Pathology residents are invited to submit abstracts for the AJCP Resident Research Award, the main prize of the Resident Research Symposium. Ten finalists will receive cash prizes.

Finalists will be selected to present their abstracts from the podium during the ASCP Annual Meeting. The final award winners are selected on the basis of both content and oral presentation of the abstract. The abstracts of all finalists will be published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology and on ajcp.com.

The abstracts are judged for originality, potential importance of the subject matter, research design and execution, and interpretations and conclusions. The platform presentations are judged on delivery, adequacy of visual materials, response to questions, as well as the content criteria described above.

Literature reviews are not eligible for the competition. Case reports may be submitted but are considered for an award only if new and significant information is presented.

To be eligible for the AJCP Resident Research Award, applicants submitting abstracts must have been enrolled in a pathology residence program when the research was conducted.

Residents may submit multiple abstracts, but only one will be accepted for presentation from the podium. Abstracts not chosen as one of the finalists for the residents' platform presentation may still be accepted for poster presentation at the ASCP Annual Meeting. Authors will be notified, in writing, of the Editorial Board's decision by June 30.

All finalists are required to submit supplemental data to support their oral presentations for the judges. This must be done one month prior to the meeting.

AJCP Resident Research Award History

The AJCP Resident Research Award recognizes excellence in the field of pathology research by residents. The AJCP Resident Research Award, formerly known as the Sheard Sanford Resident Research Award was named for Arthur Sanford, MD, and Charles Sheard, PhD, both of the Mayo Clinic. In 1928, they invented an instrument for hemoglobin determination and later transferred the rights for control of its commercial production to the ASCP. At the Society’s 1933 meeting, Drs Sheard and Sanford reported on an improved version of their original instruments.

In accordance with the wishes of Drs Sheard and Sanford, the ASCP initially devoted the proceeds from the invention’s commercial production to research and education. Later, the funds were used for other education-related purposes. This led to ASCP’s current focus of the award on student research.

The winner of the AJCP Resident Award must have been a pathology resident at the time that the research was conducted.