ACEM Distinguished Service Award

AP594 V4

This policy governs the criteria, policy and processes for the awarding of the ACEM Distinguished Service Award (the Award), which is awarded by the Board of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM; the College) to an individual who has given significant service to the work of the College, often over an extended period of time.

The ACEM Distinguished Service Award recognises the provision of service to an area(s) of activity of the College over a period of time. The Award is made by the ACEM Board, following receipt of nominations from the Council of Advocacy, Practice and Partnerships (CAPP), the Council of Education (COE), ACEM Board members or the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and recognises service over a period of time at a level considered significant to contributing to the College delivering its core functions at a high level.

The Award is meant to recognise contributions in relation to the ability of the College to deliver its core functions, at a level above that routinely expected, and for a period of time that enables the contribution to be seen as significant.

The Award is distinct from the ACEM Medal, which is the highest award that can be bestowed by the College, and which acknowledges outstanding contributions at a senior level that has a major contribution to the overall evolution of the College in one or more areas of significance.

Requirements of eligibility for College positions along with materials required for a nomination to be considered valid and the timeframe for submission of these materials will be published by the College through its standard channels of communication.  Failure to meet eligibility requirements and/or submit all required materials by a designated time as communicated will result in an individual’s nomination being deemed invalid.

3.1 Nature of Prize

The Award takes the form of a Certificate and an associated citation, and acknowledges the awardee "For significant service to the College".  The Certificate will be signed by the College President and the Chair of CAPP/COE or the CEO as relevant.

3.2 Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility for the  Award is open to ACEM members and trainees, as well as ACEM staff or community members who are considered to have made a significant contribution to the work of the College.

3.3 Selection Criteria and Process

The Award shall be awarded to an eligible individual who is judged to have given significant service to the College.  Such service may be in relation to any area(s) of College activities; however, should be such that the service was over an extended period of time and the benefits of that service to the College are considered to be such that they have made a significant contribution in enabling the College to deliver and/or develop its core activities.  The service in question should be at a high level and for a period of time that demonstrates clearly a commitment to the work of the College, over and above that of individuals whose contribution in a similar field(s) of activity represents what may be considered a ‘standard’ contribution.

There is no defined limit to the number of ACEM Distinguished Service Awards that may be made in each calendar year; however, it is expected that the number awarded will be such as to maintain the integrity and value of the Award.

A call for nominations will be made by the ACEM Board in the first half of each calendar year.  Nominations must be made on the prescribed nomination form, with each nomination endorsed by a proposer and one other.

At least one of the proposer and the other nominator must be a FACEM member of the Council to which the nomination is being made, or where a nomination is being made direct to the ACEM Board, at least one of the two must be a member of the ACEM Board.

Nominations of College staff must be made by the CEO and a member of CAPP or COE, or any member of the ACEM Board.

Regardless of the governing body to which the nomination is being made, all involved in providing the nomination must have sufficient professional association with and knowledge of the nominee to provide detailed support for the nomination.

A proposed citation that acts as both support for the consideration of the Award and the citation to be included with the Award must be supplied with the nomination form.  The citation should be no longer than four hundred words to enable it to be contained on a single A4 typed sheet.

In keeping with the significance of the Award, the process of nomination is one that is to be undertaken by the nominators and considered by the relevant Council or the Board in such a manner that the nominees should not be aware of their consideration for the Award, , either at the stage of consideration by the relevant Council, or by the Board.

Where nominations are considered by CAPP and COE, as relevant, a majority vote of the relevant Council (excluding any individual Council members under consideration) is required in order for the nomination to be forwarded for consideration to the ACEM Board.

The ACEM Board will consider the nomination(s) received, with a majority decision of the Board required for the Award to be conferred.  The decision of the Board in relation as to whether any nomination(s) will be supported is that of members of the Board alone, and the decision is not subject to reconsideration, review or appeal under the relevant College policy.

3.4 Presentation of Award

The Award, together with a citation, will be presented at an appropriate function of the College or occasion as determined by the College President in collaboration with the Chair of the nominating Council or the CEO.  This will normally be considered to be a College Annual Scientific Meeting, the Winter Symposium or a Regional College Symposium, or a College staff function.

Recipients of the the Award will be acknowledged on an annual basis in the College’s Annual Report (Year in Review publication) or equivalent and at the College Annual General Meeting, as well as on a list maintained by the College and available through the ACEM website.