The Osteopathic Research and Education for Orthopedics (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.

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.”

Application 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.

Review Process

Application portal opens Monday, March 16, 2026, and closes Friday, May 29, 2026. Incomplete applications will NOT be reviewed. Applications are reviewed by an independent panel; the selected student will have the top aggregate score. The selected grant recipient and their lead mentor will be notified by July 31, 2026.

The recipient will also be recognized through electronic and social media and the AOAO newsletter, The Orthopod. The recipient is encouraged to submit an abstract of the research project to the AOAO Annual Fall Meeting the year following the award. 

Grant recipients are required to submit a Final Grant Report along with an itemized budget of expenditures and provide receipts (through Survey Monkey Apply, the AOF’s grants and programs portal). Final payment is contingent on report completion. Selected recipient must agree to submit an abstract and paper to an orthopedic research related journal within 6 months of research completion. Recognizing the specific nature of this research may impact the field of Orthopedics, Grantee is strongly encouraged to publish in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics (JAOAO) to reach those who will benefit the most.

Click here to access the application portal