TSF Alley-Sheridan Scholarship

In 1955 David Sheridan developed the bubble principle that revolutionized how catheters, cannulae and tubes are used in operative procedures and patient care. While the bubble principle was one of Mr. Sheridan’s most significant inventions, it was not his only one. In fact, he held or shared more than 50 patents for innovations that greatly improved medical care throughout his lifetime.

Fortunately, Mr. Sheridan collaborated with others throughout his life. Dr. Ralph D. Alley, former head of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Albany Medical Center, was one of them. Moved by his collaborator and friend’s commitment to thoracic surgery, Dave Sheridan donated $1 million to The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF) to establish the Alley-Sheridan Fund. Over the past 25 years this fund has supported over 310 thoracic surgeons through scholarships to the Leadership and Health Policy Programs both at the Kennedy School and Brandeis University.

Previous Alley-Sheridan Scholarship Recipients

Brandeis Health Leadership Program in Health Policy and Management – Brandeis University

TSF is pleased to announce the availability of 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, scheduled for June 3-8, 2024, in Wellesley, MA.

TSF will provide partial scholarships of $2,500 toward the $6,000 cost of the course. (The TSF Scholarship covers $2,500 and the scholarship recipient is responsible for the remaining $3,500).

Attendees will be responsible for their own travel and hotel expenses. If you would like to be considered for an Alley-Sheridan Scholarship to attend this course please apply by April 19, 2024. The following are the required application materials:

1. Your Curriculum Vitae
2. One (1) letter of recommendation

Materials may be submitted online here.

Application Deadline: April 19, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time

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.

Sample Program Topics

  • U.S. Health Policy: Economics and Financing
  • Individual and Group Decision Making
  • Managing Clinics and the Care Process
  • Effective Leadership Styles
  • Managing Change in Complex Systems
  • Conflict Negotiation
  • Financial Literacy for Physician Leaders

Curriculum

The curriculum is based upon the case method of adult learning, as modeled in the training of clinical and business professionals alike. There will be in-class simulations, group work, and class discussions. The program consists of several modules woven together and applied toward the participant’s institutional, professional, and personal goals. The modules build upon each other encompassing the themes of health policy and management and application of frameworks.

A unique feature of this program is that in addition to lecture, discussions and case analysis, the program can include an action-learning component post-workshop. If they so wish, participants will identify a strategic issue to work on once they return to their home institutions, and report on it to the group by means of a Brandeis facilitated electronic exchange of materials. During this time, they will have access to core faculty designated to guide them through this process.

Who Should Participate

Enrollment in this program will be limited to ensure a quality learning experience, one in which participants learn from close contact with faculty and each other. Providers of health care with substantial experience in the health care system will benefit most from this program. Every practitioner has already learned much about health care policy and management by virtue of delivering care within this system; this program will help solidify and crystallize these learnings, and enable participants to be effective change agents in these crucial areas.

Scholarship Eligibility: 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.

ACS Surgeons as Educators – American College of Surgeons

TSF is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships to attend the Surgeons as Eductors course hosted by the American College of Surgeons, scheduled for September 7-13, 2024 in Atlanta, GA.

TSF is providing partial scholarships of $2,500 toward the $7,700 cost of the course. (The TSF Scholarship covers $2,500 and the scholarship recipient is responsible for the remaining $5,200).

Attendees will be responsible for their own travel and hotel expenses. If you would like to be considered for an Alley-Sheridan Scholarship to attend this course please apply by March 29, 2024. The following are the required application materials:

1. Your Curriculum Vitae
2. One (1) letter of recommendation

Materials may be submitted online here.

Application Deadline : March 29, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time

Please note that this application is for the TSF Alley-Sheridan Scholarship. You must also apply through the American College of Surgeons to attend 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 class size is limited, and participants are carefully selected to foster highly interactive sessions.

Intended Participants

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.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:

  • Select optimal teaching methods and technologies and enhance the application of these methods to maximize learning.
  • Plan and document an instructional unit (for example, a clerkship or residency rotation) using an organized instructional design framework.
  • Apply leadership and management skills in the administration of educational programs, including motivating faculty, implementing change, managing conflict, and guiding career development.
  • Develop a sound system for assessing the performance of learners and teachers and the efficacy of curricula at the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education levels.

Scholarship Eligibility: 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.