The AAOM Travel Assistance Program (TAP) Awards support the organization’s goal of building and fostering a global regenerative orthopedic medicine community inclusive of diverse perspectives, talents, and experiences as it works toward one collective goal: bringing interventional regenerative orthopedic medicine (IROM) relief to patients across the world. TAP Awards help AAOM accomplish this goal by providing support to individuals who would not otherwise financially be able to attend AAOM-sponsored events. Awardees must reside outside the United States.

AAOM TAP Awards are administered by Section Chiefs, or their delegates, from each of the AAOM International Sections in addition to a contingent of three active AAOM Board Members. Applicants are invited to make a request once per fiscal year for up to $1,000 USD toward travel expenses associated with attending an AAOM-sponsored event.  Registration fees for AAOM-sponsored events are not eligible for reimbursement. The awardee, or the awardees’ organization, is responsible for the registration fee. 

Travel funding requests may not exceed more than 50% of the total anticipated or actual cost of travel. For example, if the total anticipated cost of travel is $800, the maximum allowable award request is $400 (not $1,000).

AAOM travel funding will not exceed 50% of the authenticated expenses – see below for details on authenticated expenses. For example, if a travel award of $400 is made, based on an expected total cost of $800, but the actual total cost of the travel is $750, the AAOM Travel Award is reduced to $375.

The criteria for selection are as follows:

• Be an AAOM international member in both the application year, and the receipt year. 

• Would not otherwise, financially, be able to attend an AAOM conference or workshop.

• Stay at the host hotel and be responsible for making own registration, room, and travel reservations.

• Awardees must demonstrate a commitment to incorporating interventional regenerative orthopedic medicine into their practice.

• Provide a statement of expected costs and how much is covered by other sources.

• Agree to submit an expense report within thirty (30) days of the event’s conclusion. Submitted expenses must be documented with receipts. Awardees will be required to provide banking information to facilitate any necessary international wire transfer. Wire transfer fees will be paid by AAOM.

• Awardees are expected to attend the entire event for which TAP Award funding was received.

Members who wish to apply for a TAP Award must submit a complete application using the authorized online submission form. Although students may apply in advance for funding, AAOM TAP Awards operate on a reimbursement basis, meaning awardees are reimbursed for costs after travel takes place. Receipts will be required prior to any funds being disbursed.

AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS

TAP Awards are available for AAOM members residing outside the United States. TAP Award amounts are contingent on the availability of funds. AAOM will make available annually $5,000 from its fiscal budget to fund TAP Awards so long as funds are available for such expenditure. Additional funding is contingent on donations to the AAOM Travel Assistance Program Award Fund. Members can donate to the TAP Award Fund by indicating so on the membership join/renew and/or event registration forms.

PERMITTED EXPENSES

The following are permitted travel related expenses and are eligible for reimbursement:

• Transportation to/from the event location

• Airfare (including baggage fees)

• Bus

• Train

• Rental car (including tolls)

• Gas

• Lodging

• Meals – up to US Government per diem allowable reimbursements, based on location of venue. Alcohol purchases will not be reimbursed.

THE GENERAL PROCESS

The application for a TAP Award is available online. Members may submit this at any time, however, review, consideration, and announcement of award winners will occur using a similar timeline from the opening of event registration: