The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is accepting applications for the 2021 Joan L. and Julius H. Jacobson II Promising Investigator Award (JPIA) through February 28, 2021. The JPIA was established to recognize outstanding surgeons who are engaging in research, advancing the art and science of surgery, and demonstrating early promise of significant contribution to the practice of surgery and the safety of surgical patients. The award, up to $30,000, is supported through a generous endowed fund established by the donors and administered by the ACS Surgical Research Committee.
Award criteria
The criteria for selection of the JPIA winner are as follows:
- Candidate must be a Fellow or an Associate Fellow of the ACS.
- Candidate must be board certified in a surgical specialty and must have completed surgical training, including fellowship, in the last six years, excluding military, medical, or family leave.
- Candidate must hold a faculty appointment at a research-based academic medical center or hold a military service position.
- Candidate must have received peer-reviewed funding, such as a K-series award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Veterans Administration, National Science Foundation, or U.S. Department of Defense merit review award to support their research effort. Surgeon-scientists who are well established (for example, recipients of NIH R01 and Veterans Affairs Merit grants or equivalent grants from other agencies) are ineligible.
- Only one application per surgical department will be accepted.
Nomination documentation must include the following:
- A one-page essay to the committee explaining why the candidate should be considered for the award and describing the importance of their past and current research.
- Copies of the candidate’s three most significant publications from their current faculty position.
- A letter of recommendation from the candidate’s department chair. Up to three additional letters of recommendation will be accepted.
- An NIH-formatted biographical sketch through the electronic application system.
- Special consideration will be given to surgeons who are at the tipping point of their research careers, with a track record indicative of early promise and potential (for example, a degree program in research or a K-award).
To be considered for the award in 2021, applications must be submitted through the ACS website through the February 28 deadline.
Additional details
For more information about the award, go to the ACS website. A list of all past recipients also is available on the website.
Send comments and inquiries to Jorge Hernandez, Project Coordinator, ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, Continuous Quality Improvement, at jacobsonpia@facs.org, or call 312-202-5319.
