The L. Kent Smith Award of Excellence is AACVPR’s most prestigious award and is given in recognition of outstanding contribution by an individual to the fields of cardiac and/or pulmonary rehabilitation. This award was established in memory and recognition of the vast and numerous scientific and clinical contributions made to the field of cardiovascular rehabilitation by the late L. Kent Smith, MD. The L. Kent Smith Award of Excellence is intended to annually recognize one practitioner for outstanding clinical contributions to the field of cardiac and/or pulmonary rehabilitation. The L Kent Smith Award winner is selected by the AACVPR Awards Committee.

Note: if one discipline (cardiology or pulmonary) receives the award in two consecutive years, a focused effort to identify an awardee in the other discipline will be enacted.

Application

Criteria:

• A nominee should have made significant and unique professional contribution(s), which have had a major impact on cardiac and/or pulmonary rehabilitation.
• A nominee could be recognized for expertise in the areas of clinical practice, research, or professional education, or a combination of these.
• Nominee(s) would have earned a national prominence in his/her field as a result of contributions made over many years.
• A nominee should be a senior level professional in the field of cardiac and/or pulmonary rehabilitation.
• A nominee may or may not be a current member of AACVPR.
• The nominee's current curriculum vitae

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to an individual whose leadership, ideas, and committee work have significantly benefited the AACVPR as an organization. More than one Distinguished Service Award may be presented in any given year. The Distinguished Service Award winner(s) is selected by the AACVPR Awards Committee.

Application

Criteria:

• A nominee would include members whose ideas, committee work and/or leadership have benefited AACVPR in a significant way.
• A nominee must be a current AACVPR member and have been active in the Association for a period of at least five (5) years.
• A nominee(s) must be currently active in a field related to cardiac and/or pulmonary rehabilitation.
• The nominee's current curriculum vitate

The Dr. Linda K. Hall Innovation Award was designed to recognize a program that used outstanding creativity in patient care and program design to maintain excellence and expand services today and in the future. The Dr. Linda K. Hall Innovation Award winner is selected by the AACVPR Membership and Affiliate Relations Committee and may not be awarded every year.

In 2016, the AACVPR Board of Directors announced the renaming of the Innovation Award to the AACVPR Dr. Linda K. Hall Innovation Award in honor and in memory of Dr. Linda K. Hall. Dr. Hall served as AACVPR’s fifth president from 1989-1990. She dedicated many of her years to the Board of Directors, numerous committees, and also as the Editor of News & Views. She received the esteemed L. Kent Smith Award of Excellence in 2002 and was a prolific author, contributed many book chapters, and served as the Editor for Developing and Managing Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs. She was instrumental in the development and writing of the very first "Guidelines for Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs." A tireless teacher, advocate, and leader, Dr. Hall presented at countless AACVPR national meetings and at every state affiliate during her active years with AACVPR. Dr. Hall left us with a legacy and challenge to continue to do better and to never stop innovating. Her contributions to both AACVPR and the Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation community as a whole were invaluable.

If you have questions about the Dr. Linda K. Hall Innovation Award, please contact AACVPR Headquarters.

Fill out the application for the 2024 Dr. Linda K. Hall Innovation Award!

The AACVPR Outstanding Affiliate Society Award recognizes an affiliate that supports and encourages the mission and goals of AACVPR through member activities, educational opportunities and professional development. The Outstanding Affiliate Award winner is selected by the AACVPR Membership and Affiliate Relations Committee.

Fill out the application for the 2024 Outstanding Affiliate Society Award. 

The Michael L. Pollock Established Investigator Award is presented to an individual who has made significant advances in the field of cardiac rehabilitation through his/her research and scholarly contributions and has earned national prominence in his/her field through contributions in contemporary research and/or education. Michael L. Pollock Established Investigator award winner is selected by the AACVPR Research Committee.

Criteria:

• A nominee should be a senior level professional in the field of cardiac rehabilitation.
• Nominee(s) would have made significant advances in the field of cardiac rehabilitation through his/her research and/or scholarly contributions. Evidence of their scholarly activity would include: education, publications, grant funding, and/or scientific presentations.
• Nominee(s) would have earned national prominence in his/her field through contributions in contemporary cardiac research and/or education.
• A nominee may or may not be a current member of AACVPR.
• The nominee’s current curriculum vitae
• Selected by the Research Committee

The Thomas L. Petty Distinguished Pulmonary Scholar Award is presented to an individual who has made significant advances in the field of pulmonary rehabilitation through his/her research and scholarly contributions and has earned national prominence in his/her field through contributions in contemporary research and/or education. The Thomas L. Petty Distinguished Pulmonary Scholar Award winner is selected by the AACVPR Research Committee.

Criteria:

Click here to view the list of past Thomas L. Petty Distinguished Pulmonary Scholar Award recipients.

• A nominee should be a senior level professional in the field of pulmonary rehabilitation.
• Nominee(s) would have made significant advances in the field of pulmonary rehabilitation through his/her research and/or scholarly contributions.
• Evidence of their scholarly activity would include: education, publications, grant funding, and/or scientific presentations.
• Nominee(s) would have earned national prominence in his/her field through contributions in contemporary pulmonary research and/or education.
• A nominee may or may not be a current member of AACVPR.
• The nominee’s current curriculum vitae

The Beginning Investigator Award is given to outstanding researchers who are within five (5) years of their latest degree or final training (ie, fellowship, residency), and who have not previously won the award. Four (4) scientific abstracts are chosen as finalists for this award, and each is given a platform presentation during a special session at the AACVPR Annual Meeting. The presentations are then judged by the AACVPR Research Committee, and the Beginning Investigator Award winner receives a certificate and $250.

Abstract Criteria

• Relevance to the field of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
• Clearly and concisely stated Purpose/Objective
• Acceptable scientific Design/Methods
• Results derived from descriptive and/or inferential statistics as appropriate for the design of project
• Conclusions that are relevant to the stated objective(s), and that are supported by the data and statistics presented
• Quality of Presentation: knowledge of topic, personal appearance, professional demeanor, clear/engaging, logical and sequential, volume/pace, enthusiasm, quality of visual aides

To round out its awards program, AACVPR engages with its international colleagues to recognize CR/PR professionals who are interested in traveling to attend the AACVPR Annual Meeting. International colleagues interested in this opportunity may apply for financial aid through our International Attendee Scholarship Program. Special emphasis is given to those early in their careers.