Ethicon Foundation Fund Travel Grants

Ethicon Foundation Fund travel grants are awarded to Members and Fellows of the College who are in good standing. Successful applicants will be awarded a grant, the value of which will be at the discretion of the Board. The grant is intended to be a contribution to the applicant’s travel costs and to support applications which further enhance a specialty skill or experience that  may not be available in their own country. Grants are not available to support the travel costs of a spouse or partner.

Potential applicants must demonstrate that the period overseas relates directly to their home country's surgical training scheme objectives and/or to an opportunity to obtain relevant surgical experience not normally available in their home country. They should have obtained prior approval for the visit from the appropriate training authority in the country of application where appropriate. UK trainees must produce confirmation of prior approval from PMETB where appropriate.

The grant is intended to make a contribution to economy class travel up to a value of £1,000 incurred by successful applicants travelling overseas to obtain further training and experience in their chosen surgical discipline. The overseas visit, from the successful applicants’ home country/place of work, will normally be for a period of between 3 to 12 months, although visits of up to 24 months may be considered. Candidates must inform the College of any change in their circumstances which will prevent them completing their overseas visit as well as applications for funding from other sources. The College may, on the advice of the Ethicon Foundation Fund Committee, withdraw all, or a proportion, of the initial award.

Successful applicants will normally be Members or Fellows in training grade appointments but more senior applications may be considered at the discretion of the Board.

Travel for the sole purpose of attending a scientific meeting will not be supported. All applications must be made prior to embarking on the visit.

As a condition of the award, successful applicants will be required to submit a report of their visit within 3 months of return applicants who do not submit a report may have the award withdrawn.

Europe: Payment of the award is made by the College upon receipt of a satisfactory report from the applicant after the visit has been completed.

Longer trips: Payment of an award of no more than £500 is made upon receipt of a satisfactory report from the applicant after the visit has been completed. If the award is for more than £500 payment is made in two stages: the first payment of £500 is made in advance of the visit. The second payment of the balance of the award is made upon receipt of a satisfactory report from the applicant after the visit has been completed.

All Applications must be made prior to embarking on your visit.

Applications must include the following;

1. Completed application form;
2. A signed letter of support from the head of department, or consultant, under whom the applicant is currently working;
3. A signed letter of support from another, independent, referee.
4. A signed letter of confirmation from the institute you are visiting.

• Download your application form

The deadline for this fund is Thursday 30th September 2010.

All expenses should be given in sterling

Miss Marie Whitty
Senior Administrator
The Membership and Events Department
The Royal College of Surgeons of England
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3PE
Tel: 0207 869 6092

Email: membership@rcseng.ac.uk