For 25 years, the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine (JSCM) has honored the legacy of Ernest Bors, MD, with an annual publishing award – The Ernest Bors, MD Award for Scientific Development.1 Young investigators who publish their research in JSCM are eligible to submit their articles for this prestigious award that recognizes excellence in Spinal Cord Injury research by the new generation of professionals interested in changing the future of people living with Spinal Cord injury.2
Dr Bors (1900–1990) was a pioneer in the care of veterans disabled by spinal cord injury. During a time when little was known about spinal cord injury, and few were interested in the care of patients considered “hopeless”, Dr Bors conducted his own bedside research. The textbook on neuro-urology he coauthored with fellow pioneer Estin Comarr, MD, in 1971, is still in use as a reference today.3
This year, 12 applicants from a variety of disciplines submitted their articles from 2019 for consideration, continuing the trend toward larger numbers of applications each year. Articles were judged for their novelty, appropriateness of methodology and techniques, clarity of presentation, and the importance of the study findings to individuals with spinal cord injury/dysfunction. Selected from this competitive field was this year’s winner, Beverly Hon, MD, primary author of “Duplex ultrasound surveillance for deep vein thrombosis after acute traumatic spinal cord injury at rehabilitation admission,” published online on April 2, 2019.4
Dr Hon graduated from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation and a fellowship in spinal cord injury at Rutgers-New Jersey Medical/Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. She has a particular interest in medical management of individuals after acute spinal cord injury, and is primary author of a text book chapter on this topic.5 At Hackensack Meridian Health – JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Dr Hon manages patients with spinal cord injury in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She also serves as an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Reflecting the spirit of Dr Bors, her goal is to help individuals with spinal cord injury achieve optimal quality of life and their highest level of functional independence.
The winning paper explores the clinical implications of the high risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the population with spinal cord injury. In light of the risk for further complications for those with distal DVT, the study suggests that screening on admission for rehabilitation may be useful for identifying patients who would benefit from ongoing monitoring.
The editors of JSCM and the leadership of the Academy encourage young professionals to follow the example of Dr Bors, and the growing group of Bors awardees, in researching ways to improve the quality of life of persons recovering from spinal cord injury and sharing their findings through the Journal.
Primary authors of research articles are encouraged to contact the assistant editor for an application following notification of acceptance for publication in the Journal. For manuscripts accepted during 2020, the deadline for applications is January 15, 2021.
References
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- 4.Hon B, Botticello A, Kirshblum S.. Duplex ultrasound surveillance for deep vein thrombosis after acute traumatic spinal cord injury at rehabilitation admission. J Spinal Cord Med 2020;43(3):298–305. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2019.1585134 doi: 10.1080/10790268.2019.1585134 [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 5.Hon B, Wang J, Yonclas P, Kirshblum S.. Neuro-critical care management of acute spinal cord injury. In: Kirshblum S, Lin VW, (ed.) Spinal Cord Medicine. 3rd ed. Demos Medical; 2018. p. 177–88. [Google Scholar]