New Award Included among Annual APAP Awards

Nominations Invited for New Faculty, Master Teacher, Outstanding Service, Partnership,
Research Achievement Awards and the New
Excellence Through Diversity Award

By David P. Asprey, PhD, PA-C
Chair, APAP Nominations and Award Committee, and
Immediate Past President

APAP announces the opening of its annual awards program, which includes the new APAP Excellence Through Diversity Award. Help us to honor those who make significant contributions to APAP and the profession by nominating your colleagues and programs that have a positive impact on the education of physician assistants. All nominations are due in the APAP national office by July 1. Winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded at APAP’s Annual Education Forum in Phoenix, Arizona, October 22-26, 2003. Winners are also listed in each issue of Perspective.

New Faculty Award for Professional Excellence

This award recognizes a program faculty or staff member who has made noteworthy contributions to PA education in one or more of the following areas:

• Teaching (classroom and/or laboratory instruction, course development, etc.)
• Administration (general administration, committee service, planning, development and evaluation activities, etc.)
• Scholarship (grant writing, research, publications, presentations, and other scholarly/creative activities)
• Service (liaison with professional organization, clinical professional activities, promotion of the PA profession)

The recipient of this award will receive a $500 check and a commemorative plaque.

Requirements:

• Nominee must have been employed at least half-time (0.5 FTE) in a member program for three years or less at the time nominated
• Nominee must be recommended by the program director or medical director
• Nominations for this award must be accompanied by a complete CV. A maximum of two supporting letters will be accepted

Master Teacher Award

Through this award, the Association honors the essence of the PA educator’s work — teaching. The recipient of this award will receive a $500 check and a commemorative plaque. The successful candidate will

• Excel in clinical or classroom teaching
• Demonstrate excellence in scholarship and/or professional service
• Embody values of academic and intellectual honesty, curiosity, and work ethic

Requirements:

• Minimum of seven years’ teaching PA students
• Letter of nomination from immediate supervisor or program director
• Evaluation of teaching activities, as evidenced through peer and/or student evaluations of teaching quality
• A maximum of two letters of support from colleagues, students, or other individuals knowledgeable about the nominee’s teaching skills
• Nominations for this award must be accompanied by a complete CV

Outstanding Service Award

This award honors an individual who has provided sustained, exceptional service or leadership to APAP or who has contributed to the advancement of the PA profession in other ways, e.g., through scholarly activity, teaching, or as an advocate for the profession in the public and private arenas. Nominee may or may not be directly associated with a PA program. Anyone may nominate a candidate for this award. The winner of this award will receive a clock and a commemorative plaque.

APAP Partnership Award

This award honors an individual or institution outside of formal PA program circles, e.g., a preceptor or local organization that has made an outstanding contribution to excellence in PA education. The winner will receive a commemorative plaque.

Research Achievement Award

This award provides recognition for research and scholarly work, as it relates to the PA education. Anyone may nominate a candidate for this award. The recipient of this award will receive a $500 check and a commemorative sculpture. The award will go to either

• An individual who has a distinguished record of scholarly contributions to PA education over many years
• An individual who has authored a recent, seminal work of importance to PA educators

Requirements:

• Letter of nomination outlining the nominee’s past accomplishments. In the case of a single effort, a letter noting the research effort of significance, accompanied by a copy of the published work
• Nominations for this award must be accompanied by the nominee’s CV
• Additional letters of support are encouraged, but not required

APAP Excellence Through Diversity Award

This award was instituted earlier this year by the APAP Board of Directors at its January retreat in response to a request from the Committee on Ethic and Cultural Diversity (CECD). Submissions will be reviewed and the winner determined by the APAP Nomination and Awards Committee, with input from CECD members. Preference may be given to those nominees whose work on diversity has not previously been recognized by similar awards. The recipient program will receive a $500 check and a commemorative plaque.

The award recognizes the outstanding commitment and achievements of an APAP member program in its implementation of specific strategies and activities designed to foster the diversity of program faculty, staff, and student body. This award will be based upon the program’s demonstration of the following:

• Diversity among program faculty, staff, and student body
• Successful outreach to, and recruitment from, diverse and underserved populations
• Development and implementation of diversity training and educational experiences for faculty and students
• Research and scholarship pertaining to diversity and the inclusion process
• Leadership and advocacy in the areas of diversity

Requirements:

• Program must have been accredited for the past five years
• The nominee program must be an APAP member at the time of nomination
• Program should have averaged 90 percent underrepresented minority retention over the past five years
• Faculty must have demonstrated commitment to service and recruitment of underrepresented/disadvantaged populations to the PA profession by formalized, regular outreach program to disadvantaged/ minority populations
• A single letter of nomination, addressed to the Awards Committee, is required
• A program director, medical director, or faculty member must nominate the program
• The nomination letter should clearly describe the nominee’s qualifications as they pertain to diversity and resulting contributions to APAP and the PA profession

Nomination Procedures for All Awards

Nominations for all awards must be made in writing, and electronic submissions are encouraged. Letters of support should designate the person, program, and award being supported, may be sent directly to the national office, and need not be sent under one cover.

All nominations materials are invited through July 1 and should be sent to

Eileen Evans, APAP
950 N. Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-1552
703/836-2272
Fax: 703/684-1924
eileen@aapa.org

Please expect a confirmation of your nomination or letter of support. If you do not receive this within a couple of business days following your nomination or submission, please contact Eileen to be certain that material was received.