2026 Macy Faculty Scholars Program

Important Notes

The Macy Faculty Scholars Program aims to identify and nurture promising early career educators in medicine and nursing, and provide Scholars with protected time, mentoring, curricular activities, and a national network of colleagues with the goal of accelerating the Scholars’ careers.

With an emphasis on mentorship and cultivating a professional network, the program will provide a national cohort of educational mentors, fellow scholars, and leaders to further enhance each new Scholar’s experience and development. The Foundation envisions that the Macy Faculty Scholars will become the drivers for change in health professions education, toward the goal of creating an educational system that better meets the health and public health needs of the diverse individuals and communities served throughout the country. The Program will help develop the next generation of national leaders in medical and nursing education by identifying outstanding educators, physicians, nurses, and role models—individuals who represent the breadth of diversity seen in learners, patient populations, and health care settings, accelerating Scholars’ careers, to turn their teaching practice into scholarship, and to help them become impactful leaders locally, nationally, and beyond.

In their proposed educational project, applicants to the program might explore many possible innovations in health professions education. Candidates are expected to be at the assistant professor rank with roughly three to eight years of experience as a faculty member.

This is a career development award; the excellence and potential of the applicant are just as important as the project. Macy is interested in candidates for whom the program will have the maximum impact at this point in their career and who also have the greatest possibility for future impact on learners and innovation in health professions education at their home institutions and beyond.

Priority areas

The Foundation has particular interest in innovative projects that involve the learning environments where clinical care is delivered. Within these clinical learning environments, the Foundation is interested in projects that:

• Advance equity, diversity, and belonging.
• Enhance collaboration among health professionals, educators, and learners.
• Prepare future health professionals to navigate and address ethical dilemmas that arise when the principles of the health professions are in conflict with barriers imposed by the health delivery system.

Award information

Chosen Scholars will receive salary support of up to $100,000 per year for two years for 50% protected time to pursue a mentored educational project at the home Institution. An additional $25,000 per year for project support and professional development activities. In addition, Scholars will receive funding to participate in a Harvard Macy Institute course, for travel to the Macy Faculty Scholars Annual Meeting, and for other program related travel.

Indirect costs are not funded as part of the award. It is expected that the Scholar’s institution will cover indirect costs as an in-kind contribution and to cover fringe benefits.

Eligibility Requirements

1. Be a benefits-eligible faculty member in a United States accredited nursing school, allopathic medical school, or osteopathic medical school. Candidates should have approximately three to eight years of faculty experience at the time of application.
2. Be a doctorally prepared faculty member in good standing at the sponsoring school.
3. Be nominated by the dean of the nursing or medical school. There can be only one nominee per nursing or medical school, and a nursing or medical school with a first-year Macy Faculty Scholar is precluded from nominating a candidate.
4. Have an educational scholarship project with the appropriate institutional support.
5. Have a faculty mentor who will advise the candidate on the candidate’s educational project and career development.
6. Have an institutional commitment for the protection of 50% of the candidate’s time.
7. Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories.

Selection Criteria

1. Evidence that the candidate is viewed by learners as an effective educator.
2. Whether the candidate is in a position to directly influence learners in the local environment.
3. Evidence of an ability to turn daily work into scholarship that has been disseminated.
4. Merit of the proposed project and the likelihood that it will influence national trends in health professions education and—ultimately—improve the health of the public.
   • Note: The Foundation has a particular interest in projects that involve the clinical learning environment. Within these environments, The Foundation is interested in projects that address one or more of Macy's three priority areas.
5. Evidence of a strong mentor and of institutional support.
6. Shows potential to become a national leader in health professions education.

Submission Timeline

• May 29, 2025 - Informational webinar - More Information TBA
• August 1, 2025 - Application deadline @ 11:59 pm ET
• January 8, 2026 - Notification of application status; finalists identified
• January 28 & 29, 2026 - Finalist interviews (virtual)
• January 30, 2026 - Notification to Scholars and sponsoring schools
• April 20-21, 2026 - Kickoff Meeting for 2026 cohort (St. Louis, MO)
• April 21-23, 2026 - Macy Faculty Scholar Annual Meeting (St. Louis, MO)
• July 1, 2026 - Appointment begins

This announcement provides only opportunity highlights. Please carefully review the program guidelines and the sponsor's website for any requirements and expectations related to eligibility, PI and Co-PI limits, budget, collaboration, priority research areas, letter of intent requirements, and review criteria before submitting to this internal competition.