Four Programs Recognized with the 2025 Program Awards for a Culture of Excellence in Mentoring

Recipients of the 2025 PACEM Award pose with their rectangular awards.

Four mentoring programs were awarded the 2025 Program Award for a Culture of Excellence in Mentoring (PACEM) on December 3. The award was established to recognize the efforts of a department, division, office or program to foster innovation and sustainability in mentoring while building a culture of mentoring. The program leaders describe the efforts of their programs in a short video featured during the award ceremony held during the Faculty of Medicine Meeting. Recipients are highlighted below.

Aging Researchers in Early Stages (ARIES) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

ARIES program leaders hold their award as they stand in an office.

ARIES bring together early-stage investigators in Boston to promote cross-disciplinary clinical and translational research focused on the application of aging principles to improve clinical outcomes. Their short-term goals are to produce successful K-award recipients through 1) Peer review and mentoring, 2) Inter-institutional collaboration and 3) building a network of early-stage investigators involved in research. Their long-term goals are to create a pipeline of independently funded investigators and future leaders in Aging research.

Curriculum Fellows Program at Harvard Medical School

HMS Curriculum Fellows each hold their award.

The Curriculum Fellows Program (CFP) is committed to enhancing mentorship training by equipping fellows with the skills needed to effectively support graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, and faculty in science education and pedagogy. Through mentorship and coaching, CFP supports fellows in transitioning from bench science to careers in science education, educational administration, and research. Additionally, the program fosters a culture of peer mentoring, encouraging collaboration, the exchange of best practices, and mutual support in career development amongst fellows and extends to graduate students and post docs at HMS.

Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research: K Club at Massachusetts General Hospital

K Club program leaders hold their award as they stand in front of a gray wall.


The K Club is a longitudinal, hands-on program that supports junior investigators as they prepare K award applications and build sustainable research careers in a soft-money environment. It combines practical grant-writing and grant-review experience with structured peer support, bringing together investigators planning K applications with those who have already secured K awards. Participants receive guidance in identifying and engaging mentors, crafting competitive applications, integrating grant writing into busy professional and personal lives, and developing the resilience needed to thrive in research. Through this model, the K Club demystifies the path to funding, fosters a supportive community, and encourages talented junior investigators to remain in science.

MGH Department of Surgery Mentoring Program at Massachusetts General Hospital

The MGH Surgery Department Mentoring Program leaders hold their award in front of a wall with many framed degrees.

The Department of Surgery is committed to the ongoing enhancement of their mentoring initiatives, crafting a diverse array of programs catered to their surgical faculty and surgical trainees at various junctures of their professional journeys. These programs are meticulously curated to empower individuals in realizing their academic and personal aspirations, providing not only guidance and support but also fostering a culture of inclusivity and positivity.

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