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Presidential Pathology Scholarship

College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation

Description

This scholarship allows the sitting CAP President to personally support educational creativity, expand awareness of pathology, and connect communities through the CAP Foundation’s mission to develop tomorrow’s pathology leaders. This scholarship is established in honor of each sitting CAP President, as a commitment to the CAP Foundation’s efforts to advance the specialty by supporting creative projects that encourage interest in or expand the reach of pathology. Up to two scholarships will be supported each year. Ranging from $500-$1,500 per awardee, to be used toward the selected project(s).

Each year the sitting CAP President will select a focus area to support based on at least one of the CAP Foundation’s Five (5) Pillars. CAP Foundation Five Pillars:

Global: Expands global pathology access, capacity, training, and equity.
Future Leaders: Builds pipeline through learning, leadership, mentorship, and awards.
Ethics, Research, Innovation: Advances ethical practice, discovery, innovation, and diagnostic excellence.
Advanced Training: Delivers specialized skills through grants, workshops, and roundtables.
Community Engagement: Increases visibility and connection with patients, partners, and the public.

This scholarship is not associated with the CAP enterprise priorities.

Funding Cycles

A rolling funding cycle to be hosted at the start of each president’s term.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis at the discretion of the current sitting CAP President and CAP Foundation Grants Committee.
Application Deadline Extended to November 12, 2026.

Application Requirements

Submit all the following materials to be considered:

Scholarship Application
- Responses to the following:**
  - Describe the program/project and its overall goals, including how you will measure and share project outcomes.
  - Describe how the scholarship will support the project
  - How does your project align with the CAP President's focus for the year?
Letter of Support from one of the following who relates to your project:
- Mentor
- Senior staff person
- Organization leader where your program will take place (teacher, principal, school board, president, etc.)

Timeline of project to be completed within 12 months of scholarship notification date
Program budget

3. Professional Head Shot (1+ megabyte; color; with or without lab coat; neutral background; the photo you submit to be used in web and print media for award recognition; no selfies)

4. Curriculum Vitae

5. W9

** Applicants that do not address the above items in their application will not be considered.

IF SELECTED

Funding must be used within 12 months of scholarship notification date. Scholarship recipients are required to submit a reconciliation report with receipts to the Foundation at the end of their project. A short essay and video testimonial discussing the impact of the project and how you achieved your goal will be requested from each scholarship recipient.

The CAP Foundation may also communicate the bestowing of this scholarship and content from your evaluation form for future promotional purposes with CAP members and donors via the Foundation website, social media channels, newsletter, or annual report.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct pathology relevance ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the fundamental predictor of fit.

Strong projects should involve areas such as:

Anatomic pathology
Clinical pathology
Surgical pathology
Cytopathology
Hematopathology
Molecular pathology
Immunohistochemistry
Laboratory medicine
Diagnostic biomarkers
Digital pathology
Laboratory diagnostics
Cancer pathology
Precision medicine

A general clinical study with no meaningful pathology component would have weaker alignment.

2. Important diagnostic or clinical problem ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A competitive proposal should identify a problem where pathology can make a meaningful difference.

Examples:

Diagnostic uncertainty
Misclassification of disease
Delayed diagnosis
Limited sensitivity/specificity of current tests
Difficulty distinguishing benign vs malignant lesions
Biomarker limitations
Reproducibility problems
Laboratory quality problems
Challenges in molecular diagnosis

The proposal should clearly establish:

Clinical problem → pathology knowledge gap → proposed solution → patient benefit.

3. Patient-care impact ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The strongest projects demonstrate a pathway from laboratory findings to improved patient care.

Potential benefits include:

Earlier diagnosis
More accurate diagnosis
Better disease classification
Improved prognosis
More appropriate treatment selection
Reduced diagnostic errors
Faster turnaround time
Better laboratory quality
Improved precision medicine

For example:

New biomarker → improved tumor classification → better treatment selection → improved patient outcome

is a strong translational pathway.

4. Scientific merit and originality ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The project should generate new knowledge, rather than simply reproduce established findings.

Potentially strong areas include:

Novel biomarkers
Molecular pathology
Digital pathology
Artificial intelligence
Computational pathology
New diagnostic assays
Precision oncology
Integrated pathology/genomic approaches
Novel disease-classification methods

Innovation is strongest when it addresses an established diagnostic limitation.

5. Methodological rigor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A competitive pathology research proposal should clearly describe:

Study population
Specimen selection
Sample size
Controls/comparators
Pathology methods
Laboratory protocols
Biomarker validation
Statistical analysis
Quality-control procedures
Primary and secondary endpoints

For diagnostic studies, reviewers should be able to determine whether the proposed study can actually establish diagnostic validity and clinical utility.

6. Translational/clinical applicability ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Projects that can move from laboratory research into clinical practice are particularly attractive.

A strong pathway is:

Discovery → analytical validation → clinical validation → implementation → improved diagnosis

For example:

Novel molecular marker → validation in patient tissue → improved diagnostic classification → clinical implementation

Projects that remain purely theoretical may have less immediate clinical impact.

7. Investigator qualifications ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

The investigator should demonstrate appropriate expertise in:

Pathology
Laboratory medicine
Molecular biology
Clinical research
Biostatistics
Bioinformatics
Digital pathology, where applicable

For early-career investigators, strong mentorship and access to experienced pathology researchers can compensate for a limited independent research track record.

8. Feasibility and pathology resources ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

The application should establish access to:

Pathology specimens
Tissue archives
Histology facilities
Molecular laboratories
Immunohistochemistry
Digital pathology scanners
Sequencing facilities
Clinical databases
Statistical/bioinformatics support

A technically ambitious proposal is less competitive if the necessary specimens, equipment, or expertise are not already available.

9. Advancement of pathology practice ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A strong proposal should answer:

How could this research change what pathologists or laboratories do?

Potential effects include:

Improved diagnostic algorithms
Standardized testing
Better biomarker interpretation
Improved laboratory workflow
Reduced diagnostic variability
Improved quality assurance
New testing approaches
More efficient pathology reporting

This practical connection can substantially strengthen the proposal.

10. Appropriate budget and focused objectives ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

The proposed work should be achievable within the available resources.

A strong small-grant proposal typically has:

1 clear central question
2–3 focused objectives
Realistic sample size
Existing laboratory infrastructure
Clearly justified costs
Achievable timeline

Avoid trying to conduct a full-scale clinical trial with a small research award.

Specialties

Pathology

Eligibility Requirements

Board certified pathologists, pathology residents with at least one year of residency completed at the time of application, or medical students actively enrolled in an accredited US-based medical school with a strong interest in the field of pathology, who present a project that aligns with or advances the CAP President's stated focus* for the year. All applicants will be considered regardless of age, race, gender, national origin, or religion.

2026 Focus*: Future Leaders: Programming that will introduce K-12 learners to the science, technology, and real-world impact of pathology through age-appropriate, hands-on STEM experiences, mentorship opportunities, and exposure to career pathways within the specialty.

Ineligibility

Awardees previously funded by this scholarship.
Applying on behalf of someone else.
Projects that align with current CAP Foundation scholarships and awards

Eligible Countries:

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 325 Waukegan Road, Northfield, IL 60093-2719

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