Purpose

Ralph Alley, MD was a Founding Member of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and served as STS President from 1975-1976. David Sheridan was an inventor and close friend of Dr. Alley who held more than 50 patents for innovations that have improved health care.  Moved by his friend’s commitment to thoracic surgery, Mr. Sheridan created the Alley-Sheridan Fund, which provides scholarships for cardiothoracic surgeons to attend the Brandeis Health Leadership Program in Health Policy and Management or the ACS Surgeons as Educators course.

Brandeis University Health Leadership Program

TSF is pleased to offer Alley-Sheridan Scholarships to attend the Brandeis Health Leadership Program in Health Policy and Management at the Heller School of Public Policy and Management at Brandeis University, to be held in June 2025 in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

TSF is providing partial scholarships of $2,500 toward the $6,000 cost of the course. The scholarship recipient is responsible for the remaining fees. Attendees will be responsible for their own travel and hotel expenses.

Program Overview

This intensive one-week program equips health leaders with the knowledge and skills essential for creating innovative and sustainable solutions to improve the quality, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency of health care service delivery, and participating in health care policy and reform. Program sessions and case studies offer the latest in national health policy and management frameworks. The program draws on the unique strengths of the Heller School and the Schneider Institutes for Health Policy and Research.

ACS Surgeons as Educators Course

TSF is pleased to offer Alley-Sheridan Scholarships to attend the Surgeons as Educators course hosted by the American College of Surgeons, scheduled for September 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.

TSF is providing partial scholarships of $2,500 toward the $7,700 cost of the course. The scholarship recipient is responsible for the remaining fees. Attendees will be responsible for their own travel and hotel expenses.

Please note that the American College of Surgeons requires that you also submit an application for the Surgeons as Educators Course.

Program Overview

This six-day intensive course, offered by the ACS Division of Education, is designed to provide surgeons with the knowledge and skills to enhance their abilities as teachers and administrators of surgical education programs. The course emphasizes the needs of adult learners and the techniques necessary to develop an effective learning environment for medical students, surgical residents, and colleagues. The course is intended for full-time faculty members who are interested in acquiring or honing skills in curriculum development, teaching, performance and program evaluation, and program administration as well as faculty who have direct teaching responsibilities for medical students or residents.

Participants are expected to free themselves from all work obligations during the course. The intensive nature of the program requires that evenings be kept free for preparation and other course activities; full participation by all attendees throughout the program is expected.

Eligibility

To apply for an Alley-Sheridan Scholarship to participate in either course, the applicant must be a cardiothoracic surgeon who has completed a program leading to certification by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery or its equivalent in a country outside of the United States.

Required Application Materials

• Online Application Form
• Curriculum Vitae
• One (1) letter of recommendation

Award Amount

TSF will provide partial scholarships of $2,500 toward the cost of the chosen course. The scholarship recipient is responsible for the remaining fees. Attendees will be responsible for their own travel and hotel expenses.

Timeline

The Alley-Sheridan Scholarships will open in early 2025. The award timeline for the Alley-Sheridan Scholarships is to be determined. Please check back for updates. In the meantime, we encourage you to explore our other Education Awards by visiting our Awards Page and clicking the Education tab.