Thoracic Surgery Foundation & Francis Fontan Fund International Travelling Fellowship

The International Travelling Fellowship – a collaboration between EACTS and TSF – 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.

Education

Summary

Grant

€16,500
Location:

To be selected by the applicant
Duration:

1-4 Months
Start Date:

From January 2025

Fellowship Overview

The purpose of this Fellowship is to facilitate the continuing education of a young faculty surgeon.

The award is to be used for international travel to another institution for 1-4 Months. If you are from North America you are expected to secure a mentor in Europe however, if you are from Europe/outside of North America you are expected to secure a mentor in North America.

Funding

Awards of €16,500 for 1-4 Months will be granted to help with 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

The ideal candidate will meet the following criteria:

Completed a program leading to certification by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) or its equivalent in a country outside the United States
Within seven years of their first faculty appointment
Achieved appropriate certification or recognition in cardiothoracic surgery
Devotes professional efforts to the interests of the specialty
Holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in their respective geographic area
No pending actions that could adversely affect qualification for staff privileges at any hospital
Be a member of EACTS/STS (essential)

You must choose your mentor as well as securing a position with the mentor at the host institution. The mentor must be an STS or EACTS member.

In order to complete your application, you must submit the following documents*:

Your CV
Mentor CV: Restricted to one page CV / biography / NIH Biosketch / or equivalent
Letter of Support from Mentor. The letter should confirm: the availability of adequate training environment/educational experience that will provide the proposed training, and 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.