CLINICAL MEDICINE PLUS​

Purpose of the Programme 

The main purpose of the ‘Clinical Medicine Plus’ scholarships of the Professor Dr Max Cloëtta Foundation is to finance a training stay at first-class, primarily foreign host institutes and in innovative fields or clinical ancillary sciences to foster the research careers of clinically active physicians. The focus is on learning hands-on new methods or deepening knowledge in special techniques (e.g., specialised clinical techniques, molecular-biochemical methods, computational science), or gaining special skills in fields which are given little space in medical studies (e. g. public health, psychosomatic and psychosocial medicine, ethics, IT, epidemiology, pharmacogenetics, forensic medicine, health communication). Master’s degrees or pure research projects without specific training components are not the aim of the programme.

The amount of the grant provided by ‚Clinical Medicine Plus‘ is determined by the Professor Dr Max Cloëtta Foundation as a contribution to travel expenses and cost of living during the stay at the host institute (3 to max. 12 months). 

Conditions of participation

Please read the guidelines and the information sheet for ‘Clinical Medicine Plus’ scholarships carefully before considering an application.

a) during or at the latest 18 months after completing their specialist training (FMH);
b) if they possess a Swiss citizenship or Swiss permanent residence or residence permit;
c) if they are supported by a mentor at the home institution in Switzerland regarding training and career planning;
d) if the mentor of the home institution confirms that they intend to accompany the scholarship holder during the scholarship period;
e) if their Swiss home institution ensures re-entry.
f) if the training does not begin before the 1^st of December of the call year.

Duration 

The Clinical Medicine Plus scholarships are awarded under the following conditions:
a) The training period must last a minimum of three and a maximum of twelve months.
b) Multi-year programmes are excluded.
c) Applications relating to training stays that have already commenced or have been completed at the time of the application submission will not be taken into consideration. Funding cannot be awarded retroactively.
d) The earliest possible start date of the training is the 1^st of December of the year of the call.
e) The latest possible start date is the 1^st of September of the year following the call.

Financial amount

The amount of the scholarships in the ‘Clinical Medicine Plus’ programme is determined by the foundation and serves as a contribution to travel and living expenses during the stay at the host institution. A detailed cost budget must be enclosed with the application. Payment will be made at the earliest three months before the start of the stay, provided that confirmation from the host institution has been received.

Evaluation procedure and assessment criteria

Submitted applications are reviewed in a multi-stage process. First, the administrative office conducts a formal preliminary review to ensure that all necessary documents have been submitted in full and that the formal requirements have been met. The foundation’s scientific committee then conducts a substantive review. If necessary, independent external experts are consulted to ensure a technically sound assessment.
The applications are discussed at a meeting of the scientific committee, which then formulates a recommendation to the foundation board. The foundation board makes the final decision on the allocation of funding.

The selection is made by the foundation, with the assistance of external experts where necessary. The following selection criteria apply to the assessment:
a) Quality and innovative content of the planned further training;
b) Previous achievements of the applicant;
c) Suitability of the applicant for an academic and/or clinical career;
d) Quality of the proposed host institution;
e) Quality of the supporting home institution in Switzerland.

Submitting an application

Applications must be written in English and submitted via the registration page on the Cloëtta website. There you will find all the information you need about format, registration and required documents. Please read these instructions carefully before you begin your application. The complete application must be submitted by the deadline using the online form provided.

Detailed information on this funding programme is also available at www.cloetta-foundation.ch.