Are you an AAPM member who would like to mentor our next generation of medical physicists? The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Diversity Recruitment through Education and Mentoring Program “DREAM” is a 10 week summer program designed to increase the number of women and racially underrepresented groups in medical physics by offering research opportunities, outreach and strategic mentorship geared towards recruiting a more robust and diverse group of skilled undergraduate students in the field of medical physics. DREAM fellows are selected on a competitive basis. The selected fellows choose a mentorship opportunity from a list of mentors/institutions in the U.S. and Canada which are consistent with their research and career interests. This fellowship includes a $6,000 stipend, which is based upon an expectation of a 40-hour per week effort for 10 weeks (May to September), dates to be mutually suitable to the mentor and fellow. Selected fellows have the opportunity to attend the 2025 AAPM Annual Meeting in Washington, DC (complimentary registration and $500 towards travel expenses.
In addition to funding provided by the AAPM education and research fund, the North Central Chapter AAPM has committed to sponsoring a 2025 DREAM student. This does not guarantee a student placement within the North Central Chapter region. However, this does support an additional student award. The NCC has been home to several DREAM student fellows who have gone on to pursue to a career in medical physics.
It is our hope that this motivates potential mentors within the North Central region to apply a DREAM Program mentor.
According to the AAPM DREAM Program, each selected fellow will have a mentor employed by a university, a research facility, a hospital or clinical facility, or a radiological industry within the United States or Canada. Mentors must be a faculty medical physicist in a university environment, a person working in a medical physics related field or a qualified medical physicist. Each mentor must be a full member of AAPM. Attestation of Employer support and Indemnification is an application requirement. More information on Mentor Requirements and Guidelines.
In the application the mentor will specify a period of 10 weeks during the summer academic period (May to September) during which the mentor will be responsible for the supervision of the undergraduate student fellow.
Official contact regarding the DREAM program can be addressed to: grantsandfellowships@aapm.org
If you are a potential mentor seeking generic questions and first-hand experience about the DREAM program, feel free to reach out to 2024.ncc_officers@aapm.org
Mentor Application Deadline: February 5, 2025
Click here for more information->American Association of Physicists in Medicine – DREAM – Diversity Recruitment through Education and Mentoring Program (secure-platform.com)