Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) Fellowship
Summary
-
Application dates:
1st March – 1st May 2025
- Grant:
€6,500
- Location:
Maastricht University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
Gasthuisberg Hospital, KU Leuven, Belgium
Vienna Medical University, Austria- Duration:
Three one week placements
- Start Date:
From January 2026
Fellowship Overview
MUMC has a large collaboration with European as well as extra-European centres for MCS, and has been the leading centre for international, worldwide clinical investigations on post-cardiotomy MCS. The Fellowship will consist of one-week visits to the three fellowship centres, providing the possibility to have access to clinical and simulation sessions, together with case discussion and presentation by the teams involved in these programs.
The Fellowship also includes participation to the EACTS MCS Summit (November 2026) during which the candidate will be further exposed to all the aspects of the project topics, being able to meet and listen to the most advanced experiences and groups of the field, and attend further simulation sessions, usually organized during the 3-day congress.
Learning Objectives
- Acquiring deep knowledge about the literature and ongoing international studies and investigations on the topic
- Acquisition of Expert Consensus and Guidelines statements and content on the topic
- Clinical case exposure and education about decision-making, complication management and postoperative outcome
- In-depth knowledge of the device available and choice in relation to the different clinical settings and indications
- Hands-on training about the application and use of MCS in post-cardiotomy (including simulation training and case discussion)
Specific Learning Objectives
- Acquiring some specific skill about percutaneous cannulation
- Acquiring specific skill for percutaneous pulmonary artery cannulation
- Understanding and managing multidisciplinary shock team discussion for PC-MCS
- Understanding and managing pre-operative, intra-operative and postoperative planned or bail-out conditions requiring PC-MCS
- Hands-on training about the application and use of MCS in post-cardiotomy (including simulation training and case discussion)
- Knowledge about ECLS configuration according to the type of circulatory compromise, specifically addressing right or left or biventricular failure
- Acquiring competence in combining mechanical circulatory support application (ECPELLA, BI-PELLA, IABP and ECLS, and so forth), also in particular conditions, like post-AMI ventricular septal defect or other emergency conditions
- In-depth discussion and acquisition of left ventricular unloading need and procedure in post-cardiotomy patients undergoing veno-arterial ECLS
Syllabus
- Post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock/arrest
- Temporary mechanical circulatory support
- Durable mechanical circulatory support
- Veno-arterial ECLS
- Trans-aortic microaxial pump
- Intra-aortic balloon pump
- Left ventricular unloading
- Trans-septal cannula positioning
- Percutaneous pulmonary artery cannulation
Funding
To help with living and travel costs associated with this Fellowship, we offer a grant of €6,500. EACTS will also provide a bursary towards the cost of your attendance at the 2026 EACTS Annual Meeting.
Application and Selection
In order to apply for this fellowship there are some essential criteria you must meet:
- Be in the last year of training or first four years of independent practice
- Be interested in treating and managing patients with cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, poor preop and perioperative clinical conditions
- Have some previous experience about mechanical circulatory support (but not compulsory)
- You should preferably come from a centre with little or no experience about PC-MCS
- You should preferably have a need of establishing such a programme in your own centre
- You should have motivation and interest in clinical investigations
- You should have basic knowledge of mechanical circulatory support devices
- Be an EACTS member with up-to-date membership payment
- Be fluent in English
The selected trainee is expected to have acquired an adequate amount of knowledge for the competent practice of general cardiac surgery.
In order to complete your application, you must submit the following documents*:
- Letter of support from current Head of Department/Training director (if in last year of training)
- Letter of interest (detailing the way in which you meet the application criteria, your career aspirations along with how you are in a position to apply the skills and knowledge obtained during the Fellowship in your own centre)
- Previous engagement with EACTS
- Being a Fellow of the EBCTS will be valued
- CV detailing publications (if any) or involvement in projects dealing with the fellowship topic
*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
The centre supervisors will provide feedback through a dedicated questionnaire about the fellow involvement and extent of participation as well as response to the arranged activities in the three separated centres. The fellow will be asked to provide a written judgement of the positive and negative aspects of the fellowship, with the addition of suggestions to make it more profitable and according to the expectations.
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: