RESIDENT AWARDS
Applications Due: June 1, 2026
The College recognizes excellence in surgical residents with two distinct categories of awards: The Resident Achievement Award and the Robert C. Erwin Literary Award.
Resident Achievement Award
The ACOS Resident Achievement Award recognizes outstanding osteopathic surgical residents who demonstrate excellence in leadership, research, and service. This is your opportunity to earn national recognition, strengthen your professional identity as a DO surgeon, and elevate your CV among peers and mentors across the surgical community.
Eligible applicants must be Resident Members of ACOS in good standing, currently in their final year of an AOA-approved or ACGME-accredited surgical residency program—or in fellowship training beyond initial board eligibility. A letter of support from your Program Director or participating trainer is required for submission.
Apply Here! Resident Achievement Award Application Form
The form must be completed and then printed to obtain formal signatures from both the applicant and the program director. Selection criteria for the Resident Achievement Award includes but is not limited to: clinical ability, patient/resident manner, resident/staff relationships, resident/community involvement and academic activities. Each nominee's curriculum vitae must accompany the application. However, your CV may not be substituted for the application itself. Letters of recommendation should include examples of the nominees’ qualities, experience and achievements that are consistent with the award for which the member is being nominated. Applicants may only apply for the award during their final year of residency training and/or during other subsequent fellowship training. Residents must be ACOS members, be nominated by their program director and submit their application to the ACOS no later than June 1.
Completed applications should be mailed to:
ACOS Awards Committee
1680 Duke Street Suite #500
Alexandria, VA 22314
You may also fax your completed application to (703) 684-3280.
Robert C. Erwin Literary Award
The Robert C. Erwin Literary Awards honor ACOS residents and students who have authored outstanding original scientific manuscripts. Supported by a generous grant from the ACOS Trust Fund, up to five resident and five student recipients will receive national recognition, a commemorative plaque presented at the Annual Clinical Assembly, and a monetary award ranging from $250 to $1,500.
Open to ACOS members in training who serve as the primary author, submissions must reflect scholarly integrity, follow manuscript guidelines, and focus on one of the recognized surgical specialties. Papers must be received by ACOS no later than June 1st.
You’ve dedicated time to meaningful research, now is your chance to have your work recognized nationally.
Submit your manuscript and let your scholarship speak for itself.
Please review the guidelines below prior to submitting your application.
ACOS Robert C. Erwin Literary Award Guidelines
(Adobe PDF File)
