In partnership with Dr. Petra Duran Gehring, Professorship in Medical Education Research and Scholarship and Dr. Matt Garber, Professorship in Quality Improvement & Patient Safety, the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville is launching its inaugural AI Shark Tank Program. This program is designed to spark innovation, mentorship, and scholarship among junior faculty, while meaningfully engaging residents and fellows. Two small grants ($5,000 each)– one in Medical Education + AI and one in Quality Improvement + AI – will be awarded through a lively, collegial Shark Tank–style pitch event.
Inspired by the popular TV show, the AI Shark Tank invites you to pitch bold ideas, creative solutions, and innovative uses of AI that can improve how we teach, learn, and care together. But before stepping into the Tank, prospective “contestants” will submit a short, focused proposal. From the submissions, finalists will be selected to pitch their ideas live to a panel of institutional “sharks.”
We encourage creativity – including fun project titles and memorable team names. While the spirit is playful, the goals are serious: building junior faculty expertise, advancing scholarship, and responsibly integrating AI into medical education and quality patient care.
This process is supportive, not punitive. It is not an evaluation of current AI use, but an opportunity to learn, mentor, and grow together. As an AI University, we are eager to learn from you – and to invest in ideas that can make a lasting impact. So, assemble your team, sharpen your pitch, and get ready to swim.
Dates
- Info Sessions/Q&A: June 2nd 7:30 – 8:00 am or June 9th 12:15 – 12:45 pm
- Proposal Submission Deadline: Wednesday, July 8th, 2026 submitted to
- Finalists notified to prepare for Shark Tank Pitch Event: Monday, July 13th, 2026
- Shark Tank Pitch Event: Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026, 5:30 – 6:30 pm
- Award Notice: Friday, July 31st, 2026
- Project Start: Tuesday, September 1st, 2026
- Midpoint Check-in: Tuesday, March 30th, 2027 (also Final Report Due for 6-month project)
- Final Report Due: Thursday, September 30th, 2027, or Friday, March 31st, 2028
Eligibility
- Award Amount: Up to $5,000 (1 award)
- Project Period: 6, 12, or 18 months
- Applicant: Junior faculty as PI (Assistant Professor or Associate Professor)
- Team Requirements: All grant submissions must have at least one resident or fellow
- Senior Mentor: See Eligibility section below
- AI Requirement: AI must be integral to the design, delivery, or assessment/evaluation of the education intervention
- Methodology: Submissions must have a rigorous research or program evaluation plan or QI Projects with Clear QI Methodology
- Goal: Project completion and seeking publication