ACEM Foundation Global Emergency Care Scholarship

FND376 V9

 

 

ACEM recognises that increasing the knowledge, networking opportunities and professional recognition of doctors or other emergency care health professionals from low and middle-income countries (LMICs) is an essential step in reducing health disparities experienced in these countries. The purpose of the ACEM Foundation Global Emergency Care Scholarship (Scholarship) is to provide opportunities and benefits for the awardee, the country of origin of the awardee, and for ACEM (the College) Fellows and trainees.

The purpose of the Scholarship is to:

• support doctors or other emergency care health professionals from low and middle-income countries (LMICs) to attend the ACEM Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) to provide a form of professional development, networking opportunities and professional recognition;
• promote and support emergency care in LMICs;
• promote the work of ACEM fellows and trainees in LMICs;
• enhance the status of emergency medicine (EM) and emergency care development in LMICs within the College.

 

2. Terminology

ACEM/the College

means the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.

ACEM Foundation

means the philanthropic program and associated cost centre of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine.

College member

means a person admitted as a member of the College pursuant to the provisions of the ACEM Constitution and associated regulations.

Programmatic entity

means the College entity responsible for the delivery of ACEM programs aligned to the ACEM Foundation Pillars being the Global Emergency Care Committee, Indigenous Health. Committee and Research Committee.

FACEM/Fellow

means an individual who has been admitted as a ‘Fellow’ of the College, pursuant to clause 2.1.1 of the ACEM Constitution and associated Regulations.

Trainee

an individual enrolled in an ACEM training program and, for the purposes of this policy, undertaking College requirements for the purpose of attaining eligibility for election to Fellowship of the College.

Good standing

For the purposes of this policy means, a member who is currently compliant with all relevant ACEM renewal of membership requirements and has no financial debts to the College, or, a trainee who has no financial debts to the College and has fulfilled all training and assessment requirements applicable to their stage of training.

Host

means the ‘nominator’, who is a Fellow or FACEM trainee that submitted the nomination.

Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC)

are as defined by the ACEM COR446 Policy on Defining ‘Developing Country’.

Scholar

means the person or persons to whom the funds in question were allocated. Where more than one person is the recipient of funds, a reference to the ‘scholar’ includes a reference to all those scholars.

 

3.1 Eligibility criteria – Nominator

To be eligible to nominate a recipient for the scholarship, the nominator must be an ACEM Fellow or (FACEM) trainee who:

1. has developed linkages with the nominee through undertaking global emergency care development activities in the nominee’s home country or LMIC country of residence; and
2. is willing to accept responsibility for arranging a suitable program for the nominee in liaison with the Global Emergency Care Committee (GECCo); and
3. must attend the ACEM College Ceremony and ASM and be willing to act as a personal host for the nominee or find a willing proxy host to act as a personal host, and
4. is of Good Standing with the College.

3.2 Eligibility criteria – Nominee

To be eligible to be nominated for a scholarship, the nominee must be a doctor or other emergency care health professional from a LMIC, as defined by the ACEM COR446 Policy on Defining ‘Developing Country’ who:

1. is an actual or potential leader in the development of emergency care in their home country or LMIC country of residence;; and
2. has secured a committed nominator who will host them and arrange their program with the GEC Scholar Coordinator; and
3. will make a presentation on the successes, challenges and opportunities relating to the development of emergency care in their country or an alternate relevant topic at the ACEM ASM in the relevant year; and
4. with informed consent will give permission for ACEM to use their ASM presentation and professional information, including a photograph, for the purposes of publishing in the ASM program and other promotional material; and
5. can apply for their visa to travel to Australia/New Zealand at least three months prior to the month of the ASM in the year of the application.

3.3 Nominations

Eligible persons interested in nominating an individual(s) for the scholarship will be required to complete and submit the appropriate form. All requirements and any accompanying information specified on that form must be completed and submitted by the deadline specified by the College.

FACEMs or FACEM trainees can nominate more than one person for a Scholarship.

 

4.1 Selection criteria

Nominations for the scholarship will be assessed according to the extent to which the nominee demonstrates evidence of:

1. capacity to present at the Annual Scientific Meeting; and
2. actual or potential leadership capacity in emergency care within their home country or LMIC country of residence; and
3. engagement in an area of work that will benefit from the opportunities and learning experiences provided at the Annual Scientific Meeting; and
4. explanation of the value of the scholarship for themselves, their environment, and their country; and
5. be from a country with strong ACEM linkages and/or have well established relationships with aFACEM(s) and/or ACEM trainees, or be from a country where these linkages and relationships could be further strengthened; and
6. have a FACEM or FACEM trainee reference.

It is also preferable that:

7. there is scope for the FACEM/ FACEM trainee nominator (or other FACEMs/ FACEM trainees) to support the development of emergency care in the nominee’s country; and
8. the nominee is from region which is a priority for ACEM; and
9. the nominee has no previous record of attendance at any ACEM event and
10. the Scholarship(s) are awarded to nominees from a diverse group of countries, regions, and cultures; and
11. the awarding of the Scholarship to the individual will significantly contribute to the overall development of emergency care and may benefit broader strategic goals of ACEM / GECCo in a particular country or region.

4.2 Adjudication

A panel of three (3) or more members from the Global Emergency Care Committee (GECCo) shall adjudicate all eligible nominations using the pre-defined scoring criteria. Social and cultural factors which may impact on the logistics of an individual candidate’s attendance at the ACEM ASM may be considered during the selection process. Diversity of nominees will also be sought. Using the scores, the nominees will be ranked and the shortlist of candidates, two more than the available number of scholarships (if sufficient nominees) will be recommended to the ACEM Foundation for their consideration.

The ACEM Board shall determine the recipient(s) of the award. The decision of the ACEM Board will be final and no correspondence will be entered in to.

All parts of the selection process must be strictly adhered to and conducted in accordance with the College Conflict of Interest Policy (COR139).

 

5.1 Nature of scholarship

The Global Emergency Care Scholarship provides funding up to AUD$10000 per recipient, with a maximum of AUD$60,000 awarded annually. This amount will be periodically reviewed by the ACEM Foundation, subject to Board approval of annual budget. 

However, the amount per recipient potentially may vary depending on travel logistics and ensuring diversity and equal access to all applicants regardless of location relative to Australia/New Zealand and available travel infrastructure.

The Scholarship will fund attendance at the ACEM Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) either in person and/or virtually. It shall be used to cover ASM registration, the return economy-class airfares, visa, accommodation, travel and living expenses while the recipient is in Australia or New Zealand. The expected length of stay for awardees is approximately nine (9) days.

Virtual scholarships are to be only considered if unforeseen circumstances prevent travel and by agreement of all key ACEM stakeholders (the ACEM Foundation, GECCo, Events and the ACEM Board). This decision needs to be made in consultation with key ACEM stakeholders ) prior to finalising any virtual scholarship recipients.   The awarding of virtual registrations may be included or additional to this annual amount and will be provisional to the format of the ASM. The decision of virtual registration delegation will be made to ensure maximum reach, attendance and participation of emergency care professionals based in LMICs.

The Scholarships are awarded annually. If no applicant meets the criteria in a particular year, then the scholarship(s) will not be awarded.

5.2 Acknowledgment of scholarship

The in-person recipients are presented with a certificate acknowledging the scholarship at the College Ceremony held in the year the scholarship is awarded.

An electronic certificate will be sent to virtual recipients once confirmation of online registration is received.

 

The GEC Scholarship will be funded by the ACEM Foundation as outlined in the above section 5.1 Nature of scholarship; however, additional funding may be sourced from a range of external donors to expand the number of awardees.

ACEM Foundation will oversee and manage the acceptance and allocation of funding in accordance with the ACEM Foundation Donor Acceptance and Recognition Policy.

Should a donor express interest in supporting in-person attendance of delegates from certain countries or regions, this will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the ACEM Foundation Donor Acceptance and Recognition Policy. All GEC Scholarship nominees will be subject to the same selection process and nominators to the same hosting requirements.

 

7.1 Host obligations

The Host shall accompany and act as a guide and mentor to the Scholar when attending the College Ceremony and the Annual Scientific Meeting.

In line with cultural expectations of reciprocal hosting and logistical support, ACEM will provide a member of staff in-person to assist with coordination and facilitation. Ideally, this would be the GEC Scholar Coordinator.

7.2 Reporting obligations

The Scholar shall provide a report detailing their experience to the ACEM Foundation two months following the scholarship.

The GEC Scholar Coordinator overseeing and managing the GEC Scholarship program and logistics shall provide a report detailing the expenditure charged to the scholarship to the ACEM Foundation two months following the scholarship.

 

• FND441 Global Emergency Care Scholarship Nomination Form
• FND442 Global Emergency Care Scholarship Score sheet
• COR139 Conflict of Interest Policy
• COR446 Policy on Defining ‘Developing Country’