate competency-based assessments into coaching, and launch a national survey to identify how medical schools are using coaching programs to support self-regulated and adaptive learners.

2022-2023: Alwyn Cohall, MD

Proposal: Creation of content, service-learning activities, and exposure to individuals with lived experience in the carceral system as means of building a curriculum responsive to recommendations set forth by the AAMC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Competencies which broadly call for the expansion of learning opportunities addressing health care inequities arising from systemic racism and personal bias.

2021-2022: Jean Marie Alves-Bradford, MD

Proposal: A longitudinal Advocacy, Allyship and Upstander Skills Curriculum throughout four years of medical school

2020-2021: Dr. Devon Rupley, MD

Proposal: Ready for MCY: An Intensive Transitions Curriculum Facilitating Professional Identity Formation

2019-2020: Sidney Hankerson, MD

Proposal: Teaching Social Determinants of Health and Mental Health First Aid to Medical Students

2018: Anne Armstrong-Coben, MD

Proposal: An Advisory Dean Curriculum Spanning the Four Years at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons: Helping students develop into compassionate, humanistic physicians

2017: Hetty Cunningham, MD (inaugural scholar) 

Proposal: Promoting reflective capacity in the VP&S portfolio to support professional identity formulation in a medical education landscape increasingly focused on competency achievement