Aortic Root And Valve Repair Fellowship
Summary
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Application dates:
1st March – 1st May 2025
- Grant:
€6,200
- Location:
A high-volume centre in either Paris, Rome and Madrid or Brussels, Homburg and Madrid
- Duration:
Three one-week internships and attendance at two specialist EACTS courses.
- Start Date:
From January 2026
Fellowship Overview
The Aortic Root and Valve Repair Fellowship includes attendance at two specialist EACTS courses – ‘Fundamentals in Aortic Surgery’, and the ‘Aortic Forum’. Fellows will also get to complete three one-week internships in a high-volume centre in either Paris, Rome and Madrid or Brussels, Homburg and Madrid.
Funding
The Fellowship includes a generous financial contribution of €6,200 towards living and travel costs. EACTS will also provide a bursary towards the cost of your attendance at the 2025 EACTS Annual Meeting.
The Aortic Root and Valve Repair Fellowship provided an invaluable opportunity to visit different hospitals and learn more about the different techniques that are used by fantastic surgeons who are experts in aortic valve repair. To talk with these surgeons and get their advice is hugely beneficial.”
Valeria Iturriaga, Cardiac surgeon, Hospital de Especialidades Pediatrico León, Mexico
Application and Selection
In order to apply for this fellowship there are some essential criteria you must meet:
- Be an EACTS member with up-to-date membership payment
- Be in the last year of training or within the first four years after completing training (specialty degree)
- Be fluent in English
Applicants who possess the following desirable criteria would be of particular interest:
- Previous experience in valve-sparing aortic root replacement
- Possibility of applying the knowledge and abilities acquired during the Fellowship in their own practice
- Academic experience in Aortic Root and Valve Repair surgery
In order to complete your application, you must submit the following documents*:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- 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.
- Letter of support from head of training/department
- Operative experience
*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
There will be periodic meetings with the Fellowship Director to ensure feedback from the trainee. A structured evaluation of the activities and feedback from the Fellow will also be developed. Fellows will produce a full report on their experience based on guidelines stipulated by the Francis Fontan Fund Committee at the end of the Fellowship.
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.
- Grant: