Thoracic Surgery Foundation & Francis Fontan Fund International Travelling Fellowship
- Education
Summary
-
Grant
€16,500
- Location:
TBC
- Duration:
4-16 weeks learning a novel technique, adapting innovative technology and/or fostering collaboration between surgical investigators in another institution.
- Start Date:
From January 2025
Fellowship Overview
The purpose of this Fellowship is to facilitate the continuing education of a deserving young faculty surgeon. The award is to be used for international travel to another institution for 4-16 weeks for the purpose of learning a novel technique, adapting innovative technology and/or fostering collaboration between surgical investigators in order to further the progress of cardiothoracic surgery at the recipient’s home institution.
The successful applicant will have a record of excellence in training and academic achievement. He/she will have secured a position at a host institution, and a mentor capable of providing continued growth and development in the realm of cardiothoracic surgery.
Funding
Awards of €16,500 for 4-16 weeks will be granted to cover the travel and living expenses for the fellowship period. In addition, you will receive free registration to both the EACTS Annual Meeting and the STS Annual Meeting, along with a travel bursary to attend both meetings.
Professor Large and his team at the Royal Papworth Hospital in England are at the forefront of innovation with respect to non-thermic regional perfusion heart transplantation. They have managed to increase the volume of heart transplantation at their center by over 30% due to their innovative techniques, which I hope to acquire. I feel honored and privileged to receive the International Travelling Fellowship.”
Amy G. Fiedler, MD, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA
Application and Selection
In order to apply for this fellowship there are some essential criteria you must meet:
- Be a cardiothoracic surgeon who has completed a program leading to certification by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery or its equivalent in a country outside of the United States, or who will be certified (or eligible for certification) by the grant start date (1 January), and who is within seven years of their first faculty appointment.
- Be a surgeon who has achieved appropriate certification or recognition of their achievements in cardiothoracic surgery, and who devotes their professional efforts to the interests of the specialty.
- In possession of a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in his or her respective geographic area and have no action pending which could adversely affect the applicant’s qualification for staff privileges at any hospital.
- Be a member of EACTS (if applying from outside the USA).
Mentor/Convenor:
Applicants from outside North America (USA & Canada) will be expected to identify a host/mentor surgeon in North America, willing and able to host the applicant for a suitable period of time in order to undertake the Fellowship. The educational and training content and length of the Fellowship is to be determined by the applicant in consultation with the hosting surgeon, provided the Fellowship’s objectives (listed above) have been achieved. The applicant will also be invited to submit a budget, up to the maximum available, justifying the living and learning costs associated with the Fellowship.
In summary;
- Applicant is responsible for the selection of his/her mentor.
- Applicant is responsible for securing a position with the mentor at the host institution.
- Mentor must be an STS or EACTS member.
You will be asked to provide the following information as part of your application:
- Biographical Information
- Personal Goal
- Career Goal
- Education Environment at Host Institution
- Mentor/Convenor Information
In order to complete your application, you must submit the following documents*:
- Applicant CV
- Mentor CV: Restricted to one page CV / biography / NIH Biosketch / or equivalent
- One (1) Letter of Support from Mentor: The letter should confirm: (a) the availability of adequate training environment/educational experience that will provide the proposed training, and (b) his or her agreement to serve as mentor.
- Letter of interest detailing the way in which you meet the above application criteria, along with your career aspirations, as well as how you believe the Fellowship will impact your career.
- Budget (approximate breakdown of funding costs)
*Please ensure that all documents submitted are written in English, and that they are submitted either as word documents or PDF. We do not accept images or handwritten applications. We are unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications, so please ensure that you understand the visa requirements before applying for this Fellowship.
Evaluation and Feedback
At the end of the Fellowship, the Fellows will produce a full report on their experience based on the Francis Fontan Fund Committee guidelines.
Terms and Conditions
- You cannot apply for more than one fellowship in a single year.
- You cannot apply for a fellowship if you have been awarded one in the last two years.
- If you do not submit all requested documents your application will not be reviewed.
- If you do not follow the application guidelines (document format, essential criteria etc) your application will not be reviewed.
- If you submit any false information your application will be immediately void (regardless of application stage).
- Once your fellowship start date is confirmed, 80% of the fellowship grant will be transferred to you.
- On completion of the fellowship and receipt of your final report, the remaining 20% of the fellowship grant will be transferred to you.
- Should your fellowship include third party fees, EACTS will pay this directly from your initial 80% grant payment, with the remaining balance being transferred to you.
- If for any reason you find you are unable to complete or attend training, you should notify EACTS at your earliest convenience. If the grant payment has already been made, you will be asked to repay the monies received based on incurred costs to date. Proof of expenses will be required.
The Francis Fontan Fellowship programme fosters the continued growth and development of cardiothoracic surgeons by providing opportunities to learn from the highest standards of cardiothoracic care and gain knowledge of novel techniques and innovative technologies used by other institutes around the world. Successful applicants will use the valuable learnings and collaborative relationships developed through their Fellowship to further the progress of cardiothoracic surgery at their home institution and support the delivery of the highest quality patient care.
- The fellowship needs to be completed within the year that it was awarded.
- Awardees need to be in full time employment throughout the fellowship.
NB. The Francis Fontan Fund Committee will consider any fellow who falls outside of this condition on a case-by-case basis. All decisions are final, and the Committee are not obliged to share the reasoning behind any decision made.
- Location: