HIP Medical Student Award Key Information

The ASH Hematology Inclusion Pathway (HIP) Medical Student Award provides medical students from communities underrepresented in hematology in the US and Canada with a stipend to conduct a research project under the mentorship of an ASH member. Recipients of this award will also receive a stipend to attend the ASH annual meeting to present their research.

As part of the ASH Hematology Inclusion Pathway program, the Hematology Medical Student Award aims to create inclusivity and expand the program’s reach to the next generation of hematologists.

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Program Benefits

Program participants receive the guidance of a research mentor and a career-development mentor, $1,000 for attending the ASH annual meeting in-person, $1,000 after presenting their research at the ASH annual meeting, and complimentary ASH membership throughout medical school and residency. Further, those that remain engaged in hematology and with their career development mentor and attend the ASH annual meeting may be eligible for a $1,000 travel stipend annually up through residency. Participants also receive the following stipends based on their chosen research project option: 

Research Project Options

• Flexible project: for students in their first, second, or third year of medical school, to be completed over the course of a year (must commit approximately 320 to 480 hours).
• Yearlong project: students are required to take a year off from medical school during what would typically be their second, third, or fourth year.

Please note: Conducting your research at an institution other than your home institution may involve a "visiting researcher fee." Be sure to discuss this potential fee with your research mentor to understand it fully and to arrange a plan for covering this expense if needed.

Eligibility Requirements

At the time of application, the applicant must:

• Demonstrate how they meet the goals of HIP.
• Be enrolled in an MD, DO, or MD-PhD medical school program and be within their first, second, or third year of medical school.
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or Canada, an H1B or J1 Visa holder, or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. The applicant must plan and commit to conducting the relevant research project in the contiguous United States or Canada with an ASH member mentor.
• Have a research mentor who is an ASH member in good standing.

Supported Research

Applicants must submit proposals to conduct research in hematology. Proposals that fall within any of the below categories are encouraged:

• Basic Research
• Translational Research
• Patient-Oriented Clinical Research
• Outcomes-Based Research

For additional details on eligible research categories, please consult the Research Definitions page.

Program Mentorship

Each HIP Medical Student Award applicant must have a research mentor who is an ASH member in good standing. Once accepted to the program, participants are paired with a career-development mentor.

Research Mentors 

Research mentors are ASH members who assume the responsibilities of overseeing a participant's work and progress. Research mentors will receive the above-mentioned allowance for research supplies on behalf of their mentee ($2,000 for flexible part time projects; $4,000 for yearlong projects) and a $1,000 travel stipend to attend the ASH annual meeting with the student in the year the work is presented at the HIP Presentations and Receptions event.   

The research mentor's responsibilities are primarily to:

• Assist the applicant with the completion of the program application 
• Support the participant in the establishment of his/her 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 short presentation of the participant's research which the participant will present at the ASH annual meeting 
• Attend the ASH annual meeting and the participant's presentation in the year of the participant's research experience 
• Encourage the student to continue to explore hematology as a career option

Career-Development Mentors

HIP Medical Student Award career-development mentors are ASH members available to provide professional guidance, career development, and positive role modeling to participants for the program's duration. 

Career-development mentors receive a $1,000 travel stipend to attend the ASH annual meeting with the student. The mentor receives this stipend each year that they travel to the ASH annual meeting with the student during the student's remaining years of medical school and residency. 

Volunteer to Be an Award Mentor

ASH is seeking members to serve as research and career-development mentors for the HIP Medical Student Award Program. To sign up to be an award mentor visit our Get Involved page. 

Application Process and Required Materials

The HIP Medical Student Award application is part of ASH’s universal application process. This application, along with all supporting documents outlined below, must be submitted through the ASH online awards system. Applicants must identify a research mentor on their application, and the research mentor must be an ASH member in good standing. The option to be matched with a mentor is also available for applicants.

All applications must include the following:

• NIH Biographical Sketch (applicant and mentor)
• Applicant Research Proposal (maximum four pages)
• Applicant Personal Statement
• HIP Statement
• Letters of recommendation from the mentor and a school official
  
  

Evaluation, Selection, and Notification

Applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the ASH HIP Subcommittee and will be evaluated on the following criteria. 

Applicant: interest in hematology and commitment to research and/or health disparities 

Mentor: prior mentoring experience, general record of funding, mentoring plan (proposed project), and NIH biosketch 

Research Project: feasibility, quality of project description, and evidence of applicant’s understanding of proposed project and its relevance 

Accepted applicants and their mentors will receive official notification of acceptance by April/May. 

Terms and Conditions

All awards will be activated on July 1 and will conclude on June 30 of the following year (off-cycle exceptions may be allowed with explanation). Payment will be made prior to the start date of the award. Funds are paid directly to the awardee and are non-transferable.

As a condition of acceptance of the Medical Student Award Program, it is required that:

• All funds must be used to provide the award recipient with a stipend and any supplies for conducting the research submitted in the application. Indirect costs (e.g., facilities and administrative costs) are not allowed. Violation will result in the revocation of the award funds.
• The recipient must arrange for their own health insurance either through their institution or independently.
• The applicant is responsible for any visa and/or citizenship restrictions applicable to receiving the Medical Student Award.
• The recipient must attend the ASH annual meeting, including Hematology Inclusion Pathway specific events (luncheon, presentation, and reception).
• The recipient must cite support from the American Society of Hematology in any publication or poster describing research conducted during the award period.
• The recipient must respond to all requests from the Society for information about their career progress following the award period.

Final Report

After the award period, recipients must complete a final report and survey about their award experience. The report should include a summary of research, manuscript submissions during the award period related to the funded research, presentations (locally and nationally) of the funded research during the award period, educational goals met, and a summary of the usage of funds.  

Unused Funds

Any funding not spent by the end of the award term must be returned to the Society when submitting  
the final report. A check made out to “American Society of Hematology” must be sent to the address listed below: 

American Society of Hematology - ASH - Administration
P.O. Box 37580 (Truist Lock box ID: 9478)
Baltimore, MD 21297-3580

Have a question?

For questions about the ASH Medical Student Award,
please contact [email protected].