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OREF Mentored Clinician Scientist Grant

Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation

Grant Details

Promotes the development of new clinician scientists who have demonstrated success as both a clinician and a researcher. Allows investigators to spend dedicated time in research for a period of up to five years to develop a long and productive career in academic surgery.

$20,000

RFA Release Date - 11/15/2025 LOI Deadline - N/A Application Deadline - 2/16/2026

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct Alignment With Orthopaedic Patient Benefit

Successful proposals clearly advance orthopaedic clinical care, including:

Trauma, fracture healing, biomechanics

Osteoarthritis and cartilage preservation

Tendon/ligament repair, sports medicine

Spine and back disorders

Orthopaedic oncology (primary bone/soft tissue tumors)

Orthopaedic infection and musculoskeletal immunity

Pediatric orthopaedics

Joint arthroplasty / prosthesis outcomes

Orthobiologics and regenerative therapies

Pain management / opioid-sparing strategies

Implant innovations & wear reduction

❗ Generic musculoskeletal biology or basic science ≤ no clear clinical trajectory = typically not competitive.

2. Perfect Fit With the OREF Mechanism

Each mechanism has different expectations:

Mechanism	Ideal Applicant	Strong Predictors
Career Development Grants	Early-career faculty	Preliminary data + trajectory → NIH K/R
New Investigator Grants	First independent funding	Feasibility + mentorship + innovation
Resident/Medical Student Grants	Trainees	Mentorship + achievable pilot data
Focused/Partnership Grants (AAOS, MTF, Zimmer Biomet, ON Foundation, etc.)	Subspecialty researchers	Topic fit (trauma, joint preservation, spine)
Clinician–Scientist Development Awards	Surgeons with research track	Protected time + training plan

Predictor: Clearly match career stage + deliverables to the selected mechanism.

3. Strong Preliminary Data (Major Differentiator)

Even pilot proposals benefit from:

Feasibility evidence (assays, models, patient access)

Proof-of-concept biomechanics or animal study results

Preliminary clinical registry or health services data

A clear signal supporting the central hypothesis

Predictor: Preliminary data ≈ top predictor of funding success.

4. Clinically Relevant Models, Cohorts, or Technologies

OREF emphasizes translatability, so top applications use:

Patient-derived samples or clinical imaging

Relevant large-animal models for orthopaedics

Biomechanics testing & validated implants

Registry/claims/outcomes datasets

Real-world patient-reported outcomes

Predictor: Human or near-human relevance is weighted heavily.

5. Focused, Hypothesis-Driven Specific Aims

OREF grants are often 1–2 years → scope must be realistic.

Strong proposals:

Have 2–3 tightly focused aims

Include measurable milestones and statistics plans

Provide go/no-go criteria + alternatives

Link Aims to future NIH or DOD funding

Predictor: Feasibility and clarity strongly influence scoring.

6. Strong Investigator Trajectory

For early-career mechanisms, reviewers look for:

Orthopaedic-focused publication record

Independence from mentor’s work

Clear vision for a sustainable orthopaedic research career

Professional involvement (AAOS, subspecialty societies)

Predictor: Convincing potential to become a future research leader.

7. Excellent Mentorship & Research Environment

Especially critical for trainees and junior faculty:

Mentor with R01-level funding and orthopaedic expertise

Institutional support (protected time, facilities)

Access to motion labs, imaging centers, tissue/mechanical testing cores

Predictor: Strong environment → high reviewer confidence.

8. Alignment With National Orthopaedic Priorities

Including:

Musculoskeletal injury prevention

Reducing revision surgeries & implant failure

Limb salvage and post-trauma quality of life

Pain control without opioids

Disparities and access in orthopaedic care

Return-to-function and mobility preservation

Predictor: Clear patient-benefit narrative increases impact score.

9. Collaboration & Multidisciplinary Strength

OREF values cross-disciplinary excellence:

Surgeon + biomechanist teams

Orthopaedics + rehabilitation sciences

Engineering partnerships

Health services + data science collaborations

Predictor: Demonstrated collaborative synergy strengthens proposals.

10. Highly Polished Writing & Rigor

Funded applications are:

Concise, visually clear, and logically structured

Rich in figures/tables to show feasibility

Explicit about statistical methods and rigor

Compliant with page limits, formatting, and deadlines

Predictor: Well-written grants consistently score higher.

🏆 Summary Table — OREF Success Predictors

Predictor	Why It Matters
Orthopaedic patient benefit	Core mission
Mechanism alignment	Ensures proper scope & expectations
Preliminary data	Feasibility confidence
Clinically relevant models	Translational value
Focused Aims	Fit 1–2-year timeline
Investigator trajectory	Future research leadership
Mentorship & environment	Execution confidence
Alignment with orthopaedic priorities	Boosts impact
Collaboration	Enhances scientific strength
Strong writing & rigor	Influences reviewer enthusiasm

Specialties

Clinical Trials

Others

Orthopedics

Eligibility Requirements

The applicant must demonstrate success in research by receiving extramural research funding under one or more K08 or K23 awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), or an equivalent funding source. The grant is renewable annually for up to five (5) years, equal to the term of the research funding, subject to an annual review of the scientific progress of the research project and available OREF funding.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 9400 W. Higgins Road, Suite 320, Rosemont, IL 60018

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