THE STETLER FUND: The Pearl M. Stetler Research Fund for Women Physicians Founded in Memory of Cornelius and Margaret Stetler is a trust established by the terms of the will of Dr. Pearl M. Stetler, a native of Wisconsin who practiced surgery in Chicago for almost fifty years. It honors the memory of her parents, Margaret and Cornelius Stetler. After Dr. Stetler graduated from the Johns Hopkins Medical School in 1913, she wanted to engage in research, but found that suitable opportunities were not available to her. Instead, she entered the practice of surgery at Mary Thompson Hospital in Chicago. Her estate, “the result of economizing with small earnings” is left entirely to the trust to support research training of female physicians. The Northern Trust Company in Chicago is Trustee.
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP: Awards will provide minimum of $65,000 for salary support during the designated year of research in a postgraduate program (exact amount of award is pending approval by the trust). $1,000-5,000 will be provided for travel, equipment, supplies, or computer needs. The exact award amounts and distribution between salary support versus equipment/supply costs will be based upon funds available and prevailing salaries at eligible institutions. These funds cannot be used for fringe benefits or tuition. The Stetler funds may not be used for indirect costs to the university. Eligible applicants will typically be senior fellows or can be appointed to an Instructor position during the year of the award. Promotion to an Assistant Professor appointment during the year of the award will be considered on a case-by-case basis provided that the 75% research time criteria continue to be met for the duration of the award. Renewal for a second year of funding requires reapplication and is evaluated with new applications.
Purpose: Full time support for original research.
Eligibility: Women who 1) are natural born United States Citizens, defined as an individual born in the United States or an individual born abroad to parents who are US citizens at the individual’s time of birth, and 2) have graduated from a United States Medical School may apply. Awards are made without regard to age, race or ethnicity.
Location of Work: Under the terms of the Trust, the research must be performed at one of the following medical schools: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine or The University of Wisconsin Medical School
Dates:
- Request link for application by: February 24, 2025
- Deadline for receipt of the application is March 3, 2025
- Award decisions will be released in late March 2025
Limitations: 75% of the fellow’s total time must be devoted to research. The award will be given only for research work that involves the predominate portion of the recipient’s time and attention during the research period. The Stetler Research Fund prohibits other grants that have significant scientific overlap or that exceed the amount of the Stetler Award during the time the Stetler Grant is active.
APPLICATION LOGISTICS: Email [email protected] no later than 5 p.m. EST on February 24 to obtain a web link for online application submission. Submit applications using this web link by 5 p.m. EST on March 3. Funding decisions will be made and released by the end of March.
Key Components of online application (for ease of planning web submissions):
- Proposed starting date
- Title of proposed research
- Current professional appointment and activities
- Education, Professional Training and Research Experience
- Honors
- Previous research support
- Current and pending research support (Please explain any scientific overlap and whether this would be allocated to project versus salary support (eg. can other sources of funding be designated for project rather than salary)
- CV with updated list of Publications
- Name and rank of mentor
- Recommendations: Upload three (3) recommendations at the time of application. These should be individuals who can be contacted concerning the applicant’s qualifications as they relate to the proposed research. The letter from the applicant's Division Chief/Department Chair may also be used as one of the recommendations to fulfill this requirement. One of the letters should be from your primary research mentor and should include a discussion of the applicant's role in the overall research program, a brief mentorship plan, a plan for transition to independence at the conclusion of this award, and a discussion of the mentor's track record and mentorship.
- Briefly describe your future career plans (short term and long term). Include a discussion of your plans to transition to an independent research career and describe how this award will facilitate your short term career goals. Limit to 400 words or less
- Upload your proposed research project as an attachment to application. Please do not include additional materials beyond the 5 page limit. The 5 page limit does not include references but does include figures and tables. Include Specific Aims, Background, Significance, Preliminary Results (if available), Experimental Design, Methods, and Analytical Approach.
- A letter from your Division Head or Department Chair agreeing to full time research must accompany the application. The letter should include commitment to any necessary salary support. Teaching and other educational activities must not exceed two hours per week and at least 75% of the fellow’s time must be devoted to research.
Applicants may address questions to:
Nirupama Putcha, MD MHS
Associate Professor of Medicine
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
5501 Hopkins Bayview Circle, JHAAC
Baltimore, MD 21224
Phone:410-550-9932
Email: [email protected]
Meredith C. McCormack, MD MHS
Professor of Medicine
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
1830 East Monument Street, 5th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21204
Phone: 410-502-2806
E-mail: [email protected]
Euna Chi, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
Division of Academic Internal Medicine Department of Medicine
University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System
840 S. Wood Street, Suite 440
MC718
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: 312-355-3390
Email: [email protected]
Dawn Belt Davis, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
4142 MFCB, MC5148
1685 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705
Phone: 608-263-2443
Fax: 608-263-9983
Email: [email protected]
