Build lifelong skills – in only 2.5 days.
Oct. 10-12, 2025 | Baltimore, MD
Apply
The Best of FORWARD is a 2.5-day, in-person immersive experience designed to help early-career physician-scientists from underrepresented communities with tools to thrive in academic research through skills-building, mentoring, and peer networking.
The Best of FORWARD is a selective, no-cost program to sharpen your skills as you compete for increasingly limited research funding. Our program takes the best of the successful 18-month AGA FORWARD Program including real-time feedback on crafting specific aims, grant strategies and writing, research management, promoting your research, networking among leaders and peers in the scientific community, and more. To date, AGA FORWARD scholars have secured $11.5 million in grant funding as principal investigators or co-principal investigators.
Why apply
Sharpen skills to help compete for increasingly limited research funding.
The course provides manuscript and grant writing training to strengthen core research career skills as funding decreases across government agencies and institutions.
Get expert input.
Real-time feedback on your specific aims.
Build your network.
Connect with peers, mentors, and leaders in the scientific community.
Travel and lodging covered by The Best of FORWARD Program.
Application deadline: Sept. 8
Apply today
Course directors
Byron Cryer, MD, AGAF
Chief of Internal Medicine; Ralph Tompsett Endowed Chair in Medicine
Baylor University Medical Center
Sandra M. Quezada, MD, MS, AGAF
Professor; Associate Dean for of Medical School Admissions
University of Maryland
School of Medicine
Muyiwa Awoniyi, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor in Gastroenterology, Hepatology, &
Nutrition and Inflammation and Immunity
Cleveland Clinic
Manuel Braga Neto, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dept of Gastroenterology,
Hepatology, and Nutrition
Cleveland Clinic
Nicolette Rodriguez, MD, MPH
Instructor in Medicine
Brigham and Women’s Hospital,
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,
Harvard Medical School
Agenda
Build lifelong skills – in only 2.5 days.
Oct. 10-12, 2025 | Baltimore, MD
Apply
October 10-12, 2025
Download a more detailed course agenda as a printable PDF file (new tab will open).
Session Topics
Grant Development and Funding
- Federal and Non-Federal Sources of Funding
- Developing specific aims page
- Research Management in a resource-limited and evolving landscape
- Intro to manuscript writing
- Creative Transformative Research and Discovery
- What’s new in Washington?
Leadership and Career Development
- Beyond the CV: Navigating the Unwritten Curriculum in Academic Medicine
- Presenting, Publishing, and Promoting Your Research
- Career Pathways (Program Director, Clinical Education, Clinical trials, and Academic)
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Adaptability and embracing change
- Introduction to coaching
- Resilient Leadership through evolving times
- Effective negotiation skills and conflict management
Networking and Mentorship
- Maximizing Networking for Your Research and Career
- Peer to peer practice
- Exploring digital mentoring
*Agenda subject to change.
The Best of FORWARD program brings you together with faculty, leaders in the field, and peer connections that will extend well beyond the in-person event.
See what our #AGAFORWARD family has been up to on social media
Build lifelong skills – in only 2.5 days.
Oct. 10-12, 2025 | Baltimore, MD
Apply
#AGAFORWARD
This course is accredited for 8.5 (7.75 virtual) AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
CME expiration date: May 18, 2025
Accreditation Statement
The AGA Institute is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The AGA Institute designates this live activity for a maximum of 8.5 (7.75 virtual) AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, all faculty and planning partners must disclose all their financial relationships with ineligible companies held within the past 24 months. The AGA Institute implements a mechanism to identify and mitigate all conflicts of interest prior to delivering the educational activity to learners.
MOC Statement
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 8.5 (7.75 virtual) MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
Accommodations
A block of rooms has been reserved for attendees of this course at the Marriott Marquis Chicago, IL. You may make your hotel reservations by calling 1-800-228-9290 or:
Make reservation
Be sure to mention you are attending the 2025 AGA Principles of GI for the NP and PA Course to receive the discounted rate. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be reserved by July 11, 2025, to ensure the discounted rate of $249 per night (single/double, taxes not included).
Cancellation policy
A refund (less a $50 processing fee) will be given for cancellations received in writing on or before July 25, 2025. Please send any cancellation request to AGA Member Relations via email member@gastro.org or call 301-941-2651.
No cancellations will be accepted for refunds on or after July 26, 2025. Refunds cannot be made for no shows.
