Purpose This award for young faculty members is to assist in the establishment of investigators, basic or clinical, in digestive diseases.

Eligibility Criteria The supported research program can be focused on basic laboratory or rigorous clinical investigation. The award is restricted to surgeons who have completed formal clinical and research training in general surgery and are within five years of their first faculty appointment in a department of surgery at a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in the United States or by the Committee for Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools in Canada, or the equivalent national accrediting body for applicants from other countries. A significant amount of time should be devoted to research to accomplish the investigator's goals. The Head of Department and Division of General Surgery must ensure that the applicant has the required protected time for research. The SSAT award of $50,000 per year for two years is a career development award and is meant to support young investigators who have not been funded by a National Institutes of Health R01 Award. In addition, if an investigator has received a similar type career development award from another organization such as the American College of Surgeons, American Surgical Association Foundation, etc., he/she will be ineligible for the SSAT Career Development Award. This is the applicant's responsibility to notify the SSAT of potential funding conflicts. The award is not to diminish or replace the customary, expected compensation or benefits; nor is any portion of the award to be used for institutional indirect costs. The recipient will present a progress report to the SSAT Annual Meeting during and immediately following the period of award. It is expected that the recipient submit any abstracts deriving from his/her Career Development Award-funded research to the SSAT Annual Meeting for presentation consideration, as well as any manuscripts to the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the official journal of the SSAT, for publication consideration.

Applications Applications will include: A completed application form. The applicant's curriculum vitae. A research plan of no more than 8 pages utilizing the following headings: Title Preliminary data Summary (abstract) Experimental design Specific aims References Background/significance of research Appropriate institutional (IRB and/or animal studies) approvals. A letter from an SSAT member agreeing to sponsor the applicant. A supporting letter from the Head of Department and Division of General Surgery indicating a commitment to continuation of the academic position and facilities for research and of continued protected time are required. These letters should outline specifically how this program will be integrated into the applicant's long-term career plans. A letter from the mentor for the proposed project that indicates, clearly and specifically, the plan for the applicant's career development during and subsequent to the award period.

Deadline The deadline for receipt of completed applications for the 2008 Career Development Award has passed. The deadline for the 2009 award is January 8, 2009. Send the original and 6 copies of all materials to the SSAT National Office. SSAT Career Development Award 900 Cummings Center, Suite 221-U Beverly, MA 01915

Review Applications for the 2008 Career Development Award will be reviewed by the Research Committee of the SSAT. The successful applicant(s) and the SSAT sponsor(s) will be notified of the decision by mail by early May, 2008, and the winner will be introduced at the SSAT Opening Session during Digestive Disease Week, May 17-21, 2008, in San Diego, California. Click here for the Application Form