Apply for the ASH Minority Resident Hematology Award Program

The ASH Minority Resident Hematology Award Program (MRHAP) offers a unique opportunity for first- and second-year medical residents to get exposure to the field of hematology and conduct hands-on research under the guidance of an ASH member and research mentor.

Program participants receive the guidance of a research mentor and a career-development mentor, a $5,000 stipend to support their research project, $1,000 for travel to the ASH annual meeting, $1,000 after the meeting for presenting their research at the Promoting Minorities in Hematology event, and complimentary ASH membership throughout residency. Please be aware that if you choose to conduct your research at an institution other than your home institution, your project may be subject to a "visiting researcher fee." Please discuss this potential fee with your research mentor so that you are informed and to ensure that an agreed upon plan is in place to cover this potential fee.

At the ASH annual meeting, participants have outstanding opportunities to meet prominent hematology leaders, network with other program participants, and hear the latest breaking news in the field.

Eligibility Requirements

At the time of application, the applicant must:

Identify as being a member of a community that is underserved and underrepresented in hematology. Applicants are asked to self-identify, and participants for the award are drawn from this pool.
Be enrolled in an internal medicine, pathology, or pediatric residency program in the United States or Canada that is approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or Royal College Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC).
Be within the first two years of their residency program.
Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada, J1 Visa holders, or have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. To be eligible for consideration, an applicant must be planning and committed 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. To request assistance in identifying a research mentor, please submit a Request a Mentor form in ASH's online awards system by the October 15 deadline.
For applicants in four year residency programs (Internal Medicine and Pediatrics), you are eligible to apply in year one through three of your program.

Program Mentorship

Each MRHAP 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 by the ASH Committee on Promoting Diversity.

To request assistance in identifying a research mentor, submit a Request a Mentor form in the online awards system by the October 30 deadline. Once the form is received, you will be contacted by a member of the ASH Committee on Promoting Diversity to discuss research interests. In order to receive assistance identifying potential research mentors, you must provide your CV or NIH Biographical Sketch as well as your personal statement to the ASH member who will assist with the matching process.

Research Mentors

MRHAP research mentors are ASH members who assume the responsibilities of overseeing a participant's work and progress. The research mentor's responsibilities are primarily to:

Assist the applicant 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 short presentation of the participant's research which the participant will present at the Promoting Minorities in Hematology event at the ASH annual meeting
Attend the ASH annual meeting and the Promoting Minorities in Hematology event in the year of the participant's research experience
Encourage the student to continue to explore hematology as a career option

Research mentors receive a $2,000 allowance for supplies for each research experience and a $1,000 travel stipend to attend the ASH annual meeting with the student.

Career-Development Mentors

MRHAP career-development mentors are ASH members who are available to provide professional guidance, career development, and positive role modeling to participants for the duration of the program.

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 he/she travels to the ASH annual meeting with the student during the student's remaining years of medical school and residency.

Volunteer to Be an MRHAP Mentor

ASH is seeking members to serve as research and career-development mentors for the Minority Resident Hematology Award Program. Volunteer to be a mentor and help shape the future minds of hematology.

Application Process

Please use the following resources to help guide you through the application process.

The MRHAP application, as well as 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 a member of ASH.

All applications must include the following:

NIH Biographical Sketch
A 12-month timeline/research schedule that shows how the applicant plans to integrate the research project with their clinical rotations over the course of the year
Three letters of recommendation submitted on official letterhead:
- One (1) letter from the program director of the applicant’s residency program
- One (1) letter from an attending physician with whom the applicant has worked
- One (1) letter of endorsement from the applicant’s research mentor
Returning recipients can easily reapply for a second year of support with our streamlined Renewal Application feature

Apply now

Evaluation, Selection, and Notification

Applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the Committee on Promoting Diversity 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 mid-March.