EMERGE

About the fellowship

• This program is aimed at paediatric rheumatology trainees and young scientists who are members of PReS and younger than 45 years, allowing them to visit a Paediatric Rheumatology Centre within Europe for the period of up to 6 months.

• For clinicians - the program has both clinical and research components, in addition to gaining clinical knowledge and skills the trainee will be expected to complete a project during their six-month placement. 

• For scientists - there is solely a research component. A brief outline of the intended project will be required as part of the fellowship application. It is envisaged that the trainee/scientist would liaise with the centre where they intend to complete the placement to identify a relevant, realistic and achievable project plan.

• The fellowship program will be co-ordinated and applications reviewed by two appointed members of the EMERGE group, three members of the PRES council.

How to apply?

• The application deadline for this year is the 30 June 2024, and two places (preferably one for basic science and one for clinical science) will be available.
• Applications and queries related to the PReS EMERGE fellowship programme should be directed to:  emerge.pres@gmail.com
• Prior to application, each candidate will be expected to contact the Paediatric Rheumatology Centre or Research Laboratory of interest (within Europe) to discuss and plan both the clinical & research or research only components of their fellowship. A center should be chosen that helps the trainee or young scientist to attain specialist clinical/research/laboratory knowledge and skills that are not available in their current centre. The trainee is required to take the initiative on the application but can work closely with the centre of interest to develop a relevant, realistic and achievable plan for her/his placement.
• Each candidate must complete and submit:
  • A standardised trainee questionnaire (see links below for trainee questionnaires for paediatric rheumatology trainees or young scientists)
  • A short CV
  • A concise and clear outline of the research project to be undertaken
  • A personal statement supporting the application
• Each training centre must complete and submit:
  • A standardised centre questionnaire (see links below for centre questionnaires for paediatric rheumatology trainees or young scientists)
  • A statement of the training center that they are willing to accept the applicant
• The candidates, if more than one, will be judged by the programme coordinators, based on the application form. If a member of the coordinating team has a potential conflict of interest in a particular application, she/he will not participate in the judging of that application.
• The selected candidate will be announced within 2-4 weeks of the application deadline.
• If the candidate chosen for the fellowship cannot take up their place in the programme, the next candidate on the list will be considered.

Post award details:

• Following a successful application, the candidate and Paediatric Rheumatology Training Centre contact person will then arrange all the details of the fellowship, with support from the EMERGE group where necessary.
• Each candidate undertaking the fellowship is expected to submit a mid (after three months) and end (after six months) fellowship report.
  • In the mid-term report, the candidate should detail their progress towards meeting the objectives detailed in their fellowship application. This report will be assessed by the program coordinators and if progress is deemed not to be satisfactory, then the fellowship support could be withdrawn.
  • The end of fellowship report should be more detailed and cover the process they went through to embark on their fellowship (any need for medical council registration, vaccinations, occupational health checks, finding accommodation, language issues etc), a summary report of what the placement involved and what they gained from it (modules and learning outcomes attained, clinics attended, summary of number of cases seen), the results and any outputs from their fellowship research project (presentations, published abstracts/papers, grant applications pending, further work anticipated, collaborations established etc).

• • These reports will be available to future trainees who are applying for the fellowship. A summary of their experience may also be used in EMERGE newsletters and other social media platforms

PROGRAM FINANCING:

• Each bursary includes 1,000 euro for travel assistance and 1,000 euro per month for living expenses (max 7,000 euro total per candidate).

PROGRAM DEADLINES (for 2024):

1. Program will be announced in March 2024
2. Application deadline will be 30 June 2024
3. Selected candidates would be announced during YIM 2024 meeting
4. The fellowship should begin before the end of December 2024

PROGRAM COORDINATORS:

1. Joost Swart (PRES council)
2. Alexandre Belot (PRES council) 
3. Marija Jelusic (PRES council)
4. Erdal Sag (PRES council and EMERGE group)

1. Raquel Marques (EMERGE group)

Links

• Centre questionnaires

  • Paediatric rheumatology trainee centre questionnaire

  • Young scientist centre questionnaire

• Trainee questionnaires

  • Paediatric rheumatology trainee

  • Young scientist