Merit Awards
Provides recognition and travel support for oncology trainees presenting high-quality research.
Conquer Cancer - The ASCO Foundation uses its Merit Awards to recognize trainees presenting strong oncology abstracts at ASCO meetings. The program sits inside the foundation's meeting-linked awards portfolio and is open globally. Its core purpose is recognition and travel support rather than project financing. The standard Merit Award is $1,000 and also includes complimentary meeting registration plus access to reserved hotel blocks. Applications are submitted with abstract submission, and recipients must present their abstract if selected. The same cycle includes several special awards: the Bradley Stuart Beller Endowed Merit Award at $2,000 for the top abstract overall, the Allen S. Lichter MD Endowed Merit Award at $1,000 for the second-highest abstract, the Brigid Leventhal Special Merit Award at $1,000 for pediatric oncology, the Pain and Symptom Management Special Merit Award at $1,000, and the James B. Nachman Endowed ASCO Junior Faculty Award in Pediatric Oncology at $3,000. The award is built for fellows, residents, and MD/PhD trainees who are first authors on competitive abstracts, along with junior faculty in pediatric oncology under the Nachman route. Selection is tied closely to abstract quality and presentation readiness, so clear methods, strong results, and a polished meeting abstract matter more than a long project narrative.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.