Career Awards for Medical Scientists

Progress Reporting

Progress and financial reports are required of all BWF grants and are due on the date(s) specified in ProposalCentral. Advisory Committee and staff depend heavily upon progress and financial reports to evaluate progress. Late reports inconvenience advisory committee reviewers and impede BWF's evaluation of its programs. Failure to submit progress or financial reports in a timely fashion will result in payments being withheld, and if submissions are missed repeatedly, will result in termination of the award.

BWF provides the following progress report guidelines below to assist in the preparation and submission of Progress Reports in an acceptable manner. The progress report and financial updates are to be submitted through Proposal Central. You can find required deliverables listed on the home page after logging in to Proposal Central. Failure to submit any portion of the report by the due date will result in an interruption or cancellation of your funds.

Eligibility

Can I contact BWF to determine my eligibility?
It is the responsibility of applicants to read the published guidelines and FAQs to determine eligibility before contacting BWF staff. If you have questions, a unique training path, or experiences that are not fully addressed, you may contact the CAMS team (cams@bwfund.org) for guidance.

The FAQs are updated regularly in response to questions received. BWF staff will do their best to respond to every inquiry but will prioritize questions not already clearly addressed in the published guidelines. Please do not contact BWF to request an exception to clearly stated guidelines. 

Do I need to be nominated by my institution to apply?
No, you do not need to be nominated; however, you must obtain approval from your institution. Since August 2015, eligible candidates may now self-nominate by submitting a full proposal by the deadline. All applications must be approved by an official at the institution responsible for sponsored programs (generally from the grants and contracts office, the office of research, or the sponsored programs office).

I hold a Ph.D. degree only. Am I eligible to apply to the CAMS program?
No. If your background is in the physical/mathematical/computational sciences or engineering and your work addresses biological questions, you may want to consider applying to BWF’s Career Awards at the Scientific Interface.

I hold a Pharm.D. or Pharm.D, Ph.D. degree.  Am I eligible to apply to the CAMS program?
No.

Is 75 percent of the time devoted to researching a firm policy?
Yes. Programs and department chairs must provide adequate protection for the candidate to conduct research.

As a surgeon scientist can I be considered with less than 75% research effort?
No, currently for the CAMS award the 75% effort is the expectation regardless of specialty. However, if you do not currently have 75% protected time towards research, but it can be negotiated if CAMS were awarded, you may proceed with your application. Please ensure a letter of support or offer letter can demonstrate this in writing before proceeding.

Am I required to have 75% protected research time when applying?
No, however it is the expectation that you can demonstrate that this time can be negotiated if CAMS is awarded either in letters of recommendation or an offer letter.

I may be changing institutions to complete additional postdoc training after I submit a proposal. Can I submit one?
No. Invitations to finalists are based on the information submitted in the proposal. The training environment (mentor and institution) is an integral part of this consideration and, therefore, cannot be changed after submitting the proposal. Thus, if you move to a new institution after submitting the proposal, you will not be eligible to interview, even if you are invited.

If I have an NIH K08, K12, K21, or K23 award, am I eligible for the award?
Yes.

If I have an NIH K99/R00 or Early Independence award, am I eligible for the award?
No.

I have applied to the NIH K99 and/or NIH DP5 programs, but the awards have not been selected. Can I apply to the BWF CAMS program?
Yes. However, awardees cannot receive funding simultaneously from both a K99 or DP5 and a CAMS award.

My title is instructor, clinical lecturer, or assistant professor, non-tenure track. Am I eligible for the award?
Yes, if your junior faculty appointment is non-tenure track, and you meet all other eligibility criteria, you are eligible.

How much is considered a “substantial” startup for a non-tenure track package?
BWF currently reviews non-tenure track offers on a case-by-case basis. To be considered for eligibility, please submit your full offer letter - including all details of any research startup package - to the BWF CAMS team (cams@bwfund.org) no later than 2 weeks prior to the application deadline.

You may redact any salary or confidential portions you need or prefer to keep private. Your letter will be kept confidential and only used for review of eligibility.

I have submitted a first-author manuscript from my graduate (or undergraduate) studies, but it has not yet been published.  Am I eligible to apply?
Possibly. If the manuscript is accepted for publication or in press, you can apply; otherwise, you are not eligible. BioRxiv pre-prints do count and can be included.

I have publications from my graduate (and undergraduate) studies, but I am not the first author of any of them.  Am I eligible to apply?
No. You must have at least one first-author publication to be competitive and eligible to apply for this program. This includes papers on which "first authorship" is shared.

 My field is health services research and policy. Am I eligible for the award?
No. The award is only for individuals in basic biomedical, disease-oriented, or translational research.

Do I need a commitment from a university for a faculty appointment to apply for this award?
No. The award aims to help postdoctoral scientists obtain a faculty appointment at a degree-granting institution of their choosing. Candidates may be applying for faculty positions at the same time of application, but if you currently hold or have accepted, either verbally or in writing, a tenure-track faculty appointment, you are not eligible.

I have not yet decided whether to pursue a full-time research career as an independent investigator at a North American degree-granting institution. Can I apply to this program?
Possibly. As of 2024, public or private non-profit organizations in the United States and Canada, including degree-granting academic institutions, research institutes, and teaching hospitals affiliated with academic degree-granting institutions, are eligible to receive Burroughs Wellcome Fund support.

My clinical degree was awarded outside of the US and Canada. Am I still eligible to apply?
Yes

 I am based at a North American non-profit institution, but my primary postdoctoral mentor or faculty sponsor doesn't hold a faculty appointment at an accredited, degree-granting North American institution. Can I apply to this program?
Yes. Public or private non-profit organizations in the United States and Canada, including degree-granting academic institutions, research institutes, and teaching hospitals affiliated with academic degree-granting institutions, can receive Burroughs Wellcome Fund support.

Applications from other nonprofit organizations may be considered subject to program officer approval.

I currently hold a BWF award.  Am I eligible for this award?
Possibly. Contact the program team via email to discuss eligibility.

I am a past BWF grant recipient. Am I eligible for this award?
Possibly. Contact the program team via email to discuss eligibility.

I am at an independent research institute. Am I eligible for this award?
Yes. Public or private non-profit organizations in the United States and Canada, including degree-granting academic institutions, research institutes, and teaching hospitals affiliated with academic degree-granting institutions, can receive Burroughs Wellcome Fund support.

Applications from other nonprofit organizations may be considered subject to program officer approval.

If not awarded, can candidates resubmit their applications in the future?
BWF does not currently have a cap on reapplying. As long as a candidate remains eligible, they can reapply in a future cycle(s) an unlimited number of times.

In prior RFPs candidates could not be more than 13 years past their clinical doctorate degree. Is that still true? No, the 13-year limit post clinical degree has been replaced to focus on career stage window rather than years to degree.

Proposal

Can I have a co-investigator on this proposal?
No. The CAMS grant program does not allow co-investigators.

I have two postdoctoral mentors. Can I submit two mentor recommendation letters?
Only one mentor letter of recommendation may be submitted with your proposal application. This letter should be from the person designated as your primary postdoctoral mentor or faculty sponsor in the application.

If you have a co-mentor/secondary mentor, and if both your primary and secondary mentor wish to co-write and sign one mentor letter, that is also acceptable.

Alternatively, if you have a co-mentor/secondary mentor and they would like to write one of your three additional recommendation letters, that is also acceptable.

Can support letters be sent separately outside the grant application?
No. All support letters must be uploaded and attached to your application and submitted electronically by the application deadline. Emailed, mailed, or faxed letters will not be accepted.

To whom should my letters of recommendation be addressed?
Letters of recommendation should be addressed to the CAMS Advisory Committee and must be uploaded and attached to your application and submitted electronically by the application deadline. Emailed, mailed, or faxed letters will not be accepted.

If I attach a bibliography to my research plan, does it count toward the six-page maximum?
No. Also, glossaries of technical abbreviations and terms are acceptable and encouraged if they clarify the proposal to the general reader and do not count toward the page limit.  

Are figures, tables, graphs, diagrams, and pictures included in my research plan counted in the six-page limit, or can they be included separately?
Yes, all figures, tables, graphs, diagrams, pictures, etc., included in your research plan count toward the six-page limit.  

I would like to include additional materials as appendices to the application. Is this allowed?
No. You may not include materials beyond those requested by the application instructions.  Including additional materials may disqualify you from the competition.  

Do I need to submit a proposed budget with my application?
Yes, a tentative budget associated with your project plan must be included.

Are there limits to the salary and fringe amounts that can be budgeted?
Yes, there are limits for the postdoc phase and faculty phase of the award.

If the awardee elects to utilize the postdoctoral portion of the award (up to two years of support) A maximum of $90,000 may be used for salary and fringe benefits combined during year one of the postdoctoral phase. A maximum of $95,000 may be used for salary and fringe benefits combined during year two of the postdoctoral phase.

During the faculty portion of this award, a maximum of $59,500 may be used annually towards the named investigators salary and fringe benefits combined.

Can caregiver expenses be budgeted?
Yes, up to $5,000/year may be applied towards caregiving expenses. This is separate from the salary and fringe limits. This benefit can be utilized during any portion of the award.

Are there font or margin requirements for the research plan?
Yes. Use standard 11- or 12-point type for the text and no smaller than 9 to 10-point type for figures, legends, and tables. The text must be single-spaced, with one inch or larger margins. The font size requirement is strictly enforced.

Application

Is the BWF application deadline firm?
Yes.

Can I submit a paper application?
No. BWF requires that all applications for this program be submitted electronically by the application deadline. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Can I submit more than one application?
No.

Can I change my application once it is submitted?
No. Once your application is submitted, it cannot be changed.

What is a “signature block”?
A signature block is found at the end of a letter and includes the letter writer’s name, title(s), department(s), and institution. It is usually found just after the closing of the letter (e.g., just after the word ‘Sincerely,’ or ‘Yours truly,’) and just under the letter writer’s signature. Here is an example of a signature block:

Jane Smith, M.D., Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Medicine
ABC University  

Do I need to complete an application in one session?
No, you can start an application and return later to complete it. When beginning a new application, you are required to log in with an existing or established proposal central log-in and password. You can save, exit the application, and return later at any time during the application process.

I forgot my user ID and/or password. What should I do?
If you have forgotten your password or user ID, visit the BWF grant application system and click the forgotten password link.

What is the Signature Page Form? How do I submit it?
The Signature Page Form provides a signature line for the Applicant. An application is not considered complete without the Signature Page form. You must upload the completed Signature Page form with your signature by the application deadline date. An emailed, mailed, or faxed signature page will not be accepted.  

What is the Institutional Certification Form?  How do I submit it?
It is a required form that must be completed and signed by an authorized signing official to certify (a) the university’s non-profit status as a degree-granting institution and (b) the applicant meets all eligibility and residency requirements for the CAMS program at the submission deadline. An application is not considered complete without the Institutional Certification form.  An emailed, mailed, or faxed institutional certification form will not be accepted.

Award Logistics

Can I change institutions during the award?
The award is portable.  Most awardees will change institutions to begin a faculty appointment. However, transferring your award is not guaranteed. The institution that you wish to transfer to must demonstrate a commitment to you by offering you a tenure track or equivalent faculty appointment and significant start-up money. In addition, BWF must approve the transfer. Transfers during the faculty portion of the award are discouraged.

Can I interrupt the award because of family commitments?
Yes.  BWF will allow you a no-cost extension of up to two years during the award term. 

Are awardees permitted to receive other simultaneous funding, such as from the National Institutes of Health or another foundation?
Award recipients may obtain funds from other sources for research in the same or similar areas as that conducted under these grants, so long as there is no conflict with meeting the terms of BWF’s award. Award recipients may not hold concurrent BWF awards or NIH K99/R00, NIH DP5, or similar Early Independence awards.

What are my chances of receiving a Career Award for Medical Scientists?
There is no way to know definitively how many proposals we will receive each application cycle and, therefore, what the success rate will be. However, based on data from previous CAMS competitions, we estimate an award rate of 12 percent.

 Updated: 30 September 2025