NBRC William W. Burgin, Jr. and Robert M. Lawrence Education Award

Scholarship Sponsored by American Respiratory Care Foundation

NBRC William W. Burgin, Jr., MD and Robert M. Lawrence, MD Education Recognition Award

Overview
The American Respiratory Care Foundation in partnership with the National Board for Respiratory Care offers this annual recognition and financial award of up to $7,500. It is intended for students in their third or fourth year of an accredited respiratory therapy program that leads to a baccalaureate degree. In addition to the cash award, recipients receive a certificate of recognition, coach-class airfare, one night’s hotel accommodation, and complimentary registration to AARC Congress.

Eligibility
- Enrolled as a third- or fourth-year student in an accredited baccalaureate respiratory care program.
- Meet academic and documentation requirements listed below.

Required Application Materials
All applications must include the following items:

1. Completed application form.
2. Official transcript demonstrating a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent).
3. A letter from the admissions director confirming current enrollment in an accredited baccalaureate respiratory care program.
4. An original referenced paper on a respiratory care topic. The paper must have a cover page that displays only the paper title; the remainder of the paper must contain no identifying information (name, address, school, etc.) that could bias reviewers.
5. An original personal essay (minimum 1,200 words) describing how the award will help the applicant complete their degree and further their leadership goals in health care. The essay must include a cover page with the author’s name, address, and telephone number; the essay body itself must be free of identifying details (name, address, school, etc.) to ensure blind review.
6. Two letters of recommendation: one from the program director or another senior faculty member and one from the medical director or a physician instructor. Each letter should confirm (a) endorsement of the applicant’s submitted paper, (b) the applicant’s suitability for the award, and (c) the applicant’s promise for a professional career in respiratory care.

Submission Instructions
- In addition to basic personal information requested on the application, applicants must attach their original referenced paper and the required personal essay to the online application (if applying for the undergraduate award).
- The referenced paper’s cover page should show only the title; the paper content must be anonymized. Follow the program’s Paper Submission Guidelines.
- The personal essay must be at least 1,200 words and include a cover page with the author’s contact information. The essay body must be anonymized. Follow the Points to Consider in Submitting an Essay.

Deadlines and Processing
- Applications are accepted from January 1 through June 1. The application deadline is June 1. Incomplete submissions or applications missing required supporting documents will not be considered.

Reapplication Policy
- Previous recipients of the undergraduate award may reapply.
- Prior postgraduate award recipients may apply for and receive the award in a second and third year provided they remain in good academic standing in an advanced degree program and are judged by the Board of Trustees or its selection committee to be the most deserving candidate.