12 The EAST Oriens Award Description Support the future of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Medicine. The EAST Oriens Award is an essay competition where residents and fellows submit an essay on why they chose trauma and acute care surgery. Each year more than 30 inspiring essays are submitted and two are selected (one Resident and one Fellow). The two award recipients present their essays during the EAST Oriens Plenary Session held during the EAST Annual Scientific Assembly. Investment Minimum $5,000 Recognition Level Sliding Scale No. of Available Opportunities Multiple Next Year Available 2019 “ The human aspect of trauma is the often unspoken underlying force which motivates us to push science forward, to keep looking for solutions, and to try our hardest every day. The Oriens Award is a unique award which highlights and celebrates the emotional drive and reward that comes with a career in trauma and acute care surgery. Winning this award and the experience of presenting my essay to a room of surgeons has been an adventure and an honor. I was met with an incredible degree of support, enthusiasm, and solidarity. I am so thankful for this humbling experience and will never forget EAST 2017.” Read Dr. Pigneri’s award winning essay. “Winning the 2017 Oriens Award was a great honor, not necessarily because of the award, but because I was able to share how important the practice of trauma surgery is to me and hopefully remind others why they also went into the field. We work tirelessly to help patients at critical times in their lives, and it’s easy to forget how amazing it is to be a part of that and truly provide care for anyone in need of care. Sharing my reflection of this role at EAST hopefully reinvigorated similar memories that inspired surgeons to enter the field and reminded them what an amazing profession this is. This was my first time at EAST, and it was a great opportunity for networking, creating research and advocacy collaborations, and education. There are many ways for residents to be involved, and they should take advantage of the many opportunities EAST provides.” Read Dr. Hink’s award winning essay. “ EAST provides a host of opportunities for surgical trainees to advance their clinical and academic careers. As the resident winner of the 2018 Oriens Award, I was graciously given full financial support to attend the 2018 EAST Annual Scientific Assembly, which allowed me to learn the most up-to-date acute care surgery paradigms. Programs such as the Oriens Award demonstrate the value EAST places not only on clinical excellence, but also on thoughtfulness, reflection, and personal expression. Without question, EAST has tangibly proven its commitment to imbuing the field of surgery with humanity.” Read Dr. Foran’s award winning essay. CHRISTOPHER FORAN, MD, LOS ANGELES COUNTY + UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2018 RESIDENT ESSAY WINNER DANIELLE A. PIGNERI, MD, ROBERT PACKER HOSPITAL 2017 FELLOW ESSAY WINNER ASHLEY B. HINK, MD, MPH, MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA 2017 RESIDENT ESSAY WINNER