CLINICAL MEDICINE PLUS​

The Prof. Dr. Max Cloëtta Foundation grants scholarships at a renowned institution to younger medical scientists during or immediately after completing their specialist training. The scholarship is to finance a training stay at first-class, primarily foreign host institutes and in innovative fields or clinical ancillary sciences (e.g. public health, psychosomatic and psychosocial medicine, ethics, IT, epidemiology, pharmacogenetics, forensic medicine, health communication). The amount of the grant provided by ‚Clinical Medicine Plus‘ is determined by the Prof. 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). Please read the guidelines for ‘Clinical Medicine Plus’ scholarships carefully before considering an application.

Conditions of participation

The main purpose of the scholarships in the ‘Clinical Medicine Plus’ programme is to enable stays for professional training at first-class, usually foreign host institutions and in innovative specialist areas or additional clinical sciences, thereby promoting the research careers of young doctors.

The focus is on learning new practical methods or deepening knowledge of specialised techniques (e.g. specialised clinical procedures, molecular biochemical methods, computational science) and acquiring special skills in areas that are often neglected in medical studies (e.g. public health, psychosomatic and psychosocial medicine, ethics, IT, epidemiology, pharmacogenetics, forensic medicine, health communication).

The acquisition of a master’s degree or the implementation of pure research projects are not among the objectives of this programme.

Clinicians can apply for a scholarship in the ‘Clinical Medicine Plus’ programme if the following requirements are met:

a) the level of training corresponds to a phase during or immediately after completion of specialist medical training;
b) Swiss citizenship or a permanent or temporary residence permit is held;
c) further qualification in a new and innovative subject area is planned;
d) support is provided by a mentor at the home institution in Switzerland with regard to further training and career planning;
e) the mentor agrees to support the scholarship holder throughout the entire scholarship period;
f) the home institution in Switzerland guarantees reintegration after completion of the training period.

Duration and workload

The duration of the training stay is fixed and must be at least three months and no more than twelve months.
Training programmes lasting several years are expressly excluded from funding. The Foundation only supports training stays that can be completed within the specified time frame. Similarly, retroactive support is not granted; funding can only be approved for future training periods that have not yet begun at the time of application.

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.