Frequently Asked Questions
Research Awards
Following the close of the award cycle, TSF will share the comments of the primary and secondary reviewers of your Research Award application via email. We hope that the provided feedback will help with future applications, and encourage you to apply during the next cycle of TSF awards. Note that feedback is shared for Research Awards only.
TSF award funds must be used solely for direct expenses related to the proposed research project, including salary, services, and supplies. Award funds may not be used to cover indirect expenses, fringe benefits, or other unrelated expenditures.
Please submit a letter requesting your no-cost extension that includes the title of your project and the year in which your award term began. Explain the reason for your request and provide a revised timeline and proposed end date for the award term. If applicable, include a budget reallocation the shows how you plan to use your remaining funds. Attach any other supporting documents that will aid in the consideration of your request.
Please send your request to TSF Grants & Awards Manager Christina Origel at corigel@sts.org.Your request will be reviewed by the TSF Research Chair or the TSF President. Please note that the review process can take 14-21 days and you will be notified in writing of the result.
Any presentations and publications resulting from this project must acknowledge the support of The Thoracic Surgery Foundation. As the charitable arm of STS, TSF strongly encourages research awardees to submit work first to The Annals of Thoracic Surgery for publication. If your work is accepted by The Annals, TSF may also link your finished product via the TSF website. Be sure to contact us to let us know about your publication success!
TSF recognizes that the support provided by a TSF Research Award may not be sufficient to fully fund the operational costs of your research project. Therefore, TSF research awardees are permitted to secure other research grants to supplement a TSF Research Award, but faculty are expected to have 30% of their time protected for research pursuits. Application for other external (e.g. NIH, DOD, AHRQ, PCORI, or other foundation grants) support during the TSF award period is encouraged. If an awardee receives additional funding during the period of a TSF award, the TSF funding will be managed administratively on a case-by-case basis; a TSF awardee is obligated to notify TSF in the event of such an award. Note that receipt of a faculty career development award (e.g. K08, K23) or R01-level or equivalent grant prior to applying for a TSF Research Award will weigh heavily against an applicant’s candidacy in the absence of extenuating circumstances.
Education Awards
Any presentations and publications resulting from this project must acknowledge the support of the TSF. If you would like to publish a piece on the TSF Stories blog about your educational fellowship or other project, please reach out to tsf@sts.org. We would be thrilled to add your report to our website along with photographs of your experience.
If you would like to publish a piece about your educational fellowship or other project in the TSF Stories section of our website, please reach out to tsf@sts.org for details. We would be thrilled to add your report to our website, and always appreciate receiving photographs of your experience.
Applications & Eligibility
The application cycle for most awards opens each year on July 1st and closes on September 15th. Some awards—especially TSF Conference Scholarships—operate on a different application cycle. Check the individual award listing for exact dates. We recommend that you review the Awards Timeline if you have questions about the award notification timeline.
TSF offers awards for board-certified cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiothoracic surgery residents, and general surgery residents with a demonstrated interest in cardiothoracic surgery. TSF also offers an award for perfusionists. See each award description for "tags" that indicate the subspecialty required for each award, or use the search function on the All Awards tab to search for eligibility by career stage. Eligibility rules vary by award and are detailed in each award description.
General Surgery residents are eligible for the following TSF awards: Southern Thoracic Surgical Association (STSA) Resident Research Award, TSF Resident Research Fellowship Award, Nina Starr Braunwald Research Fellowship Award, and the International Medical Volunteer Scholarship.
If you are a general surgery resident interested in pursuing cardiothoracic surgery, we encourage you to apply for one of these awards.
TSF does not currently offer any awards for medical students. However, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons offers the Looking to the Future Scholarship Program which is open to medical students. This program enables medical students to attend the STS Annual Meeting and provides mentors to encourage careers in cardiothoracic surgery.
If you are interested in applying for a TSF award, find the "apply" link on each award description page. The link will take you TSF's Submittable page where you may create an account and begin your application. You may start your application at any time and come back later to complete your work and submit your application via Submittable.
Application open and close dates vary and are clearly marked on each award description page.
TSF is not legally permitted to pay awards to applicants from countries sanctioned by the United States government. Applications received from people in countries under sanction will be considered ineligible and will not be reviewed. TSF complies with all sanction rules as administered and enforced by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Email us and tsf@sts.org and we will work with you to upload the correct file.
Travel Concerns
In the case of the Robotic Thoracic Surgery Equity & Access Award, travel must be arranged through a specific organization, and those requirements are spelled out in the award description.
For other awards requiring travel, the awardee should make arrangements on their own, leveraging their TSF-awarded funds for coach class travel. Actual travel costs should be reflected in the final report submitted at the conclusion of the award period.
Please contact us at tsf@sts.org to request a visa support from TSF. If you will be traveling to the STS Annual Meeting as part of your award, you may request a visa letter from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons using this form.
Payments & Financials
Award payments made to institutions are not considered taxable income in the United States, even when designated for a specific awardee.
Award payments made to individuals are considered taxable income. Before award funds are issued, awardees must complete a Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) or a Form W-8 BEN (for international individuals.) Following each award installment payment, TSF will send a Form 1099 to individual awardees for use in filing their US tax return.
Please notify TSF in writing of your new address, and attach an updated STS Vendor Form and a Form W-9 (or a Form W-8 BEN if you are an international awardee.) Send your completed paperwork to tsf@sts.org.
Payment dates vary by award and are explained in your individual award letter. If you are awaiting a second installment payment, remember that you must first submit your progress report. Refer to your award letter or our FAQ section for progress report details.
US-based awardees must complete a Form W-9 and an STS Vendor Form to receive payment. International awardees will complete a Form W-8 BEN. Forms and instructions are provided to grantees simultaneously with their award letters.
Depending on the award type, TSF issues payments to international awardees via PayPal, wire transfer, Visa gift card, or check. Prior to sending payment, TSF will notify the awardee of the payment method and will require completed paperwork including a Form W-8 BEN before payment is issued.
Progress Reports
The required elements of an Education Award progress report can be found in the TSF Education Award Progress Report Guidelines. Recipients of TSF Education Awards must submit a progress report before their final award installment is paid. Payment dates vary by award and are explained in your individual award letter. TSF will send a progress report reminder to awardees via email one month before their final award installment will be paid out. Please send any progress report questions to Christina Origel at corigel@sts.org.
Your progress report must be submitted through the TSF Research Award Progress Report Form in Submittable before your final award installment payment is issued. TSF will send you an email reminder before your progress report is due. This email will include the TSF Research Award Progress Report Guidelines.
Please upload a summary of your research progress to date that includes the elements listed in the TSF Research Award Progress Report Guidelines. A financial statement signed by a research administrator at your institution must also be submitted.
Please send any progress report questions to Christina Origel at corigel@sts.org.