The ORE-O Grant was established in 2019 through a collaboration between the American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF) and the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics Foundation (AOAO-F) to provide financial support for Osteopathic orthopedic endeavors in research and education for the advancement of the profession and provide opportunities for publishing such research.

Grant Purpose

AOAO-F/AOF’s ORE-O grant supports Osteopathic Orthopedic Residents or Fellows in training who plan to pursue Osteopathic orthopedic research through this grant, who has demonstrated their contribution to the science and knowledge of the biomechanical, biomedical, and clinical aspects of Osteopathic orthopedic surgery through research and publication. 

Grant

A grant of $10,000 will be awarded to one (1) Osteopathic Orthopedic Resident or Fellow in training; distributed in two installments to the awardee’s institution: first installment of $7,500 upon completion of the grant agreement, and final installment of $2,500 upon completion of the final grant report. This award may be given more than once annually.

Eligibility

• Osteopathic Orthopedic Resident or a Fellow in an orthopedic specialty training program who is a member in good standing of the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics.
• All aspects of research must be conducted during training.
• Selected recipient must submit an abstract and paper within 6 months of completion to an orthopedic research related journal. 
• Selected recipient must notify the AOAO-F and AOF of all publications of this research for up to two (2) years after the conclusion of this grant; publication(s) must recognize the grant and list the funders as “The American Osteopathic Foundation and the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics Foundation.”

Requirements

• Completed online application form
• CV/Resume/Biosketch
• A detailed budget including total cost; how the applicant plans to use the funds and a list of requested and secured funding amounts/sources 
• Stage/Phase of Research
• Research Project Plan: The applicant must propose a succinct project that clearly outlines the background, hypothesis(es), specific aims, and scientific approach that will be taken to address each specific aim. An impact statement should also be included that describes the importance of the research to the practice of Osteopathic orthopedic surgery.
• Title of Paper or Research Report
• Concept paper or published research including abstract with citations
• Two letters of recommendation, from the following:
  • Lead Mentor (advisor): submitted by the Lead Mentor, on institutional letterhead, describing their role in the research project, detailing their commitment to the applicant’s training, and their experience mentoring other students, residents, or junior faculty level researchers.
  • Individual of the applicant’s choosing: a DO or PhD recommendation is strongly encouraged.

Recognition & Award Presentation

The recipient will also be recognized by the AOF and by the AOAO-Foundation through electronic and social media and the AOAO newsletter, The Orthopod. Upon completion of the project, the recipient will be recognized and expected to present the research at an AOAO Annual Meeting. To facilitate attendance, the AOAO-F and the AOF will:

• Waive registration fees for the meeting at which the presentation will take place
• Provide a reimbursable travel and lodging stipend of up to $1,000 with receipts, after the meeting at which the presentation will take place
• Highlight the presentation via social media and other methods 

The recipient is encouraged to submit an abstract of the research project to the AOAO Annual Fall Meeting the year following the award. 

Click here to access the application portal, open March 17, 2025, through May 19, 2025