ACS Resident Research Scholarships

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) offers two-year resident research scholarships for residents in general surgery or a surgical specialty training program. These scholarships are supported by the generosity of Fellows, Chapters, and friends of the College, to encourage residents to pursue careers in academic surgery anywhere on the research continuum. Following are requirements covering the granting of the scholarships. Similar requirements for the ACS Resident Research Scholarship are also within the application.

Eligibility

The applicant must be a Resident Member of the ACS, who has completed at least 2 postdoctoral years in an accredited surgical training program (any specialty) in the United States or Canada at the time the scholarship starts (July of the award year). Scholarships do not support research after completion of the chief residency year.
The College encourages diversity of applicants and institutions; only in exceptional circumstances will more than one scholarship be granted in a single year to applicants from the same institution.

Basic Requirements

Research will be described in a Specific Aims (1-page maximum), Research Proposal (3-page maximum), References (1-page maximum), and Budget with Justification (1-page maximum). Formatting of font, page size, and margin guidelines are to fall within NIH style guidelines.
A letter (1-page maximum) is required from the dean or fiscal officer of the institution reflecting approval of the application, which does not allow any indirect costs to the recipient or institution, and that this award disallows for extramural funding to the applicant, irrespective of source (see below).
A letter (1-page maximum) is required from the department or division leader of the surgical specialty.
A letter (2-page maximum) from the mentor who will be supervising the applicant’s research must be submitted, with content including a mentoring and training plan. The mentor must be an ACS member.

Award Obligations

The scholarship is $60,000 over two years (i.e., $30,000 per year) and may be used for direct costs related to research only (resident salary, personnel, equipment, supplies, and/or travel). Indirect costs are not paid to the recipient or the recipient’s institution. Funds may not be used to cover expenses of degrees (e.g., MPH, MBA, PhD).
The scholarship is awarded for two years, and acceptance of it requires commitment for the two-year period in full-time research.
Study outside the United States or Canada is permissible.
Before receiving the second year of funding, a research performance and financial progress report must be received and approved by the ACS Scholarships Committee.
The scholar must attend the Annual Clinical Congress in the 2^nd year of their award to present a report on the research as part of the Scientific Forum, and to receive a certificate at the annual meeting of the Scholarships Committee.

Additional Funding Sources

An application for the ACS Resident Research Scholarship may be submitted even if comparable application to other organizations has been made.
If the recipient is submitting, submitted, and/or offered a scholarship, fellowship, or research award from another extramural organization, it is the responsibility of the recipient to contact the College’s Scholarships Administrator. Those applicants receiving other extramural awards will have to choose between the ACS award and the other awarding body. Intramural awards are allowed (e.g., departmental support, institutional training grant, institutional career development award)
Applicants who have already earned extramural research funding for their research period, irrespective of funding source or scientific overlap, are not eligible for this scholarship.

Now accepting applications. The deadline for submissions is September 15.

Apply Online

Additional documents and questions are to be directed to the Scholarships Administrator: scholarships@facs.org or Scholarships Administrator, American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair St., Chicago, IL 60611-3295.