Program for Medical Education Innovations and Research (PrMEIR) Innovation Grants provide seed funding and technical assistance for faculty researchers who contribute to medical education scholarship at NYU Langone.

To date, we have awarded more than $500,000 in research funding under the leadership of program director Sondra R. Zabar, MD. Former Innovation Grant recipients recognize the program as a stepping stone in their careers. Others have received full research funding based on pilot data collected from PrMEIR projects.

Each year PrMEIR faculty select an Innovation Grant theme to address challenges in medical education.

2024-25 Innovation Grant Theme

The PrMEIR Innovation Grant theme for 2024-25 is “Creating the Evidence Base for GenAI Tools in Medical Education.”

Each year, PrMEIR awards funds to individuals who have a promising impact on medical education. This year we collaborated with Marc M. Triola, MD, and Jesse Burk Rafel, MD of the Institute for Innovations in Medical Education to explore the integration of ChatGPT as a novel tool in medical education. We sought proposals that aimed to conduct rigorous research and evaluation studies to assess not only the efficacy and utility, but also the psychometric aspects of the AI tool. This includes evaluating its reliability, validity, and scalability across various educational settings and learner populations. We received nine submissions from across NYU Grossman School of Medicine and funded four projects.

How to Apply in Future Cycles

Faculty at NYU Langone and other NYU professional schools and colleges are eligible to apply for Innovation Grants. Applicants are required to submit a letter of intent summarizing their research project, which includes study aims, research design and methods, and expectations for how findings may impact medical education. The application portal typically opens in April or May of each year.

Applicants who have been notified that their letter of intent has been accepted should use the online PrMEIR Innovation Grants submission form to submit a full proposal. Please reach out for our full call, which includes information on the application process, along with examples of possible research areas and more detailed information about application guidelines.

For more information about PrMEIR Innovation Grants, email Christine Beltran, research coordinator, at Christine.Beltran@NYULangone.org with the subject line “PrMEIR Innovation Grants.”

2024 Innovation Grant Recipients

The Murray J. Berenson, MD Grant in Medical Education Research Sponsored Projects

• Improving Radiology Resident Education through Generative Artificial Intelligence. Primary investigator: Yiqiu Shen, PhD.
• Leveraging AI and Coaching to Support Individualized Pathways through Competency-Based Training in Obstetrics and Gynecology (pilot project). Primary investigator: Olivia Myrick, MD.

The Anthony J. Grieco, MD Grant in Medical Education Research Sponsored Projects

• Generative AI-based Communication Skills Assessment: An OSCE Pilot Study. Primary investigator: Yuliya Yoncheva, PhD.
• Prompt Engineering for a Post-OSCE Note Grading and Feedback Tool (pilot project) Primary investigator: Olivia Schaffer, MD.