RAPID Scholar Awards

Eligibility

Applicants should be:

• Faculty members no more than five years out from completion of all training (fellowship or post-doc)
• Fellows in the last year of fellowship

Previous RAPID Scholars and YIA recipients are not eligible to apply.

If applying for the Academic Pediatric Association (APA) pathway, please confirm that both the principal investigator, the RAPID applicant, and his/her chosen mentor(s) are current APA members; if applying for the other pathways, please confirm that both the principal investigator and his/her chosen mentor(s) are current members of those societies. Mead Johnson applicants must be members of one of the RAPID societal partners.

RAPID’s goal is to encourage and support individuals who have experienced significant adversity and challenges to pursue a research career in academic pediatrics, such as socioeconomic factors, growing up in rural areas, and other challenges, hardships, and unique life experiences. This will be judged by reviewing the applicant’s narrative regarding how societal factors have shaped the individual’s interests and preparedness to be a RAPID Scholar. Applicants must address their adversity, challenges, and unique life experiences in their application. If applicants have questions in this part of the submission, they can contact the directors for information.

Initial Proposals

The Call for initial proposals, Letters of Intent (LOI), is announced each August.

Please take care in reviewing the following steps before submitting an LOI:

• The proposed research project should have a timeline of one year.
• Select one or more Funding Paths
• Ensure you are within the eligibility requirements for a RAPID Scholar
• Confirm that both you and your chosen mentors are current members of the Academic Pediatric Association (or other supporting organization, based on selected funding path)
• Review the Initial Proposal Checklist for detailed application instructions

The RAPID National Advisory Committee (NAC) will review initial submissions and select applicants who will be invited to submit full proposals.

Incomplete submissions and application materials that exceed the requested page limits will NOT be considered for review.

Full Proposal

Those who receive an invitation to submit a full proposal will be notified directly, with access to the submission portal.

Please carefully review the following steps before submitting a Full Proposal:

• Review and respond to all critiques that were provided to you for the Initial Proposal review
• Review the Full Proposal Checklist for detailed application instructions

The RAPID NAC will review and score the full proposals and prepare a summary review to be sent to each selected applicant. Funding decisions will be based on the results of the study-section review. The number of proposals selected for funding will be determined by the funds available in a given year. Awardees will be announced at the annual Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting.

Incomplete submissions and application materials that exceed the requested page limits will NOT be considered for review.

Application Material Templates

The following items are examples of application materials:

• Sample Cover Page for RAPID
• Sample Budget and Budget Justification for RAPID
• Biographical Sketch

2024 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Jasmine Umana, MD
  Evaluating the Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Treatment of Children and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Hospitalized with Pain Crises
  Institution: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
  Local Mentor: Angela Ellison, MD
  NAC Mentor: Jean Raphael, MD, MPH (Baylor College of Medicine Texas Children's Hospital Houston, Texas)
• Robin Ortiz, MD, MS
  Exploring the potential of caregiver toxic stress as a biomarker for child cardiovascular health
  Institution: NYU Grossman School of Medicine
  Local Mentor: Alan Mendelsohn, MD
  NAC Mentor: Faye Jones, MD (University of Louisville School of Medicine)
• Nadirah El-Amin, DO, MPH
  Characterizing the Thrombo-inflammatory Pathway in Children with Sickle Cell Disease
  Institution: Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU
  Local Mentor: India Sisler, MD
  NAC Mentor: Michael DeBaun, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

RAPID-PIDS

• Karen Hanze Villavicencio, MD
  Identification of Microbial metagenomic determinants of disease severity in children from the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCHa) Study
  Institution: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  Local Mentor: Daniel P. Beiting, PhD
  National Mentor: Octavio Ramilo, MD (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)
• Cecilia Banda Hibjan, MD
  A Clinical Predictive Score for Severe Adenovirus Disease in Pediatric Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients
  Institution: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Holtz Children’s Hospital, Jackson Health System
  Local Mentor: Ivan A. Gonzalez, MD
  National Mentor: Yvonne Maldonado, MD (Stanford University School of Medicine)

RAPID-ABP

• Anthony Bui, MD, MPH
  Beliefs and Attitudes about Facilitators and Barriers to Mental Healthcare Among Vietnamese American Youth and their Parents
  Institution: University of Washington School of Medicine and Seattle Children's
  Local Mentor: Tumaini Coker, MD, MBA
  NAC Mentor: Jennifer Woo Baidal, MD (Columbia University Irving Medical Center)
• Vivian Valcarce, MD
  Optimizing Neonatal Care: Validating the steps to establish a human milk pasteurization center within NICUs
  Institution: University of Alabama Birmingham
  Local Mentor: Ariel Salas, MD, and Waldemar Carlo, MD
  NAC Mentor: Jason Mendoza, MD, MPH (Seattle Children’s Hospital)

RAPID-APS

• Danielle Perez Sharp, MD
  The association between maternal vulnerability index and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy diagnosis, severity, and mortality
  Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine
  Local Mentor: Jochen Profit, MD, MPH
  NAC Mentor: Karen D. Hendricks-Muñoz, MD, MPH (Children's Hospital of Richmond of VCU)
• Nicole Stephenson, MD
  Monitoring Preterm Lung Disease Through Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound
  Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Local Mentor: Stephanie Davis, MD
  NAC Mentor: Brian Sims, MD, PhD (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

RAPID-Mead Johnson

• Gretell Gomez Zaghmout, MD
  Impact of maternal breast milk vs. donor human milk diet on microbiota of premature infants
  Institution: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Holtz Children’s Hospital, Jackson Health System
  Local Mentor: Teresa Del Moral, MD, PhD, MPH
  NAC Mentor: Yasmin Pedrogo, MD, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine

2023 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Silvia Pereira-Smith, MD, MPH
  Education and Safety for Children with Autism to Prevent Elopement (ESCAPE) Kits for Adolescents
  Institution: Medical University of South Carolina
  Local Mentor: Michelle Macias, MD
  NAC Mentor: Jennifer Woo Baidal

RAPID-PIDS

• Ingrid Camelo, MD, MPH
  Screening for seroprevalence of Chagas disease in pediatric Latino population in Georgia
  Institution: Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
  Local Mentor: Julia Koelher, MD
  National Mentor: Anthony Flores, MD, MPH, PhD (UT Health Houston)

RAPID-ABP

• Miheret Yitayew, MD, MPH
  Home Health Services Utilization of NICU Graduates with Technology Dependence
  Institution: Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University
  Local Mentor: Karen D. Hendricks-Muñoz, MD, MPH
  NAC Mentor: Jochen Profit
• Holly Vo, MD, MPH, MSc, MA
  Characterizing Pediatric Clinician Shared Decision-Making Behaviors
  Institution: University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute
  Local Mentor: Douglas Opel, MD, MPH
  NAC Mentor: Elena Fuentes-Afflick, MD, MPH (UCSF)

RAPID-APS

• Jaime La Charite, MD, MPH
  Public spending on community assets, adverse and positive childhood experiences, and adult health
  Institution: University of California, Los Angeles
  Local Mentor: Rebecca Dudovitz, MD, MSHS
  NAC Mentor: Jean Raphael, MD, MPH (Texas Children's Hospital)

2022 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Cynthia Akagbosu, MD, MA
  The Role of Gut Microbiota in Children and Adolescents Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy
  Institution: Children's National Hospital
  Local Mentor: Suchitra Hourigan, MD (NIH)
  NAC Mentor: Jean Raphael, MD, MPH (Texas Children's Hospital)

RAPID-PIDS

• Marisa Orbea, MD
  Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Hesitancy in Hospitalized Children
  Institution: Baylor College of Medicine | Texas Children’s Hospital
  Local Mentor: Claire Bocchini, MD (Texas Children's Hospital)
  NAC Mentor:
• Ana Quintero, MD
  Impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on mucosal cytokines and clinical outcomes in children with COVID-19
  Institution: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  Local Mentor: Asuncion Mejias, MD, PhD (Nationwide Children's Hospital)
  NAC Mentor:

RAPID-New Century Scholars

• Tolulope Rosanwo, MD, Clinical Fellow Hematology/Oncology 

Boston Children’s Hospital

Institution: Boston Children's Hospital
Tracking quiescent hematopoietic stem cells for pre-clinical optimization of genome editing for the cure of sickle cell disease

Local Mentor: Daniel Bauer, MD, PhD (Dana Farber/Boston Children's)
NAC Mentor: Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine)
NCS Mentors: 

• Katia Crisler, MD, Med, Clinical Fellow Pediatric Hematology

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Institution: Boston Children's Hospital
Parent Engagement and Communication Preferences in Long-term Survivorship Care of their Children with Cancer
Local Mentor: Katie Greenzang, MD, & Ariel Winn, MD (Boston Children's Hospital)
NAC Mentor: Jason Wang, MD, MPH (Stanford University)
NCS Mentors:

2021 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Kelsey Egan, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics 

Boston Medical Center

Institution: Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine
Multi-level determinants of early introduction of sugar-sweetened beverages and 100% juice
Local Mentor: Caroline Kistin, MD, MSc (Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine) & Elsie Taveras, MD, MPH (MassGeneral Hospital for Children)
NAC Mentor: V. Faye Jones, MD, PhD, MSPH

• Shani Jones, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

University of Miami Leonard Miller School of Medicine

Institution: Vanderbilt University
Closing the Loop: Developing and Testing a New Approach for Head Start Food Insecurity Screening
Local Mentor: Shari Barkin, MD, MSHS (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine)
NAC Mentor: Jason Wang, MD, PhD

RAPID-New Century Scholars

• Fiorella Beatriz Castillo, MD, MSPH, Fellow Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Children’s Hospital at Montefiore
Safe Sleep for Brooklyn Babies: Identifying and Overcoming Disparities in Infant Safe Sleep Practices
Institution: Brookdale Hospital Medical Center at One Brooklyn Health
Local Mentor: Fernanda Kupferman, MD (Brookdale Hospital Medical Center at One Brooklyn Health)
NAC Mentor: Jason Mendoza, MD, MPH (University of Washington)
NCS Mentors: Kelsey Egan (Boston Medical Center) and Tara Williams (Nemours Children's Hospital)

• Joshua Sheak, MD, PhD, Clinical Fellow, Division of Neonatology

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Longitudinal Assessment of the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Developmental Inflammatory Lung Injury
Institution: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Local Mentor: William Zacharias, MD, PhD (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center)
NAC Mentor: Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH (Vanderbilt)
NCS Mentors: Allison Empey (OHSU) and Wally Carlo (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

2020 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Eileen Chaves, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Institution- Nationwide Children’s Hospital
The Meaning of Genetic Obesity: Parental Perception of Genetic Testing for Children with Obesity (Qualitative Addition to GO-ID Study)
Institution: Nationwide Children's Hospital/The Ohio State University
Local Mentor: Ihuoma Eneli, MD
NAC Mentor: Jean Raphael, MD, MPH

• Melissa Bent, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatric Orthopedics

USC

Institution -University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine
Assessing the Feasibility of Developing a Structured Weight Management Program for Overweight and Obese Adolescents and Young Adults with Spina Bifida using a Mobile Health App
Institution: Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Local Mentors: Alexander Van Speybroeck, MD, and Patricia Castillo, MD
NAC Mentor: Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH

• Rochelle Cason-Wilkerson, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

University of Colorado

Institution -University of Colorado
Disparities in Sleep Efficiency for African American Children : A Qualitative Study of Sleep Barriers, Facilitators and Potential Interventions
Local Mentors: Jill Kaar, PhD, and Darcy Thompson, MD, MPH
NAC Mentor: Jason Mendoza, MD, MPH

2019 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Alexandra Sims, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Institution: Children’s National Health System
A Qualitative Analysis of the Counseling Experiences and Preferences of Parents of Sickle Cell Trait Positive Children
Local Mentor: Beth Tarini, MD, MS (Children’s National Health System)

• Brandi Pernell, DNP, PNP-BC, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Institution: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Combatting Adverse Childhood Experiences in Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Local Mentor: Monica Baskin, PhD (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

• Skye McLaurin-Jiang, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Texas Tech University, School of Medicine.
Car Seat Tolerance Screening in Newborns: Epidemiology and Outcomes
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Local Mentor: Kori Flower, MD, MS, MPH (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

2017 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Victor Cueto, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine.
  University of Miami, School of Medicine

Institution -Stanford University

Perceptions of Physician Communication Among Latino Parents with Limited English Proficiency and Overweight or Obese Children.
Mentor: Fernando Mendoza, MD
Department Chair: Lee Sanders, MD

• Tamara Gayle, MD, Med, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  Children’s National
  Institution -Children's National Medical Center
  Are Practitioners Identifying our Most Vulnerable Children in the Inpatient Setting at a Large Tertiary-Care Children's Hospital?
  Mentor: Stephen Teach, MD
  Department Chair: Stephen Teach, MD

2016 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Brandi K. Freeman, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  University of Colorado School of Medicine

Institution – University of Colorado
Using Standard Teaching Videos in Pediatric Nurse Phone Triage: A Qualitative Study to Understand Parent and Nurse Perspectives on Technological Enhancement of Phone Care Advice
Mentor: Christopher Still, MD, MPH (University of Colorado School of Medicine)
NAC Mentor: Jason Mendoza, MD, MPH (University of Washington/Seattle Children's Hospital)

• Morgan Walls MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Wake Forest University
Institution -Boston Medical Center
Prevention and Management of Obesity in Children with Autism Spectrum
Disorder: Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, Practices and Barriers among Primary
Care Pediatricians
Mentor: Megan Bair-Merritt, MD (Boston Medical Center)
NAC Mentor: Monica Baskin, PhD (The University of Alabama at Birmingham)

2015 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Juan Espinoza, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  Northwest University, Feinberg School of Medicine

Institution - CHLA
Effect of personal activity trackers on weight loss in children enrolled in a Comprehensive Behavioral Family Lifestyle Intervention (CBFLI) program
Mentor: Larry Lin, MD (Children's Hospital Los Angeles)
NAC Mentor: Rafael Perez-Escamilla, PhD (Yale School of Public Health)

• Cristina Fernandez, MD, MPH, FAAP, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Columbia University
Institution-Columbia University Medical Center
Dual Food and Energy Insecurity and the Onset of Adverse Child Behaviors and Health
Mentor: Melissa Stockwell, MD, MPH (Columbia University)
NAC Mentor: Elena Fuentes-Afflick, MD, MPH
(University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine)

2014 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Suzanna Martinez, PhD, Associate Professor Epidemiology and Biostatistics

UCSF
Institution-University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco
Development of a culturally appropriate tool for assessing bedtime routines and sleep hygiene in preschool-age Latino children
Mentor: Michael Cabana, MD, PhD (University of California, San Francisco)
NAC Mentor: Elise Taveras, MD, MPH (Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital)

• Thao-Ly Phan, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  Nemours AI duPont Hospital for Children

Institution- Nemours AI duPont Hospital for Children
Psychosocial Risk, Adherence, and Outcomes in Pediatric Obesity Treatment
Mentor: Anne Kazak, PhD (Nemours AI duPont Hospital for Children)
NAC Mentor: Jason Wang, MD, PhD (Stanford University, School of Medicine

• Jennifer Woo Baidal, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics with tenure
  Stanford University, Department of Pediatrics

Institution- Boston Children’s Hospital
Early Life Risk Factors for Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children
Mentor: Elise Taveras, MD, MPH (Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital)
NAC Mentor: Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH (Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine)

2013 RAPID Scholars

RAPID-NIDDK

• Patricia Castillo, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics
  Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Instituion - CHLA
Family-Centered Obesity Prevention Program for Underserved Latinos
Mentor: Larry Yin, MD, MSPH (Children's Hospital Los Angeles)
NAC Mentor: Elena Fuentes-Afflick, MD, MPH (University of California, San Fransisco

• Diana Naranjo, PhD, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics
  Stanford University, Department of Pediatrics

Institution-University of California, San Francisco

Ethnically diverse patients with diabetes: Transitions from pediatric to adult care
Mentor: Stephen Gitelman, MD (University of California, San Francisco)
NAC Mentor: Rafael Perez-Escamilla, PhD (Yale University, School of Public Health)

• Adebowale Odulana, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  Medical University of South Carolina

Institution- University of South Caroline
Assessing the Perspectives of African American Adolescents about Obesity Prevention in Eastern North Carolina
Mentor: Eliana Perrin, MD, MPH (University of North Carolina)
NAC Mentor: Benjamin Caballero, MD, PhD (Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Public Health)

Hear from past Scholars about their experience with RAPID!

https://youtu.be/IHSdC9UbqxY

2020 RAPID Scholar: Rochelle Cason-Wilkerson, MD, MPH

https://youtu.be/3s_xlX7fiRg

2020 RAPID Scholar: Michelle Bent, MD

https://youtu.be/raiuzKq4DN0

2020 RAPID Scholar: Eileen Chaves, PhD

Work completed by RAPID Scholars:

Jones SA, Schlundt DG, Bonnet KR, Adams LE, Popescu F, Mahoney MR, Barkin SL. Head Start’s Role in Addressing Food and Nutrition Insecurity: Focus Group Findings. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2023.04.004

Learn more about RAPID's support of disadvantaged scholars:

Flores G, Mendoza F, Brimacombe MB, Frazier W 3rd. Program Evaluation of the Research in Academic Pediatrics Initiative on Diversity (RAPID): Impact on Career Development and Professional Society Diversity. Acad Med. 2021;96(4):549-556. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000003531. PMID: 32496290.

Gordon, C.M., Hostetter, M.K. & DeBaun, M.R. Academic pipeline initiatives in pediatrics. Pediatr Res (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01615-2

Glenn Flores, MD (Director)
Professor and Chair
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Holtz Children’s Hospital, Jackson Health System

Fernando S. Mendoza, MD, MPH (Co-Director)
Professor of Pediatrics, Emeritus
Stanford University School of Medicine

National Advisory Committee
Faye Jones, MD, PhD, MSPH
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH
Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine
Jason A. Mendoza, MD, MPH
Fred Hutch/UW Cancer Consortium
Jean Raphael, MD, MPH
Texas Children's Hospital
Jason Wang, MD, PhD
Stanford University
Jennifer Woo Baidal, MD
Columbia University
Juan Espinoza, MD
Northwestern University

PIDS National Advisors
Anthony Flores, MD, MPH, PhD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Kristen Feemster, MD, MPH, MSHPR
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Bonnie Maldonado, MD
Stanford University
Octavio Ramilo, MD
Nationwide Children's Hospital

APS National Advisors
Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH
Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine
Clifford Bogue, MD
Yale School of Medicine