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Pathways to Vitality Scholarships

Dawn Award

Supporting early-career clinicians as they build knowledge in sleep, circadian health and whole-person care

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About Award
Award Purpose
Who This Award Is For
Selection Criteria
How To Apply
Questions?

Who is this for:

Medical students, residents, fellows, APPs and early-career clinicians

Supports:

Conferences, workshops, courses, or specialized training

Focus:

Professional growth, patient care, sleep and circadian health

STATUS: Applications are currently closed.

Please contact us if you would like to be notified when this grant opens for 2027.

About the award

The Dawn Award recognizes the early stages of a clinician’s journey—times of long hours, steep learning curves, and extraordinary growth. Named for the first light of the day, this award symbolizes new beginnings, resilience, and the promise of a brighter future in medicine.

The Dawn Award provides financial support to attend conferences, workshops, or specialized training that deepen understanding of sleep, circadian health, and whole-person wellness. By investing in emerging clinicians, the award helps bridge the gap between medical education and the latest insights into human health, empowering recipients to carry knowledge forward into patient care, research, and leadership.

The Dawn Award purpose

Support learning

Enable attendance at conferences, seminars, or courses on sleep, circadian rhythms, and wellness

Nurture growth

Invest in professional development during the formative years of training

Advance patient care

Equip rising clinicians with tools to improve wellbeing for themselves, their patients, and communities

Inspire leadership

Cultivate future leaders in sleep and wellness advocacy

Who this award is for

Applicants should:
Be medical students, residents, APPs, fellows, or early career clinicians
Have an interest in whole-person, whole-day care integrating sleep, circadian health, wellness, and core medical disciplines
Demonstrate commitment to applying learning in patient care, research, or education

Selection criteria

Recipients will be chosen based on:

Motivation & Alignment: Clear interest in advancing knowledge of wellness and circadian health

Impact Potential: Ability to translate learning into meaningful change in clinical practice, research, or advocacy

Commitment to Growth: Evidence of dedication to professional and personal development

Equity & Access: Consideration for those with limited institutional support or resources

How to apply

The award is currently CLOSED. You will be able to access the application form here when the award is open for applications in 2027.

The application form will ask for a short description of:

  • Your current stage of training and scope of practice
  • The patient population you currently work with or hope to work with
  • The learning opportunity you want to attend or access
  • Why it matters to you
  • How you hope to use what you learn
  • Any access, travel, or financial barriers you would like WSCN to understand

Questions?

If you are not sure whether this award is the right fit, please contact WSCN with your questions.
Contact us

Applications are currently closed for 2026.

Applications will reopen in 2027, and you can apply directly online here.

Past awardees

Dr. Shikha Mistry, MD

DAWN Award 2026 Recipient
As a dedicated sleep medicine physician at the Ohio Sleep Medicine Institute, Dr. Mistry is passionate about advancing patient-centered care and improving sleep health across diverse populations.

Her work spans circadian rhythm disorders, hypersomnolence disorders, women’s sleep health, and pediatric sleep medicine, reflecting her commitment to translating sleep and circadian science into meaningful clinical practice. WSCN granted Dr Mistry the 2026 Dawn Award in recognition of both her clinical work and how she is making a difference through education, advocacy, and compassionate care.

“Every year, the SLEEP conference reminds me why I chose sleep medicine. It’s an opportunity to learn about the latest research, connect with colleagues from all over the world, and come home with new ideas that will ultimately benefit my patients.

After attending this year’s meeting with WSCN’s support left me especially excited about where the field is headed.”