Grants for Education of Medical Students (GEMS) Program

About

SIR and SIR Foundation believe in promoting a culture of inclusion and strengthening the specialty of interventional radiology through different perspectives. The GEMS Program was created and launched through a generous endowment from Alan H. Matsumoto, MD, FSIR, and his family. It is also supported in part by funding from our corporate partners: Boston Scientific, Cook Medical, Penumbra Inc., Siemens Healthineers, and W. L. Gore & Associates.

This program provides medical students from diverse backgrounds with scholarships to fund visiting clerkship rotations in interventional radiology and attendance at the SIR Annual Scientific Meeting.

• Budget: Up to $1,500
• Grant Length: 8 weeks, virtual
• Deadline: May 31st by 5 p.m. ET
• Additional info: SIR membership is encouraged but not required. DACA and Dreamers are eligible.

The GEMS Program includes a virtual curriculum hosted by SIR Foundation, beginning in the fall, as well as support for visiting clerkship. After the completion of the virtual course, the GEMS Program also provides a stipend to ease the financial burden of education-related expenses for medical students. In addition to the GEMS Program stipend, recipients will be automatically given an additional travel stipend to attend the SIR Annual Scientific Meeting the following year. This meeting is an experience that includes dedicated educational programming, presentations from leaders in the field of interventional radiology and networking opportunities with IRs from across the world. 

The virtual curriculum to be held in Fall 2025 will provide medical students with an opportunity to:

• Have an in-depth learning experience with an emphasis on health equity and diversity
• Develop early mentoring relationships with GEMS mentors
• Broaden their professional network with their cohort and mentors

Looking for an IR clerkship opportunity with financial assistance? Search "radiology" on the AAMC website. 

Eligibility

• Students seeking to be the first generation of physicians in their families and identify as being from racial or ethnic groups that are underrepresented in the medical field. Female or LGBTQ are eligible to apply for these scholarships, as are students who come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Citizens of the United States or Canada, those with permanent resident status*, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA or Dreamers)**
• Entering their third or fourth year of medical school (MD, DO or equivalent)
• Strongly considering a career in interventional radiology and
  
  • In good standing at, and enrolled in, an LCME-accredited medical school or its equivalent for a non-U.S. medical school
  • On track to complete all required, basic coursework and clerkships at their home institution and graduate
  • Entering a clerkship of at least 4 weeks in duration that devotes at least 50% of the time to IR, with the remainder of time devoted to diagnostic radiology (DR), nuclear medicine or a subspecialty area within DR
• Mus be a first-time recipient of the GEMS award. If you have previously received an award to participate in the GEMS program, you are not eligible to re-apply.
• The medical student must be a member in good standing of the Society of Interventional Radiology

2024 host sites

• To become a participating institution for the 2025 GEMS program, please contact the Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS) and submit an application.
• Information can be found here: AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities™ (VSLO®) program.
• If your institution is already participating, please check the AAMC website to ensure your institution appears when searching for "interventional radiology."