Annual Awards

Annual Awards

CHEST annual awards recognize CHEST members through their individual contributions and dedication to the organization, leadership, and commitment to the chest medicine profession. Recipients will be presented with a physical award at the CHEST 2024 Opening Session in Boston and will receive complimentary registration and some travel benefits.

Nomination submissions for the following awards must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation (LOR) detailing the nominee’s contributions to the field and their qualifications for the proposed award. LORs must be submitted when completing the nomination form.

Nominations for candidates who are not selected in a given year will be carried over for up to 2 successive years, for a total of 3 years.

Upon the nomination, each nominee will be contacted to submit their curriculum vitae, unless otherwise described below.

Descriptions and criteria

College Medalist Award

The College Medalist Award is a long-standing CHEST tradition. On June 17, 1945, the Board of Regents authorized the awarding of a College Medal to be presented at the annual meeting and international congresses for meritorious service in furthering progress in the field of disease of the chest. The awardee is usually a clinician, author, teacher, or investigator and is a CHEST Fellow (FCCP).

Selection Criteria

Each nominee will be considered by the selection committee based upon their LOR and CV, and upon the contributions as follows: service as a clinician, author, clinical investigator/researcher, impact of scientific contributions, duration of work in field, and as a CHEST member.


Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award is conferred as appropriate to a CHEST Fellow (FCCP) who has held a leadership position in CHEST and has led significant society achievements and/or has donated time, leadership, and service to CHEST.

Selection Criteria

Each nominee will be considered by the selection committee based upon their LOR and CV, and upon the contributions as follows: demonstration of leadership, contributions to CHEST, impact of contributions, leadership in the PCCM field, duration of work in field, and as a CHEST member.


Network Rising Star Award

The Network Rising Star Award, established in 2024, is to recognize the contributions of an early career clinician practicing in their respective area under CHEST’s Network structure. This award recognizes individual contributions in the areas of clinical care, education, research, and/or other scholarly activity, and someone who has shown growth and potential within the Network and CHEST. Nominees should have established commitment to CHEST, such as demonstrated by these examples: holding a leadership position, submitting sessions/abstracts for the annual meeting, serving as early career faculty (sessions/Experience CHEST), submitting CHEST Physician articles, participating on Network calls and social media, and others.

One recipient will be recognized from each Network (airways, pulmonary vascular/cardiovascular, chest infections, critical care, diffuse lung disease, sleep, thoracic). Each award recipient will be recognized at their respective Network Session at the annual meeting and receive a physical award and complimentary registration to the annual meeting.

Selection Criteria

Each nominee will be considered by the selection committee based upon their LOR and CV, and upon the contributions as follows: actively participates in Network activities, contributes to Section and/or Network educational opportunities, and demonstrates a willingness to continue serving as a leader in CHEST.


Master FCCP

Master Fellows are national or international Fellows of CHEST who have distinguished themselves by attaining professional preeminence. Because of their personal character and leadership; extraordinary contributions to medical research, clinical practice, quality improvement, or medical education; and years of enduring and outstanding service to CHEST, they have advanced chest medicine. This service to our organization is not limited to leaders of CHEST; it may include exceptional achievements in advancing our mission through consistent contributions to its educational programs and/or to the journal CHEST®, work on behalf of CHEST Philanthropy, advocacy on behalf of our patients and the profession, and/or elevation of CHEST’s role in the international scientific and professional community.

The Master FCCP recipient shall receive a plaque bearing their name and have their dues permanently waived.

Upon the nomination, each nominee will be contacted to submit the following information:

  • Up to two additional letters of support
  • Statement of interest from the nominee
  • Nominee’s curriculum vitae

Note: Voting members of the Board of Regents are not eligible to be nominated for the honor of Master Fellow until they have been off the board for at least 3 years at the time of nomination (not when they would receive the award).

Please review the Selection Characteristics for Master Fellowship in CHEST, which will be used as a guide to better understand and compare applicant strengths when considering them for this prestigious honor.

Nominations for candidates who are not selected in a given year will be carried over for up to 2 successive years, for a total of 3 years.