Edinburgh Student Surgical Society

ESSS Award – Details for applicants

Award details:
A large proportion of medical students take part in research during their time at University,
either as part of the curriculum or as part of projects out-with their course. Many go on to
present their work at conferences; locally, nationally, and internationally.
Unfortunately, the costs of conference fees and travel can be very high, sometimes high enough
to deter students from submitting their work.
Therefore, the Edinburgh Student Surgical Society has created an award scheme to offer a
society member a sum of money to go towards the costs required to present their work at a
National or International conference.
Deadline: 30th April 2021, 5pm
So, how does it work?
During a submission time-window, ESSS members will be permitted to apply to the ESSS
award. The application involves answering free-text questions as well as providing evidence of
an abstract that has already been accepted for either an oral or poster presentation at a national
or international conference within the next 6 months (from the 01/05/2021 – 31/10/2021).
Free-text responses will be anonymised and sent to a board of reviewers, who will then mark
applications based on pre-determined criteria. The winner will be notified and offered an award
of £100. The award will only be transferred after completion of the conference presentation
and if adequate receipts are provided.
In return, the winner must place the ESSS logo on their poster or presentation and acknowledge
the society for funding. Furthermore, the winner will be required to write a 300-word summary
of how the award helped with presenting their academic work. This will then be placed on our
website.
We acknowledge that in the grand scheme of some circumstances, £100 may not cover the
majority of costs, however as we are a student society we currently cannot commit to further
levels of award money.
What does the award offer?
A certificate and letter of award recognition
AND
£100 to subsidise:
- Travel to and from the conference venue: This will only be accepted if travel is
purchased with a standard class return ticket, and if the delegate has done their utmost
to find the cheapest mode and time of travel.
- Conference entry: Student ticket price for conference at which the delegate’s research
project will be presented. Conference must be of National or International standard.
This excludes all student-run conferences.
- Poster printing costs
- Other costs: If other costs have been accounted for these can be considered by the
discretion of the current Edinburgh Student Surgical Society Treasurer.

What’s the catch?

- The award winner is required to place the ESSS logo (provided) on the poster or oral
presentation.
- Acknowledge and thank ESSS for funding.
- Provide the latest electronic version of poster or slides presented at the conference.
- The winner must write a 300-word piece on how the award helped towards the costs of
presenting academic work, as well as how the experience will help your career, and any
insights that you have gained.
- Provide a photo of them presenting their work.
 Award rules and regulations:
The applicant must be a current member of the Edinburgh Student Surgical Society at the time
of application submission.
The applicant must be a matriculated student at the University of Edinburgh Medical School.
Research projects submitted must be surgically themed.
The project abstract provided must be currently accepted for oral or poster presentation at an
International or National conference (student conferences not included) that will take place
within the next 6 months.
No retrospective applications will be included.
The applicant must be must the presenting author.
The applicant must be paying for conference costs “out of their own pocket”. I.e. costs must
not be covered by other grants/ awards (excluding the university’s conference travel bursary).
The award winner must inform the ESSS award committee if circumstances change leading to
the award winner no longer presenting the work at the conference.
The ESSS have the right to withdraw the award at any stage.
The award winner is required to place the ESSS logo (provided) on their poster or oral
presentation.
The award winner is required to acknowledge and thank ESSS for funding during the
presentation.
The award winner is required to provide the latest electronic version of poster or slides
presented at the conference.
The award winner must write a 300-word piece on how the award helped towards the costs of
presenting academic work, as well as how the experience will help your career, and any insights
that you have gained.
The award winner must provide a photo of presenting the work.

Agreement of conditions:
I have read and understood the “Award details” and agree to the “Award rules and regulations”.
Name: _____________________________________________
Date: _____________________________________________
Signed: _____________________________________________
 Award application:
Documents required:

- Scanned copy of the “Agreement of conditions”

- Section A and Section B of the application form
- Confirmatory email of conference acceptance
Please send all documents to joinus.esss@gmail.com
Deadline of application is the 30th April 2021, 5pm
If there are queries please do not hesitate to get in touch by email or via our Facebook account.

Section A

Name:
Email address:
Year of Medical school:
Title of project:
Project supervisors:

Conference submitted AND accepted to:

Date of conference:
Location:
Poster/ Oral presentation:

Funds (up to £100) required:

Detailed breakdown of funds required:
Abstract:
Section B:
Please fill in responses to questions 1-5. Each question has a 150-word limit. Please limit
details which may affect the anonymisation of responses.
1) Describe the most important research skill which you have gained whilst undertaking
your project?

2) How would you improve and further your research project?

3) Briefly explain how you managed your work-life balance, with the additional time
requirements of your research project?
4) Describe how you became involved in your project, and your exact role in the team.

5) What makes you interested in academic surgery?