The ORS Spine Section was the first research section formed within the ORS. Over the past several years, the membership community has grown to over 300 Section members.
The ORS Spine Section leadership has continued to develop ideas for initiatives that bring value to its Section members, particularly junior investigators. This fellowship promotes research collaboration and the acceleration of the spine field. This fellowship is designed to advance an ongoing study or establish new collaborations by providing a mechanism to promote exchange of research methodologies and/or development of pilot data to support larger scale funding.
Overview
This fellowship will provide $1,500 for an ORS Spine Section researcher at any career level to collaborate with an established and committed host Principal Investigator.
Funding
Submissions
Submission package must include:
🎯 1. Career Stage & Membership
Early-career clinical investigators (≤5 years post‑residency/fellowship) presenting original clinical or translational work are prime candidates for travel grants, NIRA awards, and young investigator programs .
Postdocs, residents, and junior faculty are eligible for ORS/OREF Postdoctoral and Resident Research Project grants—they must demonstrate substantial dedication (>95% research time) and strong mentorship .
Senior established investigators are eligible for awards like the Marshall R. Urist, Distinguished Investigator, and mentorship recognitions—they look for sustained leadership, mentorship, productivity, and professional service .
🧪 2. Quality of Scientific Contribution
Funding decisions for travel and research grants hinge on abstract scores for rigor, innovation, and clinical/translational relevance .
Young investigator and female-specific awards emphasize scientific merit, relevance, impact, judged by expert committees with explicit criteria
🤝 3. Mentorship & Independence
Mentored projects—postdoc, resident, clinical—must demonstrate active mentorship by senior ORS/OREF members, and clear research independence .
For awards like Urist or Distinguished Investigator, mentoring others and supporting the broader Orthopaedics community are vital success factors.
🔍 4. Symposia, Collaboration & Exchange
Collaborative Exchange Grants offer $5K to support lab visits; success requires a structured proposal for meaningful knowledge or skill exchange .
Women's Leadership and diversity awards support travel and engagement—applicants from underrepresented groups with strong abstracts and outreach potential are prioritized .
⏱️ 5. Adherence to Deadlines & Formatting
ORS grants follow strict submission windows aligned with the Annual Meeting (e.g., Aug 25 for travel, Sept 12 for Investigator Awards) .
Research grants have precise formatting and resubmission rules—single‑spacing, page limits, response to critiques—complete with mentoring evidence.
✅ Summary Table
Applicant Type | Key Requirements |
---|---|
Early Clinical Investigator | Strong abstract, ≤5 yrs post-training, ORS membership |
Postdoc/Resident | ≥95% dedicated research, mentor sponsorship, clinical relevance |
Early-Career Female | Quality abstract, leadership potential, gender-focused criteria |
Mid/Senior Investigator | Sustained research, mentorship roles, leadership and professional service |
🔧 Applicant Tips
Join and stay active in ORS early—membership is a prerequisite.
Align submissions with career stage and choose the award that fits.
Submit a strong abstract—it's core to selection for most awards.
Secure mentorship/support from ORS-affiliated mentors for early-career grants.
Highlight leadership and mentorship roles for senior investigator awards.
Follow guidelines precisely, including formatting, timelines, and submission rules.
Host: The host should be a well-established researcher who has demonstrated an outstanding and sustained commitment to training and collaboration. The host can be at any career stage beyond their PhD, MD, or DVM with a well-documented and sustained track-record of collaboration, with particular emphasis given to diversity and inclusion. The host must also have clearly demonstrated impactful research relevant to the applicant’s research project; this may be viewed in its broadest sense.
Applicant: The applicant must be an ORS and ORS Spine Section member in good standing. The applicant can be a graduate trainee, or at any career stage beyond their MD, PhD, DVM or equivalent with a promising (for trainee applicants) or sustained (for faculty applicants) track-record of research impact. Preference will be given to trainees.
The research collaboration or proposed project must be in line with the research interests of the ORS Spine Section.
Eligible Countries:
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: orthopedic research society
Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit
Address: 9400 West Higgins Road, Suite 225 Rosemont, IL 60018-4976 847.823.5770 ors@ors.org
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Aug 29, 2025
Aug 29, 2025
$1,500
Affiliation: orthopedic research society
Address: 9400 West Higgins Road, Suite 225 Rosemont, IL 60018-4976 847.823.5770 ors@ors.org
Website URL: https://www.ors.org/spine-travel-fellowship/
Disclaimer:It is mandatory that all applicants carry workplace liability insurance, e.g., https://www.protrip-world-liability.com (Erasmus students use this package and typically costs around 5 € per month - please check) in addition to health insurance when you join any of the onsite Trialect partnered fellowships.