The International Relations Committee of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has announced the availability of traveling fellowships to Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Germany, and Japan. The closing date for receipt of completed applications for all three destinations is November 16, 2015.
The traveling fellowships are intended to encourage international exchange of information concerning surgical science, practice, and education and to establish professional and academic collaborations and friendships.
These are exchange fellowships; so, for example, a U.S. or Canadian ACS Traveling Fellow will visit Japan for the annual meeting of the Japan Surgical Society, and a Traveling Fellow from Japan will visit the U.S. for the ACS Clinical Congress.
Basic requirements
The traveling fellowships are available to Fellows of the ACS in most of the surgical specialties who meet the following requirements:
- Has a major interest and accomplishment in basic sciences related to surgery
- Holds a current full-time academic appointment in Canada or the U.S.
- Is younger than 45 years of age on the date the application is filed
- Is enthusiastic, personable, and possesses good communication skills
Activities
The Traveling Fellows are required to spend at least two or three weeks in the countries that they visit and engage in the following activities while abroad:
- Attend and participate in the annual scientific meeting of the host country:
- Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Adelaide, Australia (May 2–5, 2017)
- Germany Society of Surgery, Munich (March 21–24, 2017)
- Japan Surgical Society, Yokohama (April 27–29, 2017)
- Participate in the formal convocation ceremony of that annual meeting
- Attend and address the local ACS chapter meeting
- Visit at least two medical centers in the country before or after the annual meeting to lecture and to share clinical and scientific expertise with the local surgeons
The academic and geographic aspects of the itinerary will be finalized in consultation and mutual agreement between the Fellow and the president or designated representative of the local chapter of the ACS. The surgical centers to be visited depend to some extent on the special interests and expertise of the Fellow and his or her previously established professional contacts with surgeons in the selected country.
The Traveling Fellow’s spouse is welcome to accompany the successful applicant. There will be many opportunities for social interaction in addition to professional activities.
Financial support
The College will provide $10,000 to each successful applicant. The awardees must meet all travel and living expenses, as appropriate to the country visited. Senior chapter representatives will consult with the Fellows about the centers to be visited, the local arrangements for each center, advice, and travel schedules. The Fellows are advised to make their own travel arrangements in North America to take advantage of reduced fares and travel packages for travel overseas.
The ACS International Relations Committee will select the three Traveling Fellows after review and evaluation of applications. A personal interview may be requested before the final selection. The successful applicants and alternates will be selected and notified by March 2016.
Full requirements and links to the application forms for the 2017 Traveling Fellowships are available on the ACS website. Send the application form plus the additional required documents in the form of a single PDF to kearly@facs.org or via post to: International Liaison Section, American College of Surgeons, 633 N. Saint Clair Street, Chicago, IL 60611-3211.
