The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is accepting nominations for the 14th Joan L. and Julius H. Jacobson II Promising Investigator Award (JPIA) to be conferred in 2018. This award has been established to recognize outstanding surgeons who are engaged in research that advances the art and science of surgery and who demonstrate early promise of significant contribution to the practice of surgery and the safety of surgical patients. The award is funded through a generous endowed fund established by the donors and administered by the ACS Surgical Research Committee (SRC).

Award Criteria

• Candidate must be a Fellow or an Associate Fellow of the ACS.
• Candidate must be board certified in a surgical specialty and must have completed surgical training, including fellowship, in the last six years. This does not include military, medical, or family leave.
• Candidate must hold a faculty appointment at a research-based academic medical center or hold a military service position.
• Candidate must have received peer-reviewed funding such as a K-series award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Veterans Administration, National Science Foundation, or U.S. Department of Defense merit review to support their research. Surgeon-scientists who are well established (for example, recipients of NIH R01 grants, Veterans Affairs Merit grants, or equivalent grants from other agencies) are not eligible.
• Only one application per surgical department will be accepted.
• Nomination documentation must include the following:
  • A one-page essay to the committee explaining why the candidate should be considered for the award and describing the importance of their past and current research.
  • Copies of the candidate’s three most significant publications as faculty.
  • A letter of recommendation from the candidate’s department chair. Up to three additional letters of recommendation will be accepted.
  • An NIH-formatted biographical sketch through the electronic application system.

Special consideration will be given to surgeons who are at the “tipping point” of their research careers with a track record indicative of early promise and potential (for example, degree program in research or K-award).

How to Apply

To be considered for the 2018 award, applications must be submitted on or before February 23, 2018. Visit the JPIA website at www.facs.org/quality-programs/about/cqi/jacobson to submit documentation and nomination materials.

For additional information, contact [email protected].