Distinguished Service Award
APSA’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award is given in recognition of a lifetime commitment to, and wide-reaching impact on, the field of pediatric surgery and/or contributions to The American Pediatric Surgery Association. “Wide-ranging impact” can be defined by the nominator and should be addressed in the summation.
The frequency of this award is determined by the Board.
Nominations for the 2026 award are closed.
2026 Recipient
Whit Holcomb, III, MD, MBA
🏆 View Previous Recipients
Marina Petrulla
Associate Director, APSA
Michael Harrison, MD
University of California,
San Francisco, CA
Keith T. Oldham, MD
Mary E. Fallat, MD
No award was given
No award was given
Kathryn D. Anderson, MD
David M. Powell, MD
Patricia K. Donahoe, MD
Jay L. Grosfeld, MD
W. Hardy Hendren, MD
Harvey E. Beardmore, MD
Lucian L. Leape, MD
Thomas M. Holder, MD
Marc I. Rowe, MD
Stephen L. Gans, MD
James F. Densler Award
The purpose of this award is to acknowledge an individual who has a consistent track record of promoting diversity, equity and inclusivity in pediatric surgery. This includes delivery of care to diverse populations, working in diverse teams and promoting diversity and inclusivity in the pediatric surgery professional community. Nominees should show dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and/or in programs dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged populations. Specifically, the applicants must be able to effectively describe how the nominee has demonstrated efforts/work that has addressed topics including (but not limited to) the following:
- Implicit bias, creating diverse management teams, and changing workforce culture
- Establishing diverse and inclusive mentorship teams
- Thoughtfully promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace or community
- Addressing the needs of underserved populations
Nominations for the 2026 award are closed.
2026 Recipient
Kathleen van Leeuwen, MD
🏆 View Previous Recipients
Benedict (Ben) Nwomeh, MD, MPH
Nationwide Children’s Hospital,
Columbus, OH
Edward M. Barksdale Jr., MD
UH Case Medical Center,
Cleveland, OH
Ala Stanford, MD
Center for Health Equity and Black Doctors Consortium,
Philadelphia, PA
Erika Adams Newman, MD
Francisca T. Velcek, MD
Victor F. Garcia, MD
Robert E. Gross Award for Excellence in Pediatric Research and Achievement
The APSA Robert E. Gross Award for Excellence in Pediatric Research and Achievement recognizes a seminal contribution by an individual who has made a major impact on pediatric surgery. His or her contributions have resulted in a major change in how pediatric surgeons manage a particular problem, and the results have been demonstrated to be durable with time and widely accepted by pediatric surgeons as “standard practice.” The Award was created by the APSA Board of Governors and is presented at their discretion.
Nominations for the 2026 award are closed.
2026 Recipient
Ronald B. Hirschl, MD, MS
🏆 View Previous Recipients
Mary Fallat, MD, FACS, FAAP
University of Louisville,
Louisville, KY
Scott Adzick, MD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,
Philadelphia, PA
Diana Farmer, MD
Charles J. Stolar, MD
No award was given
No award was given
Donald Nuss, MD
Alberto Peña, MD
No award was given
Michael R. Harrison, MD
Robert Bartlett, MD
Bradley M. Rodgers, MD
Donald E. Meier Surgical Humanitarian Award
The APSA Surgical Humanitarian Award recognizes an APSA member whose career has been dedicated to ensuring the provision of surgical care to underserved children without expectation of commensurate reimbursement. This award is intended for surgeons who have dedicated a significant portion of their surgical careers to humanitarian efforts either locally or globally, rather than routine surgical practice. Examples include a career dedicated to missionary surgery, the founding and ongoing operations of a charitable organization dedicated to providing surgical care to the underserved, or a retirement characterized by surgical volunteer outreach. Having received compensation for this work does not preclude a nominee from consideration and, in fact, may be expected based on the extent of the professional obligation. The frequency of this award will be determined by the Board based on the nominations submitted.
Nominations for the 2026 award are closed.
2026 Recipient
Mary Brandt, MD, Mdiv
🏆 View Previous Recipients
Georges Azzie, MD
Hospital for Sick Children,
Toronto, Canada
Sherif Emil, MD
Montreal Children's Hospital,
Montreal, QC, Canada
Doruk Ozgediz, MD, MSc
Erik N. Hansen, MD, MPH
Michael R. Curci, MD
James A. O'Neill, Jr., MD
Stephen W. Bickler, MD
Donald E. Meier, MD
Quality, Safety and Value in Surgery Award
The APSA Quality, Safety and Value in Surgery Award is given to the manuscript that best demonstrates quality improvement principles, patient safety initiatives and/or addresses the value proposition by demonstrating an improvement in outcomes while at the same time reducing cost or other measures of resource utilization. The quality of the manuscript and potential impact of the intervention for improving value outside of the author’s own institution will serve as the primary criteria for judging.
The award is given to the best manuscript based on an abstract presented at the APSA annual meeting. The manuscript is published in the APSA edition of the Journal of Pediatric Surgery or can be submitted to a journal of the author’s choosing. The recipient of the award receives a $500 prize.
Eligibility Requirements
- Abstracts presented at the annual meeting are eligible for award consideration, provided a manuscript is submitted via the regular APSA channels.
Abstracts must provide data on both outcomes and resource utilization and demonstrate an improvement in healthcare value in one of the following three ways:- Improvement in outcomes and a concomitant reduction in resource utilization or cost. Outcomes can include condition/disease-specific measures (e.g. complications) and/or patient-centered measures (e.g. patient satisfaction, quality of life).
- Improvement in outcomes without an increase in resource utilization or cost.
- Reduction in resource utilization or cost without a detrimental effect on outcomes.
- Improved patient safety through systematic improvement in care.
- Utilization of quality improvement tools or techniques.
- Eligible abstracts are identified by the APSA Surgical Quality & Safety Committee.
- A manuscript supporting the abstract must be submitted for review for publication in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery or a journal of the author’s choosing by the stated deadline.
- The recipient will contribute content to the APSA Quality and Safety toolkit.
- Posters and video presentations are not eligible, unless specifically identified as award candidates by the APSA Surgical Quality & Safety Committee.
More detailed information regarding timelines and judging criteria for the award will be sent to authors following the initial review of eligible abstracts.
2026 Recipient
DECREASING LENGTH OF STAY FOR PECTUS EXCAVATUM REPAIR BY IMPLEMENTING AN ERAS PROTOCOL
🏆 View Previous Recipients
Wendy Jo Svetanoff, MD MPH
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Reduction of Prophylactic Antibiotics for Elective Pediatric Cholecystectomy
Peter Juviler, MD
University of Rochester,
Rochester, NY
Reduction of Pediatric Gastrostomy Tube Healthcare Utilization and Socioeconomic Disparities: Longitudinal Benefits of Quality Improvement
Peter Juviler, MD
University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Reduction in Unplanned Intubations After Children’s Surgery: A Quality Improvement Project
Elaa Mahdi, MPH MD
University of Rochester Department of Surgery, Rochester, NY USA
Sustaining the Gains: Reducing Unnecessary Computed Tomography Scans in Pediatric Trauma Patients
David F. Grabski, MD MEd
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Reduction Of Post-Operative Opioid Use in Neonates Following Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Repairs: A Quality Improvement Initiative
Luis I. Ruffolo, MD
University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY
Implementation of a Gastrostomy Care Bundle Reduces Early DislodgementsMark Kashtan, MD MPH
Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
Implementation of a Plan-Do-Study-Act Framework to Reduce Unindicated Surgical Antibiotic ProphylaxisBeatrix Hyemin Choi, MD
New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
Simple Preoperative Radiation Safety Interventions Significantly Lower Radiation Doses During Central Venous Line Placement in ChildrenAndrew Nordin, MD
Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
Effective Methods to Decrease Surgical Site Infections in Pediatric Gastrointestinal SurgeryJamie R. Robinson, MD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
Measuring The Value Of A Clinical Practice Guideline For Children With Perforated AppendicitisNo award was presented
Kathy Schall, MD
Division of Pediatric Surgery, Primary Children’s Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
A Dynamic Discharge Protocol Provides Efficient Care for Uncomplicated AppendicitisJason W. Nielsen, MD
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
Reducing CT Scans for Appendicitis by Increasing the Diagnostic Accuracy of UltrasonographyInnovation Award
The Innovation Award is presented for the best abstract presented in the Innovation category. The award is open to any presentation author regardless of level of training of employment (i.e. attending staff are eligible). The winner receives a prize of $500.
In an effort to encourage and disseminate novel ideas, authors are encouraged to submit abstracts detailing new techniques, therapies, devices or processes of care that have the potential to improve the treatment of pediatric patients. Abstracts will be judged on the uniqueness and potential impact of the idea, as well as the quality of the presentation. Submissions designed to promote a particular product are discouraged, but will be considered based on individual circumstances.
2026 Recipient
Daniel R. Liesman, MD – Northwestern University
THE VALIDATION OF A NON-INVASIVE PREMATURE INFANT MONITORING PROBE (PREMO) FOR BLOOD PRESSURE ASSESSMENT IN A FETAL LAMB MODEL
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Adele Ricciardi, MD, PhD
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; University of Pennsylvania
Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles for Gene Editing of the Fetal Lung
Matthew W. Ralls, MD
Nationwide Children's Hospital – Toledo,
Toledo, OH
Internal Prototype Verification of a Novel Endoscopic Treatment for Short Bowel Syndrome
Vanshika P. Jhonsa, BA
Rice University, Rice 360 Program
Improvised Low-Cost Silo Bag Using Widely Available Materials and Simple Assembly to Manage Gastroschisis in Low Resource Settings
John Lukish, MS
Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas City, MO
The Novel Use of Rare Earth Magnets for the Extraction of Metallic Soft Tissue Foreign Bodies in Children
Oliver J. Muensterer, MD, PhD
Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
The A, B, Cs of Magnetic Esophageal Compression Anastomosis...
Alexander Y. Yang, BS
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
A Novel Needle Driver to Facilitate Laparoscopic Intracorporeal Knot TyingGabriel Jose Ramos-Gonzalez, MD
Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
A Novel Combined Cautery-Suction Device: The First Product of a Surgical Device Innovation FellowshipRobert Cina, MD
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
Expert Outpatient Burn Care in the Home Through Mobile Health TechnologyNhan T. Huynh, MD
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Three-Dimensionally Printed Surface Features to Anchor Endoluminal Spring for Distraction EnterogenesisMatthew A. Hornick, MD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Toward Physiologic Extracorporeal Support Of The Premature Infant...Edward Hannon, MBChB, MRCS
Institute of Child Health/UCL, London, UK
Xenogeneic Decellularized Oesophageal Transplantation Is Achievable In A Large Animal ModelMaxime M. Mahe, PhD
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
Generation of Functional Intestine from Patient Derived Pluripotent Stem CellsShahab Shaffiey, MD
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Generation of an Artificial Intestine and Validation in Dogs: a Proof-of-Concept StudyVeronica F. Sullins, MD
UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
A Novel Biodegradable Device for Intestinal LengtheningSabina Siddiqui, MD
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Development of an Isolation Bed for Patients Undergoing MIBG Treatment for NeuroblastomaMaridelle B. Millendez, MD
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC
Evaluation of Intestinal Viability Using 3-CCD in Children Undergoing AppendectomyM. Judah Folkman Memorial Awards
This award was created in honor of Dr. M. Judah Folkman and his legacy of leadership in our organization, the tremendous body of work he left behind and the way he selflessly shared his art of medicine with so many students and the art of healing with so many children and families.
The American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) and the Association of Pediatric Surgery Training Program Directors (APSTPD) are proud to present the M. Judah Folkman Memorial Award for outstanding research presentations given during the APSA Annual Meeting. Award recipients must be trainees currently enrolled in a surgical training program (residency or fellowship). Presentations are judged on scientific merit and actual presentations.
Two winners are selected for best podium presentations, one in basic science and one in clinical categories. Winners receive a prize in the amount of $1,000 and a Folkman medallion.
2026 Recipient
Rachel C. Bordelon, MD – McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
A NOVEL LUMINAL SPRING APPROACH TO APPLY MECHANICAL STRAIN TO INNERVATED HUMAN INTESTINAL ORGANOIDS
2026 Recipient
Anastasia M. Kahan, MD – University of Utah, Primary Children’s Hospital
NO-DISHCARGE-ANTIBIOTICS AFTER COMPLICATED APPENDICITIS: A WESTERN PEDIATRIC SURGERY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM PERSPECTIVE STUDY
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Shahyan Rehman, MD
Yale New Haven Hospital
Use of Nicotinic Acid to Widen the Therapeutic index of Nampt Inhibitor FK866 in Neuroblastoma
Jordan M. Rook, MD
Department of Surgery, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
Homicide at Home: An Analysis of National Child Firearm-Related Deaths
Muse Freneh Anito, MD
BethanyKids Kijabe Hospital,
Kijabe, Kenya
Addressing the Problem of Pediatric Central-line Associated Blood Stream Infections at a Rural Referral Hospital in a Low-middle Income Country
Mallory N. Perez, MD
Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago,
Chicago, IL
Heeding the Black Box: Leveraging National Surgical Quality Improvement Project-Pediatric for Hospital-level Assessment of Opioid Prescribing
Colleen Nofi, MD
Northwell Health,
Manhasset, NY
Extracellular Cirp Exacerbates Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Shawn Izadi, MD
The Foker Process for Long-gap Esophageal Atresia: Twenty-five Years of Making the Impossible, Possible
Martha E. Teke, MD
Leveraging a Novel Ex-vivo Human Tumor System to Interrogate Peritoneal Surface Malignancies in Children
Jenny Stevens, MD
Best Podium Presentation - Clinical Science
Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO
National Trends in Pediatric Firearm and Automobile Fatalities
Ashlyn Whitlock, MD
Best Podium Presentation - Basic Science
Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Brain Protection by Transamniotic Stem Cell Therapy in a Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Maeve O’Neill Trudeau, MD MPH
Best Podium Presentation - Clinical Science
Centre Hospitalier - Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Implementing A Standardized Gastroschisis Protocol...
Sourav Bose, MD MBA MSc
Best Podium Presentation - Basic Science
Center for Fetal Research, CHOP, Philadelphia, PA
In Utero Base Editing Ameliorates Pathology in a Mouse Model of MPS I
Michelle P. Kallis, MD
Best Podium Presentation - Basic Science
Cohen Children's Medical Center at Hofstra/Northwell, NY
Gefitinib Treatment Reverses Post-surgical Pro-metastatic Immune Changes...
Richard S. Whitlock, II, MD
Best Podium Presentation - Clinical Science
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
The Use of Real-time Indocyanine Green-guided Near-infrared Imaging...John S. Riley, MD MS
Best Podium Presentation - Basic Science
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Extending the 'Window of Tolerance': Regulatory T Cells Permit Late Gestation...
Calista M. Harbaugh, MD
Best Podium Presentation - Clinical Science
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Opioids are Overprescribed and Can be Eliminated For a Number of Children's Operations
Caroline Maloney, MD
Hofstra Northwell Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Manhasset, NY
Surgery Accelerates the Development of Pulmonary Metastases in a Mouse Model of Osteosarcoma...Amy E. Lawrence, MD
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
The Relationship Between Operative Volume And Outcomes in Esophageal Atresia
Patrick McGovern, MD
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Neuroprotection and Development in Extremely Premature Lambs Supported on the Extend DeviceBrenna Sullivan Fullerton, MD
Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
Severe Neurodevelopmental Disability and Healthcare Needs Among Survivors of Medical and Surgical Necrotizing EnterocolitisMegan Berger, MD
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Outcomes Of Total Pancreatectomy And Islet Autotransplantation In Young ChildrenSimone Langness, MD
UC San Diego, San Diego, CA
Low D-Dimer Predicts The Absence Of Intracranial Hemorrhage In Pediatric Blunt Head TraumaBaddr A. Shakhsheer, MD
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Host and Bacterial Factors Cooperatively Disrupt Healing of Intestinal Anastomoses
Barrett P. Cromeens, DO, PhD
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
Implementation of a Pediatric Surgical Quality Improvement Directed M&M ConferenceConnie H. Keung, MD
Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Propranolol as a Novel Therapy for Lymphatic MalformationsBlair A. Wormer, MD
Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC
Home Intravenous Versus Oral Antibiotics Following Appendectomy for Perforated AppendicitisEric Girard, MD
Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT
Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells in a Bioengineered Scaffold: a New Frontier In Patient Specific Therapy for Premature Lung DiseaseRyan P. Cauley, MD
Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
Higher Costs Charges and Resource Utilization do not Affect Survival in Congenital Diaphragmatic HerniaAmar Nijagal, MD
Fetal Intervention Triggers the Activation of Paternal Antigen-Specific Maternal T Cells
Eric J. Stanelle, MD
Pediatric Synovial Sarcoma: Prognostic Factors, Management of Pulmonary Metastasis, and Survival Outcomes
Amar Nijagal, MD
The Maternal Adaptive Immune Response Against Paternal Antigens Incites Fetal Demise After Fetal Intervention
Barrie Rich, MD
Predictors of Survival in Childhood and Adolescent Cutaneous Melanoma
Mehul V. Raval, MD
Pediatric ACS NSQIP: Feasibility of a Novel Prospective Assessment of Surgical Outcomes - a Phase I Report
Allison L. Speer, MD
Tissue-Engineered Esophagus is a Versatile In Vivo Mouse Model with Intact Architecture
Eric Jelin, MD
Effects of Notch4 On Lung Vascular Remodeling
Laura A. Boomer, MD
Cholangiocyte Apoptosis During Lamprey Metamorphosis
Emily T. Durkin, MD
The Ontongeny of Human Fetal NK Cell Allorecognition: A Potential Barrier to In Utero Transplantation
Henry L. Chang, MD
In Vivo Metastatic/Invasion Assay to Identify Cancer Stem Cells and their Markers
Eric B. Jelin NAFTNet-APSA Award for Best Abstract in Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy
The inaugural award was presented at the APSA annual meeting in May 2023.
Eric Jelin was a pediatric and fetal surgeon at Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital, who passed in May of 2021 at 42 years old. Dr. Jelin helped build the Johns Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy which gained national recognition under his leadership. Eric was the principal investigator of the Renal Anhydramnios Fetal Therapy (RAFT) study. This multi-center, NIH-funded R01 grant investigated novel amnioinfusion for the treatment of fetuses with anhydramnios. He was one of a small group of pediatric surgeons to receive NIH funding for fetal therapy.
Eric was a masterful surgeon and dedicated scientist. Eric’s enthusiasm and energy for fetal therapy and research was only outmatched by his passion and love for his patients and his family. This award hopes to symbolize the ardor and scientific curiosity that Eric exhibited as well as the compassion and loving person that was Eric Jelin.
Award Eligibility and Selection Process
- Primary author is junior faculty (assistant professor or instructor), fellow, or resident.
- Abstract presented at APSA annual meeting
- Best three abstracts are selected by the APSA Program and the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Committees
- Winner chosen by the NAFTNet Board of Directors
- Winner receives a prize in the amount of $500 and a plaque. The winner is announced at the APSA Annual Meeting
2026 Recipient
Latoya Stewart, MD, MSc – Johns Hopkins Hospital
PREDICTIVE MODELING OF NEONATAL OUTCOMES IN NON-HYDROPIC FETUSES WITH LUNG MALFORMATIONS: RESULTS FROM A NATIONAL COHORT OF MAJOR CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS
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Caitlin (Cait) Eason, MD, MPH
Children’s Hospital of Colorado
Second Trimester Maternal Serum Micrornas as Biomarkers for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Severity
Felix Rafael De Bie, MD, PhD, MBE
Duke University Health Systems,
Durham, NC
Maternal Treprostinil and Fetal Tracheal Occlusion Have Synergistic Effects on Lung Development in the Rabbit Model of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
Alicia L. Eubanks, MD
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia,
Philadelphia, PA
NEC Society/APSA Award
A collaboration between the Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Society and the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA)
Pediatric Surgery Research Fellow Award
The NEC Society’s mission is to build a world without necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) by advancing research, education, and advocacy. The 2024 award provides an opportunity for pediatric surgery research fellows working to accelerate NEC research and comes with a prize of $5000.
2026 Recipient
Christopher Luschen, MD – University of Oklahoma
IRON TRANSPORT, STORAGE, AND CHELATION IN NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS
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Colton D. Wayne, MD
Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and is currently a second-year surgical research fellow in the Department of Pediatric Surgery at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio
Association of Socioeconomic Status with Development and Severity of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Jessica Rauh, MD, MS
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM)
Winston-Salem, NC
Decreased Qsox1 Expression In NEC: A Potential Mechanism for Disrupted Barrier Function in Premature Infants With NEC
Alicia L. Eubanks, MD
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,
Philadelphia, PA
JPS/APSA AWARD
A collaboration between the Journal of Pediatric Surgery (JPS) and the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA)
The Journal of Pediatric Surgery Award for Best Manuscript is awarded to the most impactful manuscript as selected by the APSA Publications Committee based on an abstract presented at the APSA meeting.
2026 Recipient
RECURRENT SMALL BOWEL OBSTRUCTION FOLLOWING CONTRAST CHALLENGE VERSUS SURGICAL ADHESIVE BOWEL OBSTRUCTION IN CHILDREN (ABC) STUDY
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Zane J. Hellmann, MD
Research Fellow, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital
WHY DID THE CHILDREN CROSS THE ROAD? THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ROADWAY DESIGN AND SEVERE PEDIATRIC TRAUMA IN PEDESTRIANS STRUCK BY MOTOR VEHICLES
ECMO/Bartlett Award
NEW! In honor and memory of Dr. Robert H. Bartlett, the ECMO/Bartlett Award recognizes outstanding scientific contributions in the fields of pediatric critical care and ECMO. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Critical Care Committee, this award has received an endowment of $20,000 and will remain in perpetuity in honor of Dr. Robert Bartlett.
2026 Recipient
IMPACT OF ANTICOAGULANT AND OXYGENATOR TYPE ON ECMO OUTCOMES IN NEONATES WITH CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA
Quick Shots
Award recipients must be students (medical or undergraduate) enrolled at the time of abstract submission, trainees currently enrolled in a surgical training program (residency or fellowship), or affiliate professionals.
APSA selects two recipients for an outstanding Quick Shot presentation, one in clinical and one in basic science. Presentations are judged on scientific merit and presentation. The recipient receives a prize in the amount of $250.
2026 Recipient
Sara L. Lee, MD, MEng – Surgical Research Fellow, Boston Children’s Hospital
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A HIGH FIDELITY PEDIATRIC LAPAROSCOPIC INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR SIMULATOR
2026 Recipient
Edward Hammond-DeBrady – Medical Student, Meharry Medical College
DIAGNOSTIC DELAYS AND NONSTANDARD TREATMENT CHARACTERIZE ADULT WILMS TUMOR IN THE SEER DATABASE
🏆 View Previous Quick Shots Recipients
Marietta Jank MD
University Medical Centre Mannheim – Heidelberg University, Germany
Elevated Healthcare Utilization and Mortality in Mothers of Children with Congenital Surgical Anomalies: A 50-year Populations-Based Case-Control Study
SunYoung Kim, MD
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Impact of Hyperglycemia on Skeletal Myoblasts: Implications for Neural Tube Defects Associated with Maternal Diabetes
Anisha Apte, MD
University of Arizona,
Tucson, AZ
Oral Delivery of CNP-miR146a Reduces TNF in a Murine Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Nikhil Shah, MD
University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor, MI
Outcomes of a Hybrid Model for Repair of Infants with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Requiring Extracorporeal Life Support
🏆 Posters of Distinction – Surgical Trainees 2009 – 2023
Pooja S. Salvi, MD
New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell, New York, NY
Development and Implementation of an Add-on Case Delay Dashboard for Quality Improvement in a Children’s Operating Room
Clara Nicolas, MD, PhD
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Activation of Homology-Directed DNA Repair Plays Key Role in CRISPR-Mediated Genome Correction in Fetal and Neonatal Cells
Kyle Thompson, MD
Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Predictors Of Anti-Reflux Procedure Failure in Esophageal Atresia Patients
Christopher Pennell, MD
Clinical Science
St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA
Routine Upper Gastrointestinal Series Before Gastrostomy Tube Placement: Is It Necessary?
Maame Efua S. Sampah, MD, PhD
Basic Science
Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
Human Breast Milk Protects Against Necrotizing Enterocolitis Through Reduced TLR4 Expression...APSA awarded Quick Shots of Distinction instead of Posters of Distinction.
Ruchi Amin, MD
Clinical Science
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Effects of Intraoperative Temperatures on Postoperative Infections in InfantsJordan S. Taylor, MD
Basic Science
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Natural Excretion of Endoluminal Springs After Spring-Mediated Intestinal LengtheningVictoria K. Robson, BA
Clinical Science
Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Non-operative Management of Extralobar Pulmonary Sequestrations: a Safe Alternative to Resection?Clara T. Nicolas, MD
Basic Science
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Curing Disease Before Birth: In Utero Gene Therapy For the Treatment of Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type 1Joseph Church, MD
Clinical Science
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Avalon Catheters in Pediatric Patients Requiring ECMO: Placement and Migration IssuesChristine Finck, MD
Basic Science
University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
Esophageal Scaffolds Seeded with Epithelial Cells for Esophageal Replacement TherapyDaniel L. Lodwick, MD, MS
Clinical Science
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
Lymphocyte Depression And Postoperative Abscess After Appendectomy In ChildrenJulie Monteagudo, MD
Basic Science
Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Ex Vivo Comparison Of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Circuits And Cannulae To Evaluate Sources Of HemolysisYinin Hu, MD
Clinical Science
University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA
Cumulative Sum: an Individualized Proficiency Metric for Laparoscopic FundamentalsElizabeth Clark, DVM
Basic Science
The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
Characterization of Tissue Engineered Tracheal Grafts in an Ovine ModelCerine Jeanty, MD
Clinical Science
University of California, San Francisco, CA
Procedural Management of Cholelithiasis in Infants Under One Year of AgeCatherine J. Hunter, MD
Basic Science
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Defining the Role of Protein Kinase A and Apoptosis in Necrotizing EnterocolitisDeidre C. Kelleher, MD
Clinical Science
Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
Impact of a Checklist on ATLS Task Performance During Pediatric Trauma ResuscitationLeo Andrew O. Benedict, MD
Basic Science
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Spinal Cord Expression of Virally Derived Mullerian Inhibiting Substance Extends Life...Syamal D. Bhattacharya, MD
Temporal Relationships Between Positive Urine Culture and Onset of Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Alejandro Garcia, MD
The Role of Notch Inhibition in a Novel Hepatoblastoma Orthotopic Model
R. Dawn Fevurly, MD
Novel Zebrafish Model Reveals Critical Role for MAPK in Lymphangiogenesis
Jesse Gutnick, MD
Circulating Thyrotropin Receptor MRNA for Evolution of Thyroid Nodules and Surveillance of Thyroid Cancer
Hayden W. Stagg, MD
Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Induces Hyperpermeability Following Traumatic Burn Injury
Diana L. Diesen, MD
Temporal Association Between Blood Transfusion and Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Premature Infants
Francois I. Luks, MD
Reflectance Spectrometry for Realtime Hemoglobin Determination of Placental Vessels During Endoscopic Laser Surgery for TTTS
Henry L. Chang, MD
Mullerian Inhibiting Substance Inhibits Migration of Epithelial Cancer Cell Lines
🏆 Posters of Distinction - Medical Students 2021-2023
Colin H. Quinn, BS
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Priming of Natural Killer Cells with Neuroblastoma Cells Enhances Natural Killer Cell Release of Granzyme B
Brittany Cook, MS
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD
Surgical Outcomes in Children with Trisomy 13
Jennifer Crook
University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
Why Do Ports Get Stuck? A Case-Control StudyACS/APSA Executive Leadership Program in Health Policy and Management
The American College of Surgeons and the American Pediatric Surgical Association offer an annual scholarship to subsidize attendance and participation in the Executive Leadership Program in Health Policy and Management at Brandeis University. The award is to be used toward the cost of tuition, travel, housing, and subsistence during the period of the course.
Applications for the 2026 award will be accepted in February 2026.
2025 Recipient
Michael Dingeldein, MD, FACS, FAAP, FCCM
Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH
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Michael Dingeldein, MD, FACS, FAAP, FCCM
Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, OH
Matthew W. Ralls, MD
Nationwide Children’s Hospital – Toledo,
Toledo, OH
Internal Prototype Verification of a Novel Endoscopic Treatment for Short Bowel Syndrome
Reto Baertschiger, MD
Romeo Ignacio C. Ignacio, Jr., MD, MS
Robert T. Russell, MD
No award was given
Jay Grosfeld, MD Grant Scholarship
Education Grant
James A. O’Neill, Jr. Global Pediatric Surgery Scholarship
Travel Fellowship
The Travel Fellowship was available 2013-2021. The grant was offered to young pediatric surgeons in Lower- and Middle-income countries (LMICs) and included attendance at the APSA annual meeting and an extended observership in a US institution. While this Fellowship is no longer available, pediatric surgeons in LMICs are encouraged to explore opportunities available through the Global Pediatric Surgery Scholarship.
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George F. Ngock
Mbingo Baptist Hospital
Bamenda, Cameroon
Yousuf Aziz Khan
Ayub Medical College
Abbottabad, Pakistan
Truc Nguyen
Children's Hospital N02
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Justina Seyi-Olajide
Lagos University Teaching Hospital
Lagos, Nigeria
Santosh Mahalik
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
Bhubaneswar, India
Tunde Sholadoye
Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital
Kaduna, Nigeria
Sohail Dogar
Aga Khan University
Karachi, Pakistan
Oluwaseun Ladipo-Ajayi
University of Lagos College of Medicine
Lagos, Nigeria
Martin Situma
Mbarara University of Science & Technology
Mbarara, Uganda
Sushil Dhungel
Western Regional Hospital
Pokhara, Nepal
Christian País
Military Hospital-Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador
Esther Saguil
University of the Philippines
Manila, Philippines
Opeoluwa Adesanya, MBBS, FMCS (Nig.)
Federal Medical Centre
Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
Tiyamike Chilunjika, MBBS
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital
Blantyre, Malawi
John Nyagetuba, MB, ChB
Bethany Kids at Kijabe Hospital
Nairobi, Kenya
Tran Quynh, MD, PhD
National Hospital of Pediatrics
Hanoi, Vietnam
Omolara Williams, MD
Lagos State University College of Medicine and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital
Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria