Minority Medical Student Award Program

About the Program

The Minority Medical Student Award Program (MMSAP) is an 8- to 12-week research experience for students from the United States and Canada in their early years of medical school. As part of this experience, students collaborate with an ASH member who serves as their research mentor. Program participants are also paired with an ASH member who serves as a career-development mentor throughout the participants' medical schooling and residency.

At the end of the research experience, students present their findings at the Promoting Minorities in Hematology Presentations at the ASH annual meeting. After the research year, the students remain involved with ASH throughout medical school and residency to keep them engaged in the study of hematology and to help them gain valuable knowledge in the field. In addition, students who participate in this program may apply to the program for a second summer research experience.

Read the ASH press release about the 2011 MMSAP recipients.

Program Benefits

Participants receive the following support:

  • A stipend of $5,000
    • $2,500 at the start of the research experience, $1,250 during the middle, and $1,250 at the completion of the research experience
  • A $2,000 allowance for travel to the ASH annual meeting held in early December
    • $1,000 for attending the annual meeting
    • $1,000 for a short presentation about the research experience at a special reception
  • Complimentary subscriptions to Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology, as well as The Hematologist, the Society's newsletter, during medical school and residency years.
  • The guidance of a research and career-development mentor

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Timeline

Request a Mentor Deadline February 1, 2012
Application Deadline March 8, 2012
Award Winners Notified Late April

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Eligibility Requirements

For the purposes of this program, minority is defined as individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related sciences in the United States and Canada, including American Indians or Alaska Natives, Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders, African Canadians, Innuit, and First Nation Peoples. Thus, applicants must self-identify, and participants are drawn from this pool.

Applicants must be enrolled in MD, DO, or MD/PhD medical school programs and be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada.

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Application Process

Application: 

  • 2012 Application
    • The application deadline is March 8, 2012.
  • FAQs 
  • Note about letters of recommendation
    • Applicants will need to submit three letters of recommendation:
      1. Letter from the dean of your medical school
      2. Letter from an advisor or medical school instructor
      3. Letter of endorsement from your research mentor
  • Applicants must identify a research mentor on the application; the research mentor must be a member of ASH. 

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Evaluation, Selection, and Notification

Review: 

  • Applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the Committee on Promoting Diversity. Applicants will be evaluated on the following criteria:
  • Research (academic potential)
  • Leadership/service
  • Research mentor/proposed project
  • Interest in hematology

Applicants selected for participation and their mentors will receive official notification of acceptance by late April.

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Prospective Mentors

ASH is recruiting research and career-development mentors for the MMSAP. In order to serve as a research mentor, one must be an ASH member who can assume the responsibilities of overseeing the MMSAP participant’s work and progress. Career-development mentors are ASH members who are available to provide professional guidance, career development, and positive role modeling.

Volunteer to be a MMSAP mentor 

Mentor Responsibilities

Research Mentors 

MMSAP research mentors are ASH members who will assume the responsibilities of overseeing the participant's work and progress. Research mentors receive an allowance of $2,000 for supplies for each research experience and an allowance of $1,000 for attendance at the ASH annual meeting. The research mentor’s responsibilities are primarily to:

  • Assist the medical student with the completion of the program application
  • Aid the participant in the establishment of their research experience following award disbursement
  • Complete and submit an evaluation form describing the research experience and providing suggestions regarding program enhancements
  • Assist in the preparation of a 5 minute presentation of the participant’s research at the annual Promoting Minorities in Hematology event during the ASH annual meeting
  • Attend the annual Promoting Minorities in Hematology event during the ASH annual meeting in the year of the participant’s research experience
  • Encourage a career in hematology!

Career-Development Mentors 

Career-development mentors are ASH members who must be available to participate for the duration of the program. Participants will be paired with a career-development mentor by the Society’s Committee on Promoting Diversity. For the purpose of this program, mentoring is defined as the process of guiding, supporting, and promoting the training and career development of others. The key roles of a mentor include, but are not limited to, providing intellectual growth and development, career development, professional guidance, advocacy, and positive role modeling.

Career-development mentors receive a $1,000 stipend for traveling to the ASH annual meeting with the student. In addition, the career development mentor receives an additional $1,000 stipend each time he/she travels to the ASH annual meeting with the student during the student’s remaining years of medical school and residency.

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Corporate Support

Visit ASH's Acknowledgement of Commercial Support page for more information on support for the MMSAP.

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Past Recipients

Past Participants of the Minority Medical School Award Program 

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Questions

Questions or requests for additional information regarding the MMSAP can be directed to ASH Awards at awards@hematology.org or by phone at 202-776-0544.

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