Founder's Fund Grants

Bill Benton

Paul Palmisano

Ralph Tiller

The Founder’s Fund Endowment was developed in partnership with Children’s of Alabama in 2006 to honor three prominent former faculty members: Drs. Ralph Tiller, Paul Palmisano, and Bill Benton. This program was designed to specifically benefit the Pediatric Residency Program. The monies raised are held in an endowed account by Children’s of Alabama in the Kaul Pediatric Research Institute. Founder’s Fund grants are available every May for innovative education initiatives, clinical research, quality improvement or outcomes research that focus on residency education and advocacy. Approximately 10–12 grants are awarded each year in the amount of approximately $1,000 per year. It is a competitive process under the direction of the residency program directors.

Several of Founder’s Fund projects have resulted in significant advances in the manner by which we care for patients, patient and family education, training for medical students and residents, and advocacy. At least ten projects have led to presentations by residents and their mentors at national and regional academic meetings (SPR/APS, SSPR, AAP).

2021 Founder’s Fund Grants—Project Titles and Investigators

Confidence and Performance in Care of Transgender Patients
Seth Perry, RN (PI)
Kelsey Thetford, M.D.
Isabella Masler, M.D.

Evaluation of the Health Equity Scholars Program, A Longitudinal Health Equity Curriculum for Pediatric and Medicine-Pediatric Residents
Tina Simpson, M.D., MPH (PI)
Brad Fancher, M.D. (PI)
Chrystal Rutledge, M.D.
Morissa Ladinsky, M.D.
Vida Laudarji, M.D.

Well Child Check That Is Anything But Well: Use of Simulated Standardized Patients of Practice Empathic Care of a Suicidal Teenager
Candice Dye, M.D. (PI)
Stacey Gaither, RN
Nancy Tofil, M.D.

Improving Firearm Safety Counseling in Primary Care Clinic
Abigail Martin, M.D. (PI)
Christina Hunley, M.D. (PI)
Jennifer Joseph, M.D. (PI)
Joshua Bell, M.D.
Andrew Donahue, M.D.
Morissa Ladinsky, M.D.

Pediatric Research Academic Program (Pediatric RAP)
Chloe Meyer, M.D. (PI)
Kathy Monroe, M.D.
Michele Nichols, M.D.
Brad Troxler, M.D.
Chang Wu, M.D.

Staging Transition for Every Patient–Pediatric Resident Education Plan (STEP–PREP)
Hannah Stone, M.D. (PI)
Joe Bradsher, M.D.
Meaghan Bruner, M.D.
Susmita Murthy, M.D.
Neha Teekappanavar, M.D.
Maia Tinder, M.D.
Channing Brown, M.D.
Rachel Klein, M.D.
Carlie Stein, M.D.

Evaluation of the Use of Immersive Community Experiences to Introduce Health Equity to Residents Participating in the UAB Pediatrics Residency Health Equity Scholars Program
Vida Laudarji, M.D. (PI)
Tanzeh Metzger, M.D. (PI)
Chrystal Rutledge, M.D. (PI)
Tina Simpson, M.D.
Morissa Ladinsky, M.D.

Baby Shower for Young Mothers Program
Abigail Martin, M.D. (PI)
Grace Spears, M.D. (PI)
Kathleen Vincent, M.D. (PI)
Terri Coco, M.D.
Kathy Monroe, M.D.

Enhancing Pediatric Global Health Education through the Pediatric Underserved and Global Health Scholars
Meghan Hofto, M.D., MPH (PI)
Mary Orr, M.D.
Amelia Schuyler, M.D.
Kathleen Vincent, M.D.