Request for Application

The Linda Munson Scholarship for Wildlife Pathology Research is made possible through the generosity of the late Dr. Linda Munson, Diplomate and Past President of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP). Dr. Munson was a pioneering force in endangered species conservation, shaping the field through her leadership at the Smithsonian Institution, University of Tennessee, and later at UC Davis, where she rose to full professor and directed the veterinary pathology service. She mentored a generation of veterinary pathologists, many of whom now lead wildlife pathology efforts nationwide, and inspired countless students to pursue careers in wildlife and conservation medicine. Her research advanced the integration of animal reproductive health into conservation strategies and documented the impact of infectious diseases on diverse species, including lions, wild dogs, cheetahs, jaguars, and red wolves. Dr. Munson played a central role in investigating disease-related changes in endangered Channel Island fox populations, contributing vital expertise to recovery efforts.

The 2026 application deadline is March 1, 2026.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Have a DVM or equivalent
• Have completed a residency in anatomic or clinical pathology by the time the scholarship begins
• Be eligible to take Phase II of the ACVP Certifying Examination
• Devote most of their time pursuing research training in a mentored environment on a topic that contributes to the understanding of diseases of wildlife, preferably with a conservation impact
• Be in a PhD degree granting program with didactic coursework completed OR in a non-degree granting program as a postdoctoral fellow

If candidates have not done so already, they will be expected to successfully complete the ACVP Certifying Examination and/or the PhD degree within 2 years after the end of this scholarship, and to pursue careers as veterinary pathologists in academia, the private sector, or government.

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Funding

The scholarship award will provide a maximum $150,000 in total to be distributed over 2 years for a 2 year post-doctoral fellow ($75,000/year for 2 years) or over 3 years for a PhD student ($50,000/year for 3 years), which may only be used for stipend and medical benefits. Stipends should be provided according to the NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) experience-based scale shown in Table 1.  The applicant/mentor/training institution must agree to provide supplemental funding for each year of the scholarship, including (i) additional stipend to meet the NIH NRSA experience-based rate and/or additional medical benefits if scholarship funds are not sufficient, (ii) applicable tuition/fees, (iii) travel, (iv) research, and (v) educational supplies.  It is acceptable for applicants/training institutions to supplement this scholarship with funds from federal, state, private, and other sources so long as permissible according to stipulations for use of those funds.

Travel funds should be provided to attend ACVP annual meetings and to present research results. Recipients are also eligible to apply for graduate student travel awards from ACVP to attend the Annual Meeting.

Funding will be renewed on an annual basis, subject to satisfactory progress as evidenced by annual progress reports submitted to and reviewed by the ACVP Grants and Endowments Committee. The ACVP Board of Directors has the sole right to revoke a scholarship.

If the recipient leaves the training program for any reason prior to completion, it is the responsibility of both the recipient and the academic mentor to contact the ACVP Grants and Endowments Committee Chair within 30 days of departure to develop a plan with the fiscal officer of the institution for disposition of the position and funding.

Table 1. Stipend levels (FY 2025 NRSA experience-based scale, accessed 15 Dec 2025).

Career Level	Years of Experience	Stipend for FY 2025	Monthly Stipend
Postdoctoral	0	$62,232	$5,186
Postdoctoral	1	$62,652	$5,221
Postdoctoral	2	$63,120	$5,260
Postdoctoral	3	$65,640	$5,470
Postdoctoral	4	$67,824	$5,652
Postdoctoral	5	$70,344	$5,862
Postdoctoral	6	$72,960	$6,080
Postdoctoral	7 or More	$75,564	$6,297

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Application Submission, Review and Award Process

Applications may be submitted from any institution that trains veterinary pathologists (anatomic or clinical) to be ACVP Board-eligible as one of its primary functions. Applications must be submitted jointly by the PhD applicant and their research mentor through the ACVP website. Citizenship requirements of applicants will be commensurate with the requirements of the training institution. ACVP urges that institutions encourage applications from applicants with diversified personal and professional backgrounds.

The information requested in this application will be evaluated and scored by the ACVP Grants and Endowments Committee (excluding members with conflicts of interest) according to the system shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Criteria and Point Value System for Evaluation of Applications.

Item	Point Value (total=100)
Relevance of the proposed research project to wildlife pathology and conservation	20
Credentials of PhD applicant (e.g., CV, career goals, transcripts, and letters of recommendation)	20
Credentials of research mentor (e.g., CV, research support and environment, publication record)	20
Collaboration with additional graduate research faculty	10
Other factors that particularly enhance the training environment	10
Interactions with other training environments	10
Current PhD/post-docs for whom the researcher serves as primary mentor	5
PhD/post-docs who matriculated through the mentor’s laboratory in past 5 years	5

Selection criteria will be based on the qualifications of the applicant and mentor, and quality of the research project and environment. A recipient will be selected based on academic qualifications, potential for a successful career in wildlife disease research, and evidence of commitment to wildlife pathology research and conservation. Mentors must provide evidence of research success, expertise in the area of the research, and a history of research mentoring. The research environment should provide the necessary equipment as well as the diversity of expertise and resources for optimal research training. The research project must be hypothesis-driven and aimed to advance knowledge in some area of wildlife pathology and preferably have a conservation impact. In cases in which applications from two or more institutions are judged to be of equal merit, institutions without a similar actively funded scholarship position, or that have not been previously awarded such a position, will be given special consideration. Once the training institution is selected, a written agreement will be executed between ACVP and the training institution specifying terms of the scholarship.

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Information to be Included in the Application

All applications should include a description of the items listed below. The relative point value assigned to each of these items is shown in Table 2.

Research Proposal. The research proposal (maximum of 5 pages not including references) should include (i) a statement of the problem and justification for the research, (ii) specific aims and hypothesis, (iii) proposed methods, (iv) potential pitfalls, (v) potential impact of results, and (vi) references.

Credentials of the applicant. Applicants must submit a curriculum vitae and statement of career goals, transcripts from veterinary school and all post-veterinary school education, letters of recommendation from three individuals familiar with applicant’s aptitude in wildlife pathology. Additionally, a list of the names, titles (academic rank), and credentials (academic degrees, specialty board certifications) of faculty who are actively involved in the applicant’s training and/or who serve on the applicant’s PhD graduate committee must be included.

Credentials of the Mentor. The mentor must submit a curriculum vitae and a letter providing evidence of expertise in the research area of the applicant. The curriculum vitae and/or letter should include a history of research mentoring (including names of past and current mentees), a description of the mentoring environment (including planned contact with the applicant), sources of funding for the research project, available laboratory facilities, access to diverse expertise through other researchers, options for seminars, and confirmation of travel support for the applicant to present their research findings.

Other Factors that Particularly Enhance the Training Environment. Applicants should describe any other special elements that do not fall within the items provided which particularly enhance the training environment. For example, applicants may wish to describe strong interactions with medical schools, conservation organizations, environmental groups, government agencies, or special efforts to ensure trainees are well mentored.

Interactions with Other Training Environments. Given the complexity of issues with which modern veterinary pathologists must deal, it is difficult for all programs to provide adequate training in all the necessary disciplines within their own program. Applicants should describe interactions with other environments that enhance training beyond that which is available within their own department.

Additional Information to be Submitted (regarding program support)

The research mentor or department/program head must submit a letter confirming the amount of funds that will be provided for the applicant each year, including (i) additional stipend to meet the NIH NRSA experience-based rate and/or medical benefits to be provided over the maximum $150,000 total scholarship award, (ii) tuition/fees, and (iii) travel.

Please feel free to email the ACVP Grants and Endowments Committee Chair if more information or clarification is needed.