This fellowship encourages mentorship networks to develop between junior faculty members and our more experienced and established ISSLS members. The Clinical Travelling Fellowship of US$5,000 provides an opportunity to travel, make connections, observe procedures and develop new skills. This is not only a valuable cultural and career-building experience, but also a chance for the host clinician’s team and ISSLS to gain positive exposure when our fellowship winners return home. This, in turn, promotes attendance at our meetings and helps to develop the careers of future ISSLS members.

This award supports post-graduate researchers by providing the ten winners with an invaluable opportunity to attend the ISSLS Annual Meeting, present their work and receive critical feedback from the most significant and high-profile minds in the spine world. The grant of US$1,000 per awardee provides financial relief to research groups with limited funds, who otherwise may not have the budget to send junior researchers to ISSLS meetings.

Every year at the ISSLS Annual Meeting, an award is given to the two best papers and two best posters presented at the meeting. When funds allow, the winners receive US$1,000. These awards are judged on the quality of content, presentation and the ability of the presenters to respond to rigorous questioning by the panel and session participants.

The Research Grant of US$20,000 provides seed research funding for a researcher under the age of 45 in the field of basic science, biomechanics or clinical science. The proposal is judged on its significance, quality of hypothesis, experimental protocol and feasibility. The prize money will provide the possibility of raising further and larger funding from other sources, in order to continue and develop the project.