Awards
ACS/NESS Health Policy and Management Scholarship
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the New England Surgical Society Scholars Foundation co-sponsor an annual scholarship to subsidize attendance and participation in the Brandeis Executive Leadership Program in Health Policy and Management. The 2025 Program will be held in person, June 2-7, 2025, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The award is in the amount of $8,000, to be used toward the cost of tuition, travel, housing, and subsistence during the period of the course. The award is open to non-resident surgeons who are members in good standing of both the ACS and the NESS, practicing in the United States. Applicants must be at least 30 years old, but under 60, on the date that the completed application is filed. The deadline to apply for the 2025 scholarship is March 14, 2025.
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Nathan Smith Distinguished Service Award
Nathan Smith, the first all-New England surgeon, was one of the most remarkable men ever to adorn the American surgical profession. Born in 1762 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, his only education was from his parents, his father being a farmer-surveyor and his mother a midwife; from Doctor Josiah Goodhue, a prominent surgeon of the upper Connecticut Valley, and from the Harvard Medical School near the time of its inception. In addition he accomplished a period of eight months of study in Edinburgh and London.
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NESS Scholars Foundation Research Grant
The NESS Scholars Foundation Research Grant advances innovative surgical research. The recipient of the 2025-2027 grant will be awarded $20,000. A written interim progress report is due by June 30, 2026, the one-year mark. It is expected that the activities associated with the award will be completed by June 30, 2027, and that the awardee will both provide a final written report by July 31, 2027, and present an oral report during the Business Meeting of the 108th NESS Annual Meeting, September 17-19, 2027, at the Equinox in Manchester, VT.
One of the primary goals of the NESS Scholars Foundation is to support junior faculty (within 10 years prior to the end date of the grant, with an academic rank of either Instructor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor) in their endeavors to contribute to the scientific knowledge as it relates to the discipline of surgery. Grants can be submitted EITHER by NESS members in good standing (any membership category except Candidate) OR by those with pending NESS Active or Affiliate membership applications. [In the latter scenario, the applicant must be sponsored by an NESS member in good standing (any membership category except Candidate), and that sponsoring member will submit a letter of support.] The deadline to apply for the 2024 Scholars Research Grant is May 30, 2025.
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Podium Prize (formally Resident Award)
The New England Surgical Society Scholars Foundation sponsors a Podium Prize, awarded to the top Annual Meeting podium presentations for which residents/fellows/medical students in a surgical program in New England or Albany Medical Center serve as the presenting author.
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Brief Report Award
The New England Surgical Society Scholars Foundation sponsors a Brief Report Award, awarded to the top Annual Meeting brief report presentations for which residents/fellows/medical students in a surgical program in New England or Albany Medical Center serve as the presenting author.
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New Member Award
The New England Surgical Society Scholars Foundation sponsors a New Member Prize, awarded to the top Annual Meeting presentation for which an NESS member elected within the past five years of the Annual Meeting serves as presenting author.
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Best Poster Award
The New England Surgical Society Scholars Foundation sponsors a Best Poster Award, awarded to the top Annual Meeting poster presentation.
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John P. Welch Award
The New England Surgical Society Scholars Foundation, through the support of Past President John P. Welch, MD, sponsors the John P. Welch Award, awarded to the resident (in training at the time of abstract submission) who presents the most original paper that offers the greatest potential to improve the clinical care and outcomes of patients.
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Paper of the Year Award
The New England Surgical Society will select annually a “Paper of the Year” for presentation at the Annual Meeting. The paper so designated represents the most impactful paper published five years prior to the meeting with an actively participating NESS member as the first or last author; each such author must have been an actively participating member at the time of publication and still be an actively participating member at the time of the Paper of the Year presentation.
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Surgical Resident and Fellow Research Presentation Day Awards
Research Presentation Day award recipients will be selected in the categories of Clinical Research and Basic Science.
First Place recipients and runners-up will also have the option to have their abstracts reviewed by the NESS Program Committee for consideration of oral presentation (Podium, Brief, or Specialty Session) at the Annual Meeting. These authors will be notified of this option and will need to notify the NESS administrative offices of their willingness to have their work considered for NESS Annual Meeting oral presentation within two weeks of their selection as award recipients.
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