The American College of Surgeons (ACS) offers International Guest Scholarships to young surgeons from countries other than the U.S. or Canada who have demonstrated strong interests in teaching and research. The scholarships, in the amount of $10,000 each, provide the scholars with an opportunity to visit clinical, teaching, and research activities in the U.S. and Canada and to attend and participate fully in the educational opportunities and activities of the ACS Clinical Congress.
This scholarship endowment was originally provided through the legacy left to the College by Paul R. Hawley, MD, FACS(Hon), former College Director. More recently, gifts from the family of Abdol Islami, MD, FACS; the Stavros Niarchos Foundation; and others to the International Guest Scholarship endowment have enabled the College to expand the number of scholarship awards.
The scholarships provide successful applicants with the privilege of participating in the College’s annual Clinical Congress in Chicago, IL, in October 2020, with public recognition of their presence. They will receive gratis admission to selected postgraduate courses plus admission to all lectures, demonstrations, and exhibits, which are an integral part of the Clinical Congress. Assistance will be provided in arranging visits to various clinics and universities of their choice following the Clinical Congress.
Requirements for applicants and awardees
To qualify for consideration by the selection committee, all of the following requirements must be fulfilled:
- Applicants must be graduates of schools of medicine who have completed their surgical training.
- Applicants must be 35–50 years old on the date that the completed application is filed.
- Applicants must submit their applications from their intended permanent location. Applications will be accepted for processing only when the applicants have been in surgical practice, teaching, or research for a minimum of one year at their intended permanent location, following completion of all formal training (including fellowships and scholarships).
- Applicants must have demonstrated a commitment to teaching and/or research in accordance with the standards of the applicant’s country.
- Early careerists are deemed more suitable than those who are serving in senior academic appointments.
- Applicants must submit a fully completed application form provided by the College on its website. The application and accompanying materials must be submitted in English. Submission of a curriculum vitae (CV) only is not acceptable.
- Applicants must provide a list of all their publications and must submit, in addition, three complete publications (reprints or manuscripts) of their choice from that list.
- Preference may be given to applicants who have not already experienced training or surgical fellowships in the U.S. or Canada.
- Applicants must submit independently prepared letters of recommendation from three of their colleagues. One letter must be from the chair of the department in which they hold an academic appointment or a Fellow of the ACS residing in their country. The chair’s or the Fellow’s letter is to include a specific statement detailing the nature and extent of the teaching and other academic involvement of the applicant. Letters of recommendation should be submitted by the person making the recommendation.
- The online application form is structured to assist the Scholarship Selection Subcommittee and to assist the applicant in submitting a structured CV.
- The International Guest Scholarships must be used in the year for which they are designated. They cannot be postponed.
- Applicants who are awarded scholarships will provide a full written report of the experiences provided through the scholarships upon completion of their tours.
- An unsuccessful applicant may reapply only twice and only by completing and submitting a new application together with new supporting documentation.
Completed applications for the International Guest Scholarships for the year 2020 and all the supporting documentation must be received online prior to July 1, 2019, for an applicant to receive consideration by the selection committee. All applicants will be notified of the selection committee’s decision in November 2019. Applicants are urged to submit their completed applications and supporting documents as early as possible to provide sufficient time for processing.
Questions about and application materials for this scholarship should be sent to kearly@facs.org.
