The Association of Clinical Scientists has four membership categories as described below. Membership is granted, upon application, without discrimination on the basis of age, race, gender, religion, or nationality, to any clinical scientist who endorses the Association's goals and wishes to participate in the Association's activities. Sponsorship by an active Fellow is required. Participation in activities is defined as attending ACS Annual Meetings, submitting abstracts and presenting papers in clinical science at Annual Meetings, or publishing papers in the Association’s journal, the Annals of Clinical & Laboratory Science.
Fellows: Scientists who have received an earned doctoral degree, and who, through training, experience, publications, and activities, have demonstrated an interest and expertise in clinical science, are eligible to become Fellows.
Associate Fellows: Clinical Scientists who hold an earned doctorate degree, but who are still early in their careers and don’t meet the requirements for full fellowship. This category includes graduate medical trainees (residents and clinical fellows) and postdoctoral research fellows.
Members: Scientists who have the qualifications of a Fellow with regard to publications, practice, and activities and who have demonstrated an interest and expertise in clinical science, but who do not hold an earned doctorate. Members, however, must hold, minimally, a baccalaureate degree.
Emeritus Fellows: Fellows who have attained the age of 70 years, and have been active members for ten years or longer, may be granted Emeritus status.
In order to advance from the category of Associate Fellow to Fellow the following descriptions of the key words in the Fellows paragraph will be useful.
Training is best demonstrated by factors such as: doctoral degrees from accredited institutions; postdoctoral training from accredited programs; board certification from a clinical specialty
Experience is best demonstrated by: Active research in biomedical and physical sciences; clinical practice in pathology and/or laboratory medicine; active in diagnostics-related product development or diagnostics related education in settings such as educational, clinical care or commercial organizations.
Publication is best demonstrated by: active evidence of publications in bona fide science and clinical journals.
Activities in clinical science is best demonstrated by: actively practicing or advancing the discipline of clinical sciences.