The CMB Distinguished Professorships Awards offer financial support and academic recognition to outstanding faculty leaders in participating institutions, helping these universities to encourage and nurture their best faculty. The awards are in the amount of $12,000 per year for a five year period, with opportunity to seek extension for a second five year period.

Criteria for selection include academic excellence, acknowledged leadership in professional circles, and personal character and integrity. An independent selection panel of distinguished international experts review applications and interview semi-finalists, with personal interviews conducted entirely in English.

Awards will be made directly to the university of each selected finalist, to support that professor's teaching, clinical innovations, outreach, collaboration, and international exchange. Applications are made jointly by an individual and their university. For an application to be considered, the applicant must be formally nominated by the university which employs them. The applicant must currently be under 55 years of age, and serving on faculties of medicine, nursing, public health, pharmacy, dentistry, or similar fields at one of the participating institutions.