Straatsma Award

Nominees for the Straatsma Award must fulfill the following criteria:
• Be an Associate Member of the AUPO and a Member or Fellow of the AAO
• Have served as a Program Director at an ACGME-accredited AUPO member program for a minimum of 3 years
• Currently serve as the Program Director
• Embody the qualities of:

• Commitment to resident education
• Dedication to the residency training process
• Active engagement in program leadership
• Innovation in and/or advancement of residency education in Ophthalmology at the Regional, National or AUPO level

• Be the consummate teacher/mentor/advisor

Special consideration in the selection process will be given:
• In recognition of current activities, not simply to length of service or to contributions made many years previously
• To nominees who have published in peer-reviewed literature on subjects related to residency education
• To innovative work
• To those who have achieved a leadership role in medical education
• To achievement in mentoring other educators/future educators

• Candidates must be nominated by their Department Chair
• The Application Packet must include the following items (10 pt. font or greater):

• A letter (not to exceed three pages) from the Chair summarizing the Nominee’s special qualifications for the Award and verifying that, if awarded
• The cash prize will be awarded directly to the Awardee and not counted against normal compensation or deposited in department accounts
• The Awardee will attend both the Annual Meetings of the AAO and of the AUPO to receive the Award
• Two (2) supporting letters (each not to exceed two pages) from faculty, current residents, or past residents who trained under the Nominee
• A copy of the Nominee’s current Curriculum Vitae
• A signed letter from the Nominee (not to exceed two pages) summarizing the Nominee’s accomplishments as Program Director and plans for future activities. The Nominee must also agree in the letter to address the AUPO Annual Meetings on a topic related to residency training if chosen as the Awardee

• The completed application packet must be compiled by the Department Chair and submitted electronically by April 15
• All completed applications will be reviewed by a Selection Committee and a recommendation forwarded to the AUPO Board of Trustees for approval and subsequently to the Senior Secretary for Education of the AAO for approval.
• The Awardee will be notified by mid-July of the award year.
• Submit nominations through the AUPO nomination page.