Applications for the 2026-2028 cohort of the Dodd Scholars program are closed.
Selection Criteria
Selection criteria for the program include:
- Commitment to and aptitude for an academic career
- Prior academic success
- A demonstrated aptitude for excellence in teaching and/or service
- Identification of an appropriate mentor
- Identification of an appropriate project
Application Process
In order to be considered for the program, applicants must complete the following requirements:
- Completed application form: Word format | PDF format
- Letter from Division Director supporting candidate
- Letter from mentor stating support for the candidate, ensuring resources will be available to complete the project, and describing their track record of prior mentoring
- Candidate's CV (in Vanderbilt format)
- Career goals statement
- 2-3 page description of project, to include budget
- Budget information: Scholars receive $10,000 each fiscal year for 2 years. This amount does not roll over from one year to the next.
- Examples of approved budget expenditures: Expenditures directly related to Dodd research project, additional software or educational needs, multi-institutional meetings/task forces
Applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Jill Simmons for review of their materials before submission.
All application materials should be addressed to:
Jill H. Simmons, MD, MPH
Vice Chair for Faculty Development
Department of Pediatrics
Submitted by email to:
Amy Nabours
amy.nabours@vumc.org
2026-2028 Katherine Dodd Scholars

Jennifer Laws, MD
Division of Critical Care Medicine
Research Project: Optimizing Sedation Management in Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury

Mary Keith, DO, MS
Division of Neonatology
Research Project: Development of a Comprehensive Curriculum on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Programs

Joseph Starnes, MD, MPH
Division of Cardiology
Research Project: Error in Pulse Oximetry Based on Skin Tone and its Effect on Screening for Congenital Heart Disease
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2024-2026 Scholars
Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonary Medicine
Research Project
Improving the Care of Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
Division of Pediatric Cardiology
Research Project
Pre-Fontan Hemodynamics: Beyond Surgical CandidacyDivision of Pediatric Endocrinology
Research Project
Wearable Technology to Evaluate Glycemia and Activity in Adolescents and Young Adults2023-2025 Scholars

Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Research Project
Prevention of Malnutrition in Children with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Living in Sub-Saharan Africa
Division of Neonatology
Research Project
Improving the Efficiency and Throughput of Infants with Congenital Heart Diseases Requiring Neonatal Intervention

Julie Stark, MD, MEd
Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Research Project
Just-in-Time Bedside Teaching for Cardiac Critical Care Nursing2022-2024 Scholars
Division of Pediatric Cardiology
Research Project
Pediatric Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Quality Improvement Initiative
Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Research Project
Delivering Children to the Right Setting for the Right Care: Reducing Early Transfer of Emergency Department Admissions from Acute Care to Critical Care Unit
Division of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonary Medicine
Research Project
Improving Outpatient Care for Pediatric Patients on Chronic Mechanical Ventilation through Development of a Ventilator Care Program
2021-2023 Scholars

Division of Neonatology
Research Project
Beyond Medical Facts: Social and Ethical Dimensions of NICU Care
Division of General Pediatrics
Research Project
Curricula for a Culturally Sensitive Approach to Autism Evaluations Within Primary Care
Division of Pediatric Critical Care
Research Project
A Personalized Medicine Approach to Cerebral Edema in Diabetic Ketoacidosis2020-2022 Scholars

Division of Hematology/Oncology
Research Project
Ethical Care of Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders
Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes
Research Project
Barriers to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) use in adolescents with type 1 diabetes and diabetes management after CGM discontinuation
Lauren Sanlorenzo, MD, MPH, MST
Division of Neonatology
Research Project
Creating a Center of Excellence for the Care of Infants with Severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia at Vanderbilt2019-2021 Scholars

Division of Adolescent Medicine and Young Adult Health
Research Project
Development and implementation of a resident curriculum for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis education and screening in adolescents and young adults
Division of Infectious Diseases
Research Project
Implementation and Evaluation of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Toolkit in Pediatric Outpatient Clinics
Division of Pediatric Cardiology
Research Project
Development and Implementation of an Outpatient Cardiac High Acuity Monitoring Program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt2018-2020 Scholars

Alexandra Borst, MD
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Research Project
Identifying Risks for Bleeding in Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Patients
Jonathan Hemler, MD
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonary Medicine
Research Project
A Study of Immunogenetic Associations with Peanut Allergy Utilizing a Novel DNA Repository
Girish Hiremath, MD, MPH
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Research Project
Applying Raman Spectroscopy to Advance Diagnosis and Monitoring of Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis2017-2019 Scholars

Wael Alrifai, MD
Neonatology

Jeffrey Hine, PhD, BCBA
Division of Developmental Medicine

Michael O'Connor, MD, MPH
Division of Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonary Medicine
2016-2018 Scholars

Jim Connelly, MD
Hematology/Oncology
Research Project
Development and Application of the Vanderbilt Database and Biorepository for Immunological Research of Rare DiseasesMentors
Carrie Kitko, MD, Simon Mallal, MBBS, Jeffrey Rathmell, PhD
Dupree Hatch III, MD, MPH
Neonatology
Research Project
Understanding the Epidemiology of Sedative and Analgesic Medication Use in Mechanically Ventilated NeonatesMentor
Wesley Ely, MD, MPH
Maribeth Nicholson, MD, MPH
Gastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionResearch Project
Toxin and Zinc Profiles in pediatric Patients with Clostridium DifficileMentor
Kathryn Edwards, MD
2015-2017 Scholars

Justin Godown, MD
Cardiology
Research Project
2D Speckle Tracking Echocardiography for Non-Invasive Surveillance of Rejection and Coronary Disease in Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients.Mentor
Debra Dodd, MD
Leigh Howard, M.D., MPH
Infectious Diseases
Research Project
Molecular Epidemiology of Human Rhinovirus and Adenovirus infections in Young Andean Children.Mentor
Kathy Edwards, MD, Carlos Grijalva, MD
Tamasyn Nelson, DO
General Pediatrics
Research Project
Residency educational curriculum for standardizing the approach of Pediatric Obesity Counseling using MIMentor
Shari Barkin, MD
2014-2016 Scholars

Maria Christine Krakauer, MD
Neonatology
Research Project
Optimizing Blended Learning in Pediatric Residental Clinical Training
Motivationally Inspired Resident Electronic Learning (MIREL)Mentor
Tyler Reimschisel, MD
Christian Rosas-Salazar, MD, MPH
Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonary Medicine
Research Project
Urine Clara Cell 16-kDa Secretory Protein and Childhood Asthma after Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in InfancyMentor
Tina Hartert MD, MPH
Jessica Turnbull, MD
Critical Care Medicine
Research Project
Parental Experience of Critical Illness in Children with Special Healthcare NeedsMentor
Joseph Fanning, PhD
2013-2015 Scholars

Verena Wyvill Brown, MD
General Pediatrics
Research Project
“Interactions between communities, medical providers, and non-offending parents of physically abused children that lead to earlier reporting and improved outcomes.“Mentor
Ellen Clayton, MD
William Cutrer, MD
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Research Project
“Enhancing Pediatric Clerkship Student Feedback Using Resident-Performed Structured Clinical Observations.”Mentor
Tyler Reimschisel, MD
Lindy Fenlason, MD, PNS, MPH
General Pediatrics
Research Project
Assessment of iron status and its potential for Helicobacter pylori virulence modulation in a high-risk population.Mentor
Doug Morgan, MD
2012-2015 Scholars

Alaina Davis, MD
General Pediatrics
Research Project
"Determining best practices for identifying children with special health care needs in academic primary health care clinics."Mentor
Shari Barkin, MD, MSHS
Abby Williams, MD
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Research Project
"Noninvasive, bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP) utilization in acute pediatric asthma exacerbations."Mentor
Thomas Abramo, MD
Scott C. Borinstein, MD, PhD
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Research Project
"Social support and peer mentoring for AYA oncology patients."Mentor
Debra Friedman, MD, Bruce Compas, PhD
2011- 2014 Scholars

Kathryn L. Carlson, MD, FAAP
General Pediatrics
Research Project
"Utilizing quality improvement strategies to improve consistent tuberculosis screening in underserved at risk populations."Mentors
Mary Louise Lindegren, MD, Shari Barkin, MD, MSHS
Robert F. Sidonio, Jr., MD, MSc
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Research Project
"Feasibility Trial using Hydroxyurea for Secondary Prevention of Silent Cerebral Infarct in Children with Sickle Cell Disease."Mentor
Michael DeBaun, MD, MPH
Mary E. Romano, MD, MPH
Adolescent and Young Adult Health
Research Project
"Development of a web-based curriculum in Adolescent Gynecology."Mentor
Lynn S. Walker, PhD2010-2013 Scholars

Rebekah Brown, MD
Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonary Medicine
Research Project
"Creating and Evaluating a Pediatric Subspecialty Fellowship Core Curriculum."Mentors
Leah Harris, MD, Donald Brady, MD
Stacy Killen, MD
Pediatric Cardiology
Research Project
"Fetal Magnetocardiography"Mentor
Frank Fish, MD
Amy Woodward, MD
Pediatric Rheumatology
Research Project
"A Modular Curriculum in Pediatric Rheumatology for Residents."Mentors
Leah Harris, MD, Brent Graham, MD2009-2012 Scholars

Geoffrey Fleming, MD
Pediatric Critical Care
Research Project
"Creation and evaluation of an electronic curriculum or pediatric critical care trainees."
Mentor
Leah Harris, MD
Barron Patterson, MD
General Pediatrics
Research Project
"Implementation and evaluation of an electronic dashboard to improve immunization rates in a teaching clinic."
Mentor
Shari Barkin, MD, MSHS
Jill Simmons, MD
Pediatric Endocrinology
Research Project
"Avoidance of sun exposure in patients with ALL: effect on vitamin D levels and bone turnover."
Mentor
Debra Friedman, MD