Minority Medical Student Award Program (MMSAP)
| Audience | Award Amount | Purpose | Upcoming Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | $7,000 | To allow minority medical students 8- to 12-week research experiences in the field of hematology |
|
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:
Financial Support
- 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
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.
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.
Presentation at the ASH Annual Meeting
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. MMSAP recipients will receive a $1,000 stipend to cover the costs of travel and housing at the annual meeting as well as an additional $1,000 for presentation at the meeting.
Application and Review Process
All candidates must complete the program application form and submit it along with the requested supporting documentation. 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 early June.
Past Participants of the Minority Medical School Award Program
Research Mentors are ASH members who will assume the responsibilities of overseeing the participant's work and progress. The research experience can occur at the applicant's home institution or at another institution that has agreed to host the MMSAP participant. Applicants may identify the research mentor they wish to work with. If an applicant is not sure if their mentor is a member of ASH they should send an e-mail to Elisa Shea, Awards Manager, at eshea@hematology.org.
If a student is interested in applying but does not have a mentor and host institution arranged, they may request to be matched with a mentor by ASH staff. To request to be matched with a mentor, e-mail Elisa Shea at eshea@hematology.org. In order to take advantage of the matching service, applicants must contact ASH by 5 p.m. EST on Monday, February 2, 2009, to allow ample time to process all requests prior to the deadline.
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.
Submission
Applications must be received, in hard copy, by Thursday, March 12, 2009. Please note that applications with a postmark date of March 12, 2009, will NOT be accepted. The application should be mailed to:
The American Society of Hematology
Attn: MMSAP Program
1900 M Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-776-0544
Please do not staple the application together – please use a binder clip instead. For the application to be reviewed, all required sections must be completed and submitted with the following items:
- A current resume that includes:
- Schools that you have attended, including dates, field(s) of study, and degrees earns. You may wish to include your GPA or other measure of class standing.
- Post-graduate education
- Past research experiences, including the institution, research director, inclusive dates, and a brief description or your role in the project
- Honors, awards, and membership in honorary societies
- Other accomplishments (i.e., volunteer work, leadership positions, or unusual experiences)
- Publications, abstracts, and/or talks that you have presented
- 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
- Describes the environment at the institution that will host your research project
- Describes his/her past mentoring experiences
- Includes a copy of his/her NIH-formatted biographical sketch
The items above must be submitted with the application. Partial submissions will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted in paper format (hard copy). Applications sent by e-mail or fax will not be accepted. The application receipt deadline is Thursday, March 12, 2009. Late applications will not be accepted.
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 Elisa Shea, ASH Awards Manager, at eshea@hematology.org or by phone at 202-776-0544.