Academic Clinician-Educator Scholars (ACES) Fellowship

Coursework and Curriculum

The ACES Fellowship is designed to develop the next generation of clinician-educators, integrating master’s-level coursework, structured research projects, and optional specialized tracks. Fellows emerge from the program with the skills, knowledge, and mentorship necessary to pursue successful academic careers in medical education.

Master’s-Level Coursework and Didactics

All first-year fellows begin with an intensive summer curriculum designed to establish a strong methodological foundation. Fellows pursuing the MS in Medical Education take 5 credits during the first summer:

• Clinical Research Methods (3 credits)
• Measurement in Clinical Research (1 credit)
• Curriculum Development (1 credit)

In parallel, fellows participate in the Integrated Summer Series, a weekly half-day program conducted alongside fellows in pediatrics, adolescent medicine, family medicine, PharmD residents, and select chief residents. The series emphasizes practical teaching and professionalism skills, including:

• Presentation and small-group facilitation
• One-on-one clinical teaching
• Delivering feedback effectively
• Teaching physical examination and history-taking skills
• Mentorship and professional development
• Clinical decision-making and case-based teaching

During the summer, fellows also begin their half-day outpatient continuity clinic and two half-days of outpatient precepting, providing early exposure to clinical education.

Research Projects

Each fellow completes at least one mentored research project focused on advancing medical education. Fellows are expected to present findings at the Society of General Internal Medicine annual meeting (or a similar venue) and submit their work for peer-reviewed publication.

Common project types include:

• Educational interventions: Design, implement, and evaluate curricula, courses, or educational programs using quasi-experimental or experimental methods.
• Surveys: Conduct cross-sectional surveys of trainees or physicians to assess perspectives, knowledge, or outcomes related to medical education.
• Qualitative research: Facilitate focus groups to explore experiences and insights of trainees or faculty.
• Quality improvement projects: Apply QI methodology to educational or clinical teaching initiatives.

Fellows are encouraged to balance ambition with feasibility, selecting projects that can be completed within the two-year fellowship. Project proposals are typically finalized by the fall semester of the first year.

Fellowship Tracks

To align with individual career goals, fellows may select a specialty track or focus area. Current tracks include:

Women’s Health Track: Led by Dr. Deborah DiNardo, this track develops leaders in women’s health education and research. Fellows gain clinical experience at the Pittsburgh VA Comprehensive Women’s Center, a nationally recognized VA Clinical Center of Excellence. Participation may occur through either ACES or the Clinician-Researcher Fellowship.

Medicine-Pediatrics Track: Designed for dual-trained physicians, this track provides advanced academic training in both adult and pediatric care. Fellows engage in teaching, research, and leadership development across general medicine and pediatric settings, participating in either the ACES or Clinician-Researcher Fellowship.

Hospital Medicine Track: Led by Dr. Allison DeKosky, this track focuses on developing educators and researchers in inpatient care. Fellows gain hands-on clinical experience, receive training in medical education and research, and develop expertise in quality improvement and targeted educational projects within the hospital setting.