Early Career Travel Awards

Early Career Travel Awards Guidelines

I. BACKGROUND
In 2018, a proposal was put forth by the Brand Promotion and Outreach Committee (BPOC) to formally implement the Early Career Travel Awards. Council approved this proposal.

II. OVERVIEW
Funds raised by the BPOC through various events (i.e., silent auctions, t-shirt design contests, AACA SWAG shop) are to be used to support travel to the AACA Annual Meeting via travel awards. The name of the award: “Early Career Travel Awards” was carefully selected to reflect the inclusivity of eligible candidates, which are students (graduate/ professional/ allied health), postdocs, residents, and junior faculty (within 10 years of their terminal degree).

III. AWARD AMOUNTS
The current proposed amount is $500 per awardee. The number of awards will depend on the available funds raised by the BPOC.

IV. ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for the award, the person must meet one of the following criteria:
• student (graduate/ professional/ allied health)
• postdoc
• resident
• junior faculty (within 10 years of their terminal degree)

The online annual meeting registration site/materials will first seek interest from the registrant if they would like to be considered for an Early Career Travel Award. Checking the box also asks the registrant to self-confirm eligibility as listed above. Those that expressed interest, have meet eligibility, and have an abstract approved for presentation at the annual meeting will then been put into the award candidate pool.

V. SELECTION OF AWARDEES
The following fields will be added to the Student and Regular member abstract forms in Planstone. These fields will ask them to provide descriptions of each of the following for consideration of the award:
1) The scientific/ clinical/ educational innovation of the work you are presenting at AACA to your field of expertise.
2) The potential impact of the work you are presenting at AACA to promoting our society’s mission: "The American Association of Clinical Anatomists is the international home for the advancement of clinical anatomy knowledge and anatomical services through education, research and scholarship.
3) Your plans for publication and dissemination of the work that you will be presenting at the AACA.

Members of the BPOC will then conduct a blind review of the responses from Planstone. The candidates will be divided into three categories: basic science, clinical anatomy, and educational research.
• Survey responses will be reviewed by three reviewers.
• Reviewers will score eligible abstracts on a scale (1-5) for the above parameters.
• A total score will be determined.
• The highest scoring abstract(s) will be determined for each abstract category and
awarded based upon available funds.

VI. PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
Awardees will be presented with certificates at Annual Meeting Banquet. Note that to eliminate possibility of double awards, the BPOC will check in with other committees/award programs at the annual meeting. If an awardee is receiving another award, then the candidate with the next highest score will be selected.

List of Previous Award Winners

2023