Become a Fellow of the American Society of Transplantation

In this post, AST President-elect Jim Allan introduces our society's new fellowship program.

Jim Allan, MD, MBA, Massachusetts General Hospital, AST president-elect

In my nearly two decades of AST membership, I have come to realize that a large number of exceptional people belong to our society, yet only a small handful of these members ever receive the professional recognition they deserve. This holds true for everyone in our society, whether you are an administrator, allied health professional, physician, scientist, or surgeon.

For this reason, the AST Board, in conjunction with past membership committees and at the recommendation of several of our society’s most capable past leaders, proudly introduces a new designation to recognize those AST members who have demonstrated a superior commitment to both the AST and the field of transplantation — “Fellow of the American Society of Transplantation.” Members who achieve this status will be permitted to append the “FAST” designation to their signatures as a public expression of their professional achievement.

If you have been an AST member for at least five years, you are eligible to apply for fellowship status. In your application, you can show your dedication to the AST and to the field in a variety of ways; the specifics of applying for this prestigious designation can be found on the AST website. There is a nominal one-time application fee of $175 intended merely to cover the costs of managing the FAST program and providing each inductee with indicia of fellowship.

AST President Ken Newell and I hope that we will be able to celebrate and honor our first inductees at the AST’s Town Hall Meeting at the 2015 American Transplant Congress (ATC). We encourage every member to consider applying. Achieving fellowship status in AST will emphasize your identity as a committed transplant professional, and we hope you will be proud to use the FAST designation as a sign of your clinical and academic excellence.

Do you know a member deserving of fellowship? Encourage them to apply!