The John Howland Award, named in honor of Dr. John Howland [1873-1926] is the highest honor given by the American Pediatric Society. Since 1952, when Dr. Edwards Park received the inaugural award, this prestigious award—with its accompanying medal—has been bestowed annually upon an esteemed pediatric leader whose significant contributions have advanced child health and the profession of pediatrics.

Nomination Criteria

Article II of the APS Constitution forms the basis for the selection criteria:

The objectives of this Society shall be to bring together men and women for the advancement of the study of children and their diseases, for the prevention of illness and the promotion of health in childhood, for the promotion of pediatric education and research, and to honor those who, by their contributions to pediatrics, have aided in its advancement.

Award Information

  • The award will be presented annually to one individual during the APS Presidential Plenary at the PAS meeting and the awardee is honored at the APS Howland Gala.
  • The award includes the Howland Medal, a $5000 honorarium, economy-level airfare, hotel accommodations (in a PAS contracted hotel) for 4 nights, and complimentary PAS meeting registration.
  • Awardee will be invited to serve on the Nominating Committee.

Nomination Procedures

  • A Call for APS Howland Award Nominations is sent to the APS membership-at-large.
    • Note:  Nominator must be an APS member in good standing.  APS Officers and Council members are not eligible to submit nominations.
  • Initial Nomination Requirements
    • Current Curriculum Vitae of the Nominee and Complete Bibliography.
    • John Howland Award Nomination Form.
    • Two Page Letter of Nomination signed by the Nominator.
  • APS Nominating Committee selects up to three (3) finalists.
  • Nominators of the finalist candidates are asked to complete and submit a full nomination packet to include:
    • Three (3) Letters of Support from APS Members.
      • Active, Honorary and Emeritus APS members are eligible to submit support letters for one Howland nominee per year.
      • APS Officers and Council Members are not eligible to submit support letters.
    • At least two (2) but no more than five (5) scholarly publications authored by nominee.
  • The awardee is selected by the APS Council at its Fall Council meeting and the awardee and the nominator are informed by the APS President.

Re-nomination Instructions

The ORIGINAL Nominator must submit a completed APS John Howland Award Nomination Form and a letter requesting that the Nominee be re-considered. It is the Nominator’s responsibility to submit the Nomination Form, including any updated information. After five (5) successive years of nomination, nominations may be resubmitted to the APS Nominating Committee only after a waiting period of three (3) years.

Next Call for Applications: TBD – currently on hiatus.

Since 1952, the APS has honored more than 65 esteemed pediatric leaders with the APS John Howland Award, the highest award given by the Society. Each recipient has made significant contributions that have advanced child health.

Now the APS extends the reach of this important award through the APS Howland Visiting Professor Program. Part of the Thought Leadership component of the APS 2019 Strategic Plan, the Program supports hosting the APS John Howland Awardee at up to two APS Member’s academic institution. Two awards of up to $5,000 are designed to support travel, honoraria, and other expenses incurred by the hosting Member’s institution.

Through the APS Howland Visiting Professor Program, APS aims to:

  • Advance child health by extending the reach of the wisdom and knowledge of APS Howland awardees beyond the PAS Meeting
  • Engage APS Members in active recognition of the Howland Awardee
  • Provide value to APS Members and their academic institutions

TIMELINE

A Call for Applications opens in June and closes August 1. Selections will be made by the APS Howland Visiting Professor Award Committee by September 1 and announced by October 1. Visits should be completed within 12 months following announcement.

ELIGIBILITY & APPLICATION

Any APS Member in good standing and on faculty at a North American academic institution which is willing and able to host a Visiting Professor may apply to host the APS Howland Visiting Professor.

The Norman J. Siegel New Member Outstanding Science Award is presented to recognize a APS New Member for considerable contribution to pediatric science. As one of the world’s leading nephrologists, Siegel was an outstanding teacher and mentor nurturing the early careers of numerous fellows and residents. Not only was he a leader within the medical community, but he also educated parents of those children he treated and left a lasting impression on families.

Criteria

  • Must currently be involved in research and present significant contributions in the field of pediatrics in the form of peer-reviewed publications
  • Must be actively involved in the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) proceedings.
  • Must be a newly elected APS member.

Procedures

  • The award will be presented to one individual annually.
  • The recipient must attend the PAS Meeting.
  • Complimentary registration.
  • The award will be presented with a plaque and an honorarium of $2,000 during the APS Plenary and Awards Session at the PAS Meeting. The awardee will deliver a 15-20 presentation.

VIDEO: View the inaugural 2022 David G. Nichols Health Equity Award Recipient, Dr. David G. Nichols’ presentation:

Sunrise Over Baltimore: A Personal Journey Toward Equity

The David G. Nichols Health Equity Award was established to honor the career of David G. Nichols, MD, MBA, former President and CEO, American Board of Pediatrics.

The award recognizes a pediatrician who has demonstrated excellence in advancing child and adolescent health, well-being, and equity through quality improvement, advocacy, practice, or research.

The recipient receives a $1,000 honorarium, a plaque, economy travel to PAS Meeting, 2 nights in PAS-contracted hotel, and 2 complimentary PAS Meeting registrations (awardee and 1 guest).

Eligibility:

  • Nominee must be a pediatrician who has demonstrated excellence in advancing child and adolescent health, well-being, and equity through quality improvement, advocacy, practice, or research.
  • Evidence of major contributions that effectively address the gaps in medical care and health outcomes for children regardless of race, ethnicity, and national origin.
  • Efforts should demonstrate engagement with families.
  • National measurable impact.
  • Scalable but expeditious work.
  • APS membership is not required to be a nominee.

Nomination:

Full nomination packet to be provided at time of nomination to include:

  • Nominee CV
  • One detailed letter of nomination from an Active APS member*
  • Three letters of support* (APS member or non-member authors will be accepted)
  • Submitted materials should speak directly to the eligibility and review criteria.

* Note:  Nominator must be an Active APS member in good standing. The Nominator may not also author a Letter of Support.  Members of the Selection Committee may not nominate or support nominations.

Selection Committee:

  • The Selection Committee consists of the APS Past President, two CODIE Chair(s), one Advocacy Committee Chair or Designee, one ABP representative, and three past award recipients. The third-year awardee member will be asked to chair the committee.
  • Selection is made October.

Award: 

  • Scientific presentation (15-30 minutes) at PAS Meeting session
  • Serve one 3-year term on the Selection Committee (Chair during third-year)
  • $1,000 honorarium and plaque presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meeting
  • Two Complimentary PAS Meeting registrations
  • Economy airfare to PAS Meeting
  • Two-nights at PAS contracted hotel

In 2013, the APS and SPR established and endowed the Mary Ellen Avery Award.  This award honors Dr. Avery’s outstanding lifetime achievements and seminal contributions to neonatal health through her discovery of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), her research and academic leadership, and her outstanding service to pediatrics and neonatology.

With this award the APS and SPR seek to recognize a pediatric investigator who has made important contributions to neonatal health through basic or translational research.

Eligibility:

  • Pediatric investigator with a sustained record of excellence as a neonatal health investigator.
  • Record of substantive:
    • Neonatal health research contributions.
    • Impact on the field.
    • National and international recognition.

Nomination:

  • Detailed Letter of Nomination*
  • Three Letters of Support*
  • Letters should provide ample evidence of a Nominee’s substantive:
    • Neonatal health research contributions.
    • Impact on the field.
    • National and international recognition.
  • Nominee curriculum vitae with bibliography of published works.
    • An asterisk (*) should identify the five papers that the Nominee’s regards as his/her most significant contributions.
    • Research productivity by the Nominee’s mentees should be indicated by highlighting the names of these individuals in each publication.

* Note:  The Nominator may not also author a Letter of Support.  Members of the Selection Committee may not nominate or support nominations.

Selection:

  • The Committee for the Mary Ellen Avery Award is solely responsible for selection.

Award: 

  • Scientific presentation (15-minutes) at PAS Meeting session.
  • $1,000 honorarium and plaque presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meeting.
  • Complimentary PAS Meeting registration.
  • Economy airfare (up to $750) to PAS Meeting.
  • Two-nights at PAS hotel.
  • Awardee will be invited to serve on the Selection Committee.

The Federation of Pediatric Organizations (FOPO) is composed of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Academic Pediatric Association, American Pediatric Society, American Board of Pediatrics, Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs, Association of Pediatric Program Directors, and Society for Pediatric Research. The purpose of FOPO is to promote optimal health for children by building on the efforts and expertise of the member organizations, and on the relationships between the member organizations to accomplish shared goals.

The Joseph W. St. Geme, Jr. Leadership Award was created in honor of Dr. St. Geme to recognize a pediatrician who is a role model for others to emulate as a clinician, an educator, and/or an investigator. Recipients of this award have had a record of broad and sustained contributions to pediatrics that have had or will have a major impact on child health. Most importantly, the award recognizes those individuals who have “created a future” within the field.

The criteria for the selection of the Joseph W. St. Geme, Jr., MD Leadership Award recipient are as follows:

  • The individual must be a pediatrician who is perceived as a role model for others to emulate, as a clinician, an educator, and/or an investigator.
  • The individual must be a leader who has “created a future” for pediatrics and for children and has played an active role in one or more organizations sponsoring this award.
  • The individual should preferably have a record of broad sustained contributions to pediatrics that have had or will have a major impact on child health.
  • The individual must be currently active in pediatrics.
  • The individual can be a retired member of any of the pediatric organizations sponsoring this award.
  • The individual must not be an active FOPO Board member. Click here for a full list of current FOPO Board members.

Nomination Materials

  • 1 primary nomination letter from primary nominator from the pediatric community describing why their candidate meets the St. Geme criteria.
  • Up to 2 additional letters of support (these can include any extenuating circumstances as to why the candidate should be selected or a summary of multiple support letters).
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)

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