Minority Medical Student Award Program (MMSAP)

ASH is proud to announce the 2008 MMSAP recipients.

The 2008 MMSAP award cycle is currently closed. Please check back in September for the 2009 program information.

The Minority Medical Student Award Program is structured around an 8- to 12-week research experience for students from the United States and Canada in their early years of medical school. Each year, up to 10 minority medical students enrolled in DO, MD, or MD/PhD programs are selected to participate. During their involvement with the program, each student is paired with a mentor who focuses on the research experience and a mentor who serves as a career development advisor. The students remain involved with ASH throughout medical school and residency to keep them engaged in the study of hematology and to help them attain valuable knowledge in the field. In addition, students who participate in this program may apply for one additional research experience the following year.

Participants receive the following financial support:

For the 8- to 12-week research experience

• A stipend of $5,000
  • $2,500 at the start of the research experience
  • $2,500 at the completion of the research experience
• A $2,000 allowance for travel to the ASH annual meeting
  • $1,000 for attending the annual meeting
  • $1,000 for a short presentation about the research experience at a special reception

For travel to annual meetings during subsequent years of medical school and residency

• An allowance of $1,000 per year

An important component of the MMSAP is the presentation of the summer research project at the Promoting Minorities in Hematology Reception at the ASH annual meeting in December. MMSAP recipients are expected to attend the annual meeting to present their research project and are encouraged to attend as many ASH annual meetings as possible during medical school and residency. The Promoting Minorities in Hematology Reception is an alumni event held during each ASH annual meeting, which provides networking opportunities. Participants and their mentors (both research and career development) are expected to attend.

In addition to financial support, participants receive complimentary copies of Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology, as well as The Hematologist, the Society's newsletter, during their medical school and residency years. During their fellowships, participants are eligible to become Associate members of ASH.

Eligibility

For the purposes of this program, minority is defined as those groups that the grantor organization has determined to be underrepresented in the field of hematology related to biomedical, behavioral, clinical, or social science research. This definition includes, but is not limited to, racial/ethnic minorities and persons from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups. Thus, applicants must self-identify, and participants are drawn from this pool.

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

Application and Review Process

Candidates must complete the application and submit it along with the requested supporting documentation listed below. Please read the application instructions when filling out the application. Applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the Ad Hoc Minority Committee. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Applicants selected for participation and their mentors will receive official notification of acceptance.

Students selected to participate in the MMSAP are announced in June.

Past Participants of the Minority Medical School Award Program

Mentors

Two mentors will support each participant – one for research, where the research is being done, and one for career development.

Research mentors are ASH members who will assume the responsibilities of overseeing the participant’s work and progress. Participants may identify the research mentor they wish to work with or may ask to be paired with an ASH member who has volunteered to serve in this capacity. The research experience can occur at the applicant’s home institution or at another institution that has agreed to host MMSAP participants. Research mentors will receive an allowance of $2,000 for supplies and an allowance of $1,000 for attendance at the ASH annual meeting for each research experience. Applicants can verify that their mentors are ASH members by contacting Courtney Krier, Award Program Coordinator. (ASH members employed by the National Institutes of Health are eligible to serve as research mentors although unable to accept the allowance offered.)

If a student is interested in applying but does not have a mentor and host institution arranged, ASH staff will pair the student with a mentor upon request. Requests may be e-mailed to Courtney Krier. In order to take advantage of the matching service, applicants must contact ASH prior to February 2, 2009, to allow ample time to process all requests.

Career development mentors are ASH members who have identified themselves as being from a minority group and must be available to participate for the duration of the program. Participants will be paired with a career development mentor by the ASH Ad Hoc Minority Committee. Career development mentors will receive an allowance of $1,000/year to accompany the participant each time he/she attends the ASH annual meeting (during medical school and residency).

ASH members interested in volunteering to serve as program mentors should complete the Volunteer Form and submit it to Courtney Krier, Awards Program Coordinator. All mentors will be evaluated by the Ad Hoc Minority Committee regarding eligibility for service and paired with participants based on criteria the Committee has developed.

Submission

Applications must be received, in hard copy, by March 12, 2009. Please note that applications with a postmark date of March 12, 2009, will not be accepted. For the application to be reviewed, all required sections must be completed and submitted with the following items (please do not staple the application – use a binder clip instead):

• A current resume
• A letter of recommendation from the dean of your medical school that:
  • Describes your academic status
  • Explains any obvious breaks or difficulties experienced during your medical school education and steps taken to remedy them
• A letter of recommendation from an advisor or medical school instructor that:
  • Illustrates why you are an outstanding candidate for this award
  • Describes how participation in this program would benefit your overall career development
• A letter of endorsement from your research mentor that:
  • Discusses the guidance and counsel the mentor will offer you during and after the research experience
• A copy of your research mentor’s biographical sketch or CV

Partial submissions will not be accepted. Mail your application and requested materials to (fax or e-mail submissions will not be accepted):

Courtney Krier, Award Program Coordinator
The American Society of Hematology
1900 M Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-776-0544

Sponsorship

ASH is extremely grateful to Genentech BioOncology for its commitment to and support of the MMSAP. The $500,000 grant provided by Genentech will ensure the continuation of this important program through 2009, thus allowing students to gain intimate and valuable knowledge of the field of hematology and help them further their medical careers.

Questions

Questions or requests for additional information regarding the MMSAP can be directed to Courtney Krier, ASH Award Program Coordinator, via e-mail or by phone at 202-776-0544.