#ACGME2026 Session Summary: Back to Bedside: A Rewarding Initiative You Can Experience
Since its launch, the ACGME’s Back to Bedside initiative has funded 114 projects across specialties and institutions, empowering residents and fellows to lead grassroots efforts that enhance patient connection and joy in practice. These projects create meaningful ripple effects that strengthen programs, engage faculty members, and positively influence patient care.
Back to Bedside at #ACGME2026
The energy around Back to Bedside at the 2026 ACGME Annual Educational Conference was undeniable. Two standout sessions, “Innovative Projects to Get Learners Back to Bedside: A “Shark Tank” Competition,” and an invite-only half-day Back to Bedside course, brought residents, fellows, faculty members, and institutional leaders together with a shared purpose: to inform, inspire, and empower one another to design meaningful, resident- and fellow-led graduate medical education (GME) projects.
Held on Thursday in parallel to the conference’s Full-Day Course agenda, the half-day Back to Bedside course allowed current grant recipients to gather for the last time of their two-year cycle to reflect and celebrate their projects and experiences as a cohort. At the conclusion of the session, participants discussed strategies for leveraging skills learned through Back to Bedside toward becoming agents of change in their ongoing and future careers.
In the “Shark Tank” session, participants were chosen to present projects through a competition with all grant recipients. Each team submitted a traditional or non-traditional deliverable, and six teams were chosen by their peers to participate and pitch their bold, creative ideas focused on strengthening patient connection and restoring meaning at the bedside. In true “Shark Tank” fashion, the atmosphere was lively, interactive, and fun, complete with enthusiastic attendees and a panelist who dressed as a shark. The playful spirit underscored a serious commitment: supporting residents and fellows as innovators and change agents within their learning environments. Audience engagement was high, with thoughtful questions, constructive feedback, and plenty of encouragement.
Together, these two sessions showcased what makes Back to Bedside so powerful: A community-driven approach that blends creativity, mentorship, and real-world impact.
Get Involved in the Next Cycle
For others looking to get their research project funded and supported through Back to Bedside, now is the time! Applications are now open for the 2026-2028 cycle of Back to Bedside. This round offers up to $10,000 in grant funding, travel stipends to support in-person Learning Collaboratives, mentorship, and the opportunity for awarded teams to present posters at the 2028 ACGME Annual Educational Conference in Orlando, Florida.
If you’re ready to support resident- and fellow-led innovation and invest in meaningful progress, we encourage you to join the growing Back to Bedside community and expand your positive imprint on GME.
Learn more and submit your application for the fifth cycle of Back to Bedside by April 20, 2026. Visit the Back to Bedside page on the ACGME website for details.