Finkelstein Memorial Trainee Research Award

Applicants to this program must be a medical or graduate student, resident or fellow (clinical or postdoctoral) at Penn State College of Medicine. Previous recipients of the Finkelstein Memorial Trainee Research Award are eligible to apply, provided their new application includes a statement regarding what was accomplished with the previous support.

• Applicants may request up to $3,000 to be used to support a stipend (Award Option 1) or for expenses to conduct the proposed research and/or travel to scientific meetings (Award Option 2). All funds should be used within 12 months of the start date. Budgets must be prepared according to one of the following options:
  • Award Option 1: For this option, a budget must be prepared to indicate that the Award will be utilized as a stipend that will be paid to the applicant as an IRS 1099 taxable award. This option is open to all applicants.
  • Award Option 2: For this option, the Award is budgeted to the department or lab of the applicant’s primary research mentor as non-taxable funds to be used for supplies and materials to conduct the proposed research and/or travel to scientific meetings. A budget must be prepared detailing the use of the funds (cost of supplies/materials, travel, etc.). This option is only available for projects that utilize Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center/Penn State College of Medicine as the performance site.
• The research project must involve basic, clinical, translational, health services or population-based research related to the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of rheumatologic or immunologic diseases. Projects involving the study of autoimmunity and or autoimmune diseases are especially encouraged.
• The applicant must identify a primary research mentor who is a full-time faculty member at Penn State College of Medicine to provide advice and assistance in the conduct of the proposed research.

Applications will be reviewed by the Finkelstein Advisory Committee with respect to both responsiveness to the program guidelines and scientific and technical merit. Applicants will be notified regarding the status of their application prior to the anticipated start date.

Previous recipients of funding from the award are listed here.