ASH Trainee Council

The Trainee Council was created in 2001 to provide a forum for hematology trainees to discuss issues relevant to their experiences and career development. The primary function of the ASH Trainee Council is to advise the ASH Committee on Training about the educational needs of hematology trainees and help with developing and planning of trainee services, activities, and events, including the ASH annual meeting. The Trainee Council implements new programs each year and works to spearhead new member recruitment. 

Meet the Current Trainee Council

The Trainee Council is expanding in 2023! The council will consist of 16 trainees in 2023, and 20 trainees in 2024 and beyond, spanning the entire trainee pipeline. The Trainee Council will now be comprised of:

• Ten Fellows (MD, DO, MD/PhD) from accredited hematology or hematology/oncology fellowship training programs in North America.
• Two PhD trainees selected from hematology post-doctoral training programs in North America
• One clinical or post-doctoral hematology-focused fellow from outside of North America New in 2023
• One Resident (MD, DO, MD/PhD) with a strong interest in hematology, enrolled in a duly accredited residency program New in 2023
• One PhD student in a hematology-focused laboratory New in 2023
• One Medical student with a strong interest in hematology (MD, DO, MD/PhD) New in 2023

Terms are staggered so that each year half the council members are new, while the other half are in their second year of service.

 Trainee Council projects and programs include:

• Development of articles and case studies for Hematopoiesis
• Development of trainee-specific articles for The Hematologist
• Hematology Review Series
• ASH Hematology Career Planner
• Grants Clearinghouse
• Service on other ASH committees, working groups, and task forces

Trainee Council Goals

• Advocacy for issues that impact trainees (NIH funding cuts, etc.).
• Representing trainees and their needs (including international trainees and hematology trainees at all levels of training including medical students, residents, fellows, graduate students, and postdocs) to ASH leadership.
• Acting as a liaison to other committees to represent trainees and our perspectives (e.g., Committee on Training, Committee on Communications).
• Recruitment/retention of hematologists (from undergraduates onwards).
• Organizing ASH-a-Palooza and other trainee events at ASH annual meeting in cooperation with the Committee on Training.
• Developing articles to be disseminated to trainees throughout the year (The Hematologist, Hematopoiesis).

Trainee Council Meetings

The council meets via conference call and in-person twice a year to develop recommendations to be passed on to ASH leadership. Members also receive benefits to attend the ASH Annual Meeting.

• July conference call
• October in-person meeting
• December in-person annual meeting
• January conference call
• April in-person meeting

ASH pays for the cost of hotel accommodations and travel to all meetings for each council member.

Eligibility to Serve on the Council

Trainees who exhibit leadership qualities and a high potential for a successful career in hematology or a hematology-related discipline are desired candidates.

Eligible applicants must be continuing a training program through the June 2025 academic year.

• For example: 4th year medical students are eligible to serve on the council through their first year of residency. The same applies for third-year residents. However, a fellow completing their fellowship in 2023 is not eligible.
• In general, trainees in any year of medical school, any year of residency, and first year fellows are eligible. However, if a fellow is completing an advanced clinical fellowship or a second fellowship, they would also be eligible. If this is the case, it must be clearly stated in the application. For any questions about eligibility, please contact [email protected].

Applicants who are in the same institution with a trainee council member serving from 2023-2024 will not be eligible. Two people from the same institution cannot serve on the council at the same time. Applicants from the following institutions will NOT be eligible:

• Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center
• Washington University 
• The University of Chicago
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center 
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
• Yale New Haven Hospital

If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact [email protected].

Membership Requirements

All applicants are required to be members of ASH in good standing at the time the application is reviewed, and for the duration of the term on the Trainee Council. For more information about membership categories, please visit the membership section of the ASH website.

Please note: The Associate member and International Associate member application approval process can take up to three weeks. Enrollment through the FHF program includes ASH Associate membership. Resident, Graduate Student, and Medical Student memberships are all free.

To verify your membership status, please log on to the membership section of the ASH website. If you need assistance with your username and password, please contact an ASH Customer Relations Representative at [email protected].

Key Dates

Application Process

All Trainee Council applications must be submitted through ASH's online application system and includes the following:

1. The trainee's CV
2. Short answer responses from the trainee, which include (please see application form):
   1. Reasons for wishing to participate in the council
   2. Ideas or proposals that could be brought to the council
   3. Evidence of leadership abilities
   4. Committee/service experience
   5. Other qualifications or achievements that would be of value to the council
3. A letter of recommendation from the MD applicant's divisional chief, department chair, training program director, dean, or mentor, depending on the applicant's position.

• North American Fellows: Division Chief, Department Chair, or Program Director
• Medical Student: Mentor
• Resident: Department Chair or Program Director
• Graduate/PhD Student: Mentor or Program Director
• International Fellow: Mentor

The letter should include:

1. Reasons that support the candidate's application
2. Assessment of candidate's qualifications (including clinical, research, education, service-related) relevant to participation in the council
3. Potential for leadership and contribution
4. Confirmation of training position
   1.  International and Domestic Fellows: Confirmation of applicant's enrollment in a hematology, hematology/oncology, or hematology-related training program that consists of more than two years, in order to be concurrent with the two-year term on the council
   2. Graduate Student/PhD Fellow: Confirmation of hematology-focused lab
   3. Resident/Medical Student: Confirmation of applicant's program enrollment and interest in hematology focused areas

Any application that does not follow the requirements, is not formatted correctly, is lacking information, has incorrect information, or is lacking required documents will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed by the study section. There are no appeals or consideration for additional or further review once an application has been determined ineligible. All application submissions will be sent a confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact the ASH Training Department at [email protected] or at 1-866-828-1231.

Selection of Trainee Council members from the applications received will be made by the ASH Executive Committee based upon recommendations from the ASH Committee on Training and Trainee Council.

Questions?

For more information about the ASH Trainee Council, please email [email protected].