Jennifer Smorgon Scholarships for Clinicians from Low-Middle Income Countries (LMIC)

Stad Center of Pediatric Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine

16th Pediatric Pain Master Class 

Mission Bay Conference Center at UCSF. San Francisco, CA. Saturday, January 24 – Friday, January 30, 2026 

Conference Information & Agenda: https://virtualce.ucsf.edu/pediatric-pain-master-class-2026

Application Guidelines for In-Person Attendance at the Pediatric Pain Master Class 

The Stad Center for Pediatric Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals is offering four competitive Jennifer Smorgon scholarships to clinicians from LMIC currently working in the field of pediatric pain and/or pediatric palliative care.  

The scholarship includes

  • Free in-person participation at the 16th Pediatric Pain Master Class  
  • Round trip economy flight
  • hotel stay in San Francisco (max. 9 nights)
  • USD $750.00 stipend for food, ground transport

The recipients of this scholarship will be selected based on strong leadership potential or demonstrated leadership abilities, commitment to moving the field of pediatric pain and/or palliative care forward and attending to underserved pediatric populations. The goal of this scholarship program is to identify medical professionals who are in a position to improve acute and chronic pain management for children both in their institution and beyond (region or country). 

Eligibility criteria:  

Clinicians who are currently practicing in low- to lower-middle income countries using World Bank economic criteria (see http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups), and who are:  

  • Involved in management of pediatric acute and chronic/complex pain and/or in pediatric palliative care; 
  • In a leadership role, or are interested in leadership role, in the field of pediatric pain and/or palliative care; 
  • Very good to excellent command of English language; 
  • Supported by their organizational leadership to advance pediatric pain and/or palliative care practice in their institution; and  
  • Able to attend all seven days of the conference in-person from January 24-30, 2026 

Please note, at request (contact Pediatric.PMC@ucsf.edu ) we will offer reduced participation fees for clinicians from upper-middle income countries. If you are from an upper-middle income country and cannot afford the reduced participation fee, you are welcome to apply for this scholarship and we ask that you please explain your unique circumstances. 

Required application materials:             

  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Personal letter outlining the need for this scholarship, including: 
    • Current and past pediatric experiences, specifically involvement in pediatric pain and palliative care  
    • How this scholarship may improve the direct care for children in acute, chronic/complex pain and/or palliative care in their institution, region and/or country 
    • Career goals  
    • Commitment to attend the complete conference in-person
    • Description of English language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking (the course is intensive all day for seven days, and very good proficiency in English is required)
  • A letter from the Dean, Department Chair, or similar institutional leader indicating a commitment to the applicant’s career goals and institutional support for the advancing the field of pediatric pain and palliative care (including dedicated weekly time to work in the field of pain and/or palliative care upon completion of this course)  
  • Three letters of recommendation from clinical peers who work with the applicant closely (if the original is not written in English, please add an unofficial translation, which may be created by you)

Important Dates:  

  • November 15, 2026, 18:00hrs PST San Francisco, CA Time – All materials due (incomplete applications will not be considered)
  • November 21, 2026, 18:00 hrs PST San Francisco, CA Time – Final decisions made by the review committee  

To apply:  

  1. Please fill out your information here: https://forms.office.com/r/i87bi1k3AL
  2. Submit requested documents listed above to pediatric.pmc@ucsf.edu

File Naming Convention for uploaded applicaton documents – please include your last name and the document type. For example:

            LastName_CV

            LastName_Personal Letter

            LastName_Dean Letter

Scholarship Review Committee Chairs: Andrea Postier, PhD, MPH, Karen Sun, MD, Stefan Friedrichsdorf, MD