Scholars Program eligibility and application

ADLM Scholars Program

Each year, a select number of ADLM scholars are awarded the opportunity to attend the globally renowned, ADLM Annual Meeting + Clinical Lab Expo. The program aims to introduce undergraduate students to ADLM - the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine, the diversity of laboratory medicine career pathways, and to help guide the next generation of lab medicine professionals by providing scholars with ongoing resources and building longstanding mentor-mentee relationships. The application period is now closed. Applicants will be notified in early April.

Overview and logistics

At the ADLM annual meeting & clinical lab expo, scholars are provided onsite mentorship and attend a career panel, scientific and poster sessions, networking/educational events, and can explore the expo hall of 850+ exhibitors where they can learn about the latest technological breakthroughs in laboratory science.

When: This year’s program will take place July 29-30. View the tentative agenda.

Where: McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, IL, USA during ADLM 2025

Timeline

• February 20 – March 20: Application period
• March 20 – April 1: Application review and selection
• Early April: Awardees announced
• Late April: Detailed agenda, logistics and travel arrangements
• May: Awardee virtual meet and greet
• July 28 – Scholar arrivals in Chicago, IL, USA during ADLM 2025
• July 29-July 30: Scholars Program

Applicant eligibility requirements

• 18 years or older
• College students majoring in clinical laboratory science, chemistry, biochemistry, biology or another chemistry-related science that are planning to pursue a career associated with clinical laboratory science/laboratory medicine.
• Full-time students at an accredited college, university, or community college in the United States

How to submit

The application period will open on February 2 and close on March 20, 2026. Students will need to fill out an application, which you can find here on February 2, and include the following attachments:

• A letter of interest: 350 words max
• Resume or CV. Students will not be judged on their GPA. If students do not have work experience, they should include: volunteer experience, academic achievements, and extracurricular achievements.
• Optional: Letter of support from faculty, if faculty is nominating a student. Please note that students with a faculty nomination will not be given preferential treatment.  Students can self-nominate or be nominated by a faculty member. However, all students are required to complete an application that includes a maximum 350-word letter of interest in the ADLM scholars program.

Students will be informed of their selection in early April.

Questions? Please contact Stephanie Elko or Dominique Smith.

How are scholar awardees selected

The ADLM scholars organizing committee (ASOC) comprised of ADLM laboratory professional members, selects up to 10 scholar awardees each year. This committee reviews all completed, eligible applications to determine the best overall candidates. The highest-rated students are selected as ADLM scholars based on a combination of their strong interest in the ADLM scholars’ program, career objectives, leadership ability, involvement in school activities and/or academic research, and community service.

The number of recipients and the amount of each individual award depends upon the availability of funding, the number of scholarships awarded, and number of applicants that live within the vicinity of the meeting location. Scholarship recipients receive funding to cover travel, lodging, meal, activity and registration expenses. Any expenses incurred on extra days not included in the program are the responsibility of the awardee.