CHEST and APCCMPD Announce Recipient of 2026 Collaborative Fellow Scholarship
Matthew Simpson, MD, will be the mentee for the third year of the APCCMPD and CHEST Medical Educator Diversity Scholar Fellowship
May 12, 2026
Glenview, Illinois – Matthew Simpson, MD, will be the mentee for the third year of the APCCMPD and CHEST Medical Educator Diversity Scholar Fellowship.
Designed to pair a fellow-in-training with an established medical educator, the unique scholarship was launched in 2023 by the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) and the Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Directors (APCCMPD) to improve diversity in medical education in pulmonary and critical care.
Dr. Simpson is currently a first-year pulmonary and critical care fellow at the Morehouse School of Medicine. His goal as a medical educator is to merge clinical excellence with innovation in teaching, and he plans to study how personalized coaching and mentorship models can improve learner confidence, performance, and long-term retention.
“Receiving this award from CHEST and APCCMPD is truly an honor and a meaningful milestone in my journey as a pulmonary and critical care fellow,” says Dr. Simpson. “As someone deeply committed to medical education and mentorship, particularly for underrepresented trainees, this recognition reinforces my passion for developing innovative, inclusive approaches to teaching within critical care medicine. Through this program, I am especially excited to work closely with an experienced mentor to further develop my skills in curriculum design, medical education research, and academic leadership. I hope to gain insight into building sustainable educational programs that not only improve trainee performance but also translate into better patient care—particularly in underserved communities.”
Deepak Pradhan, MD, FCCP, will be the mentor for the 2026 program and will work closely with Dr. Simpson. Dr. Pradhan is Associate Professor (Scholar Track) in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at New York University. He also has a master’s degree in health professions education through New York University and Maastricht University.
Applications to be a mentee for the 2027 APCCMPD and CHEST Medical Educator Diversity Scholar Fellowship mentee applications will open on August 3. Additional information can be found on the APCCMPD website.
About the American College of Chest Physicians
The American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST) is the global leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases. Its mission is to champion the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication, and research. It serves as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for its 18,000+ members from around the world who provide patient care in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. For information about the American College of Chest Physicians, and its family of journals, including the flagship journal CHEST®, visit chestnet.org.
About the Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Directors
The Association of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Program Directors (APCCMPD) consists of program leaders from Critical Care Medicine (CCM), Pulmonary Medicine, and Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (PCCM). It represents 98% of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited fellowships in these subspecialties. The APCCMPD’s mission is to foster excellence in training and mentor future pulmonary and critical care medicine educators. In addition, the APCCMPD provides a communication channel among fellowship programs and stakeholder organizations.