ARP Awards

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Interprofessional Awards

Each year, the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP) recognizes its members' outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology through an awards program.

Award Nominations Are Closed

The 2024 ARP award nominations will open on April 1. Please check back for more information.

ARP Awards of Merit

Award Description: The Addie Thomas Service Award is presented to an ARP member in honor of our Association's first president and recognizes individuals who have been an active volunteers involved with local, regional/state, national, and/or international arthritis-related activities.

Eligibility: ARP members in good standing

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award and the recipient will receive a $3,000 cash award with complimentary registration to ACR Convergence.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

Award Description: The Ann Kunkel Award is presented to an ARP member who has provided extraordinary service to advocate for patients with arthritis and rheumatic diseases or for health professionals in rheumatology.

Eligibility: ARP members in good standing

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award and the recipient will receive a $3,000 cash award with complimentary registration to ACR Convergence.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

Award Description: The ARP Distinguished Scholar Award is presented to an ARP member who demonstrates exceptional achievements in scholarly activities pertinent to arthritis and rheumatic diseases.

Eligibility: ARP members in good standing

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award and the recipient will receive a $3,000 cash award with complimentary registration to ACR Convergence.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

Award Description: The ARP Distinguished Clinician Award is presented to an ARP member who is engaged in clinical practice and demonstrates outstanding clinical expertise in arthritis and the rheumatic diseases.

Eligibility: ARP members in good standing

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award and the recipient will receive a $3,000 cash award with complimentary registration to ACR Convergence.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

Award Description: The Distinguished Educator Award is presented to an ARP member who has demonstrated sustained excellence in the teaching of patients and students/trainees, including health professional students, medical students, residents, graduate students, and/or fellows, with their primary focus being rheumatology related content.

Eligibility: ARP members in good standing

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award and the recipient will receive a $3,000 cash award with complimentary registration to ACR Convergence.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

Award Description: The Distinguished International Rheumatology Professional Award is awarded to a rheumatologist or rheumatology health professional outside of the US and Canada for exceptional contributions in public service and advocacy to the global rheumatology community.

Eligibility: All ACR/ARP international members in good standing are eligible. International ACR Masters are ineligible.

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award and the recipient will receive a $3,000 cash award.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

Award Description: The Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award recognizes the importance of the mentor/mentee relationship. This award honors an active ACR or ARP member for their contributions to the rheumatology profession through outstanding and ongoing mentoring. Funding support for this award of distinction is provided by the Rheumatology Research Foundation.

Eligibility: ACR or ARP members in good standing may nominate an individual who has mentored them. Nominees must be current ACR or ARP members in good standing with demonstrated commitment to mentoring throughout their career. A mentor possessing a combination of research and clinical focus would be preferred, but such a combination is not required. Self-nomination is not permitted. Foundation committee members involved in award recipient selection are not eligible to nominate candidates or be nominated by someone else.

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award and the recipient will receive a $3,000 cash award.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

Award Description: The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a current or former member of ARP whose career has demonstrated a sustained and lasting contribution to the field of rheumatology and rheumatology health professionals.

Eligibility: Candidates for the Lifetime Achievement Award shall have been members of ARP, formerly the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP), or ACR for at least ten consecutive years.

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award and the recipient will receive a $5,500 cash award with complimentary registration to ACR Convergence.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

Award Description: The ARP Master Award is one of the highest honors the College bestows. This award is presented to ARP members who have made outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology through service to the ACR/ARP and advancements in research, practice, education, and/or advocacy.

Eligibility: The designation of ARP Master is conferred on ARP members aged 65 years or older by October 1 of the year in which they are nominated who have made outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology through service to the ACR/ARP; and advancements in research, practice, education, and/or advocacy. ARP members in good standing with a minimum of ten consecutive years of membership who meet the age requirements are eligible.

Award Terms and Funding: An ARP Master is not required to pay annual fees, dues, or assessments and has the privilege of attending the annual meeting without payment of registration fees.

Application Requirements:
4 documents total:

  • 1 letter of nomination from an ARP member
  • 2 letters of support from additional ARP members
  • Current resume for the nominee

Application Evaluation Criteria: The Membership and Awards Committee will consider all eligible nominations. Applications are evaluated on two or more of the following ACR/ARP service record, research and publications, practice history, educational impact, advocacy, and previous awards history.

All Membership and Awards Committee recommendations are presented to the ACR Board of Directors for final approval and winners will be announced after the August board meeting.

ARP Awards of Appreciation

The ARP Outstanding Student in Rheumatology Award seeks to recognize students advancing rheumatology in one or more of the following areas: education, practice, research, and/or advocacy.

Eligibility: Non-physician health professional students who have not yet achieved the highest academic degree in a given field of study.

Award Terms and Funding: A one-time, merit-based award of $500 and recognition at ACR Convergence, and standard student member benefits.

The ARP President's Award is awarded to the ACR/ARP member or team performing outstanding service within the present year in advancing the goals, ideals, and standards of ARP.

Eligibility: ACR/ARP members in good standing.

Award Terms and Funding: Recipients receive recognition at ACR Convergence.

2023 Awards of Merit and Appreciation

Catherine L. Backman, OT, PhD, MARP

Master Designation
Retired
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 

Kimberly Kimpton, PT, MARP

Master Designation
Retired
Denver, CO

Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C

Addie Thomas Service Award
Northwell Health, Division of Rheumatology
Huntington, NY

Hazel L. Breland, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Addie Thomas Service Award
Medical University of South Carolina, Hollings Cancer Center
Charleston, SC

Jan K. Richardson, PT, PhD, OCS, FAPTA

Lifetime Achievement Award
Medical Outcome Indicators
Durham, NC

Jillian Rose-Smith, PhD, MPH, MSW

Ann Kunkel Advocacy Award
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, NY

Helene Alexanderson, PhD, RPT

Distinguished Scholar Award
Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet
Stockholm, Sweden

Martha Curry, MS, APRN, CPNP-PC

Distinguished Clinician Award
Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital
Houston, TX

Jessica Farrell, PharmD

Distinguished Educator Award
Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, and Albany Medical Center
Albany, NY

Daniel K. White, PT, ScD, MSc

Excellence in Investigative Mentoring Award
University of Delaware
Newark, DE

Yvonne Golightly, PT, MS, PhD (Co-Chair, ARP Governance Task Force)

President's Award
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Lincoln, NE

Jan K. Richardson, PT, PhD, OCS, FAPTA (Co-Chair, ARP Governance Task Force)

President's Award
Medical Outcome Indicators
Durham, NC

Bharati Bhardwaja, PharmD, BCPS, LSSBB (Member, ARP Governance Task Force)

President's Award
Kaiser Permanente Colorado
Denver, CO

Kaleb Michaud, PhD (Member, ARP Governance Task Force)

President's Award
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Lincoln, NE

Daniel Schaffer, PA-C, MPAS (Member, ARP Governance Task Force)

President's Award
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN

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