The NFBC is designed for members-in-training, including clinical fellows in the final two years of their training and PhD post-doctoral fellows in the final three years of their training.  In addition, early-career faculty within the first three years of their initial faculty appointment, regardless of doctoral degree, are eligible to apply.  Applicants should be actively engaged in basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, or health systems research, medical education, or other academic activities in pulmonary, critical care, or sleep medicine.  Selected participants will be invited to attend a two-day course featuring recognized experts who will provide insights and strategies to overcome the unique challenges faced during the transition from trainee to faculty.

The overarching goal of the program is to equip participants with actionable strategies for navigating the challenging transition from clinical fellowships or Ph.D. post-doctoral training to independent positions as academic faculty.  We offer three main tracks within the program to cater to specific careers: PhD scientist, clinician educator, and clinician scientist.  The NFBC is an intensive and immersive program that offers a fantastic opportunity for networking with leaders in the field and similar-minded colleagues and peers and aims to provide critical information not often covered during training.  We encourage PhD scientists, clinician educators, and clinician scientists to apply to this outstanding program!  The following text describes the specifics of each career track that is included in the NFBC.

1. PhD Scientist Track: This track is designed for early-career PhD scientists engaged in basic science, clinical, epidemiological, or health systems research.  Participants will engage in shared didactic lectures that are also relevant to clinician educators and scientists.  Nevertheless, there will be lectures and breakout sessions separate from clinician educators and scientists that are tailored to the unique challenges of PhD faculty in academic medicine.  Topics include navigating basic science versus clinical departments, building and managing a research laboratory, publishing, teaching, and insights from PhD faculty who have recently transitioned into independence.  This track is not intended for clinician scientists providing direct patient care.  However, physicians and other doctoral-level healthcare professionals (1) exclusively engaged in research but (2) without any direct patient care are welcome to apply for admittance to this track.  This is the only track that is accepting applications from U.S., Canadian, and non-U.S. and non-Canadian applicants.
2. Clinician Educator (MD; MD, PhD; DO; DNP; PhD, PA-C; PhD, RN; PhD, RRT; etc.) Track: This track is designed for early-career clinician educators who provide direct patient care and are dedicated to advancing medical education within academic health centers.  Participants will engage in shared didactic lectures relevant to both PhD and clinician scientists while also taking part in focused sessions tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities of an academic clinician educator career path.  Key topics for clinician educators will include developing a personal niche in medical education, becoming an effective mentor, pursuing educational scholarship and medical education grants, balancing clinical and teaching responsibilities, and building a national presence in medical education.  This track is exclusively for clinicians and other doctoral-level healthcare professionals who provide direct patient care and are committed to a career in medical education.  This track may also be relevant to clinicians with academic interests in administrative leadership and health care quality.  Because the content is specific to the U.S. and Canadian academic systems, only applicants from the U.S. and Canada are eligible to apply to this track.
3. Clinician Scientist (MD; MD, PhD; DO; DNP; PhD, PA-C; PhD, RN; PhD, RRT; etc.) Track: This track is designed for early-career clinician scientists who provide direct patient care and plan to devote at least 50% of their professional effort to research.  Participants will engage in shared didactic lectures that are also relevant to PhD scientists and clinician educators.  However, this track also includes focused lectures and breakout sessions dedicated to addressing specific issues facing clinician scientists.  Topics will include promotion and tenure, negotiation, effective mentorship, networking, CV development, and balancing clinical and research priorities.  This track is exclusively for clinicians and other doctoral-level healthcare professionals who conduct research and provide direct patient care.  As the content for this track is specific to U.S. and Canadian academic systems, only applicants from the U.S. and Canada are eligible to apply to this track.

The NFBC will allow participants to:

• Identify milestones for promotion and tenure and actionable strategies to achieve these milestones within a specific career pathway [PhD scientist, clinician educator, and clinician scientist]
• Gain skills for leading academic clinical and research teams
• Develop a plan to manage challenges common to early-career faculty
• Form life-long relationships with a talented group of peers and network with a dynamic group of course faculty

Who is eligible to participate?

Members-in-training, including clinical fellows in the final two years of their training and PhD post-doctoral fellows in the final three years of their training.  In addition, early-career faculty within the first three years of their initial faculty appointment, regardless of doctoral degree, are eligible to apply.  Again, applicants should be actively engaged in basic, translational, clinical, epidemiological, or health systems research, medical education, or other academic activities in pulmonary, critical care, or sleep medicine.

Because the content for the Clinician Educator and Clinician Scientist tracks is specific to the U.S. and Canadian academic systems, only applicants from the U.S. and Canada are eligible to apply to these tracks.  However, the PhD Scientist Track will accept applications from U.S., Canadian, and non-U.S. and non-Canadian applicants.

Demand is expected to exceed the 80 available seats, as we anticipate many applications from highly qualified individuals.  Therefore, personal statements will be carefully reviewed and scored based on how well the candidate’s leadership potential, experiences, interests, and career path fit with the NFBC’s specific goals and programming.  The selection process will also aim to achieve a goal of ensuring broad representation of academic institutions, interests, and career paths, and the American Thoracic Society’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

If you have questions about award criteria or eligibility, please contact:
Elizabeth Guzman
lguzman@thoracic.org