The American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) Academic Scholar Program together with the European Association of Plastic Surgeons (EURAPS) is offering a two-year faculty research scholarship to American or European surgeons entering academic careers in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The AAPS-EURAPS Academic Scholarship is meant to reinforce the ties between American and European Institutes. Applicants should submit a research proposal based on a program, which can be executed on both continents. Both European and American plastic surgeons can apply for the Academic Scholarship. If the award is given to an American specialist, the next scholarship will be awarded to a European colleague and vice versa. It is agreed upon by the Boards of the AAPS and EURAPS however, that the first AAPS-EURAPS Academic Scholarship will be awarded to a European plastic surgeon if the number and quality of the European applications suffice.
Because it is difficult for young specialists to leave their academic position for a full period of two years, a combined research program on the two continents with short periods of leave will make this less problematic. Therefore the Scholar will be able to alternate between the different sponsoring institutes during the two-year period for variable length visits facilitated by, and in consultation with the Mentor of the project. The Scholarship is to assist the recipient in the establishment of a new combined research program between Europe and the United States. The award money covers travel expenses, the costs of accommodation in a foreign country and some of the research program costs. Application for additional grants will be necessary.
The Scholarship will support the candidates in achieving a successful academic career as experience has shown with former AAPS scholarships. Applicants should have demonstrated their potential to work as independent investigators.
The AAPS-EURAPS Scholarship will be awarded every two years without overlap.
The scholarship award is $30,000 per year (paid in equal amounts by AAPS and EURAPS). Funding of the award will begin September 1, 2014. The award may be renewed once.
General policies covering the granting of the combined AAPS-EURAPS Academic Scholarship are:
- The Scholarship is open to Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons who have:
- completed their residency and are Board certified within the preceding five years
- received a faculty appointment in a department of surgery/plastic surgery at a medical school.
- This award is to be used by the recipient for salary support and/or direct costs of their research. The scholarship grant should not diminish or replace the usual, expected compensation or benefits. Indirect costs are not paid to the recipient or to the recipient’s institution. No overhead is to be taken by the institution.
- Preference will be given to applicants who are not current recipients of major research grants. Application for this scholarship may be submitted even if comparable application to other organizations has been made.
- Supporting letters from
- Chair of the Department/Division of Plastic Surgery
- Chair of the Department of Surgery, if Plastic Surgery is a Division
- Mentor of the project. This approval would involve a commitment to continuation of the academic position and of facilities for research.
- Applicants must submit a research plan and budget for the two-year period of fellowship, even though Association’s approval is required for the second year.
- A significant portion of the fellow’s time will be spent in the research proposed in the application. Institutional support for this level of commitment must be evident in the supporting letters.
- The academic scholar is expected to attend the next two Annual Meetings of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons and the European Association of Plastic Surgeons to present a report to the Board after the first year and a presentation at the scientific session of the Annual Meeting after the second year.
Deadline for receipt of applications is January 1, 2018
Application forms are available at www.aaps1921.org or www.euraps.org
* Note:
The AAPS-EURAPS Academic Scholarship is meant to reinforce the ties between American and European Institutes. Applicants should submit a research proposal based on a program, which can be executed on both continents.
Because it may be difficult for young specialists to leave their academic position for two years either in the US or Europe, a combined research program on the two continents makes the leave from an academic position less problematic. Therefore alternating between the institutes during the two-year period is even stimulated in consultation with the Mentor of the project. The $ 30,000 of the award is not sufficient to fully cover costs of living neither the direct costs of research. The award money covers travel expenses and the initial costs of settling down in a foreign country. It gives the award winner time to start up the research project and in the mean time apply for grants. It is obvious that things are easier from a financial point of view if, before leaving their home country, grants are already obtained for the research project.
Some research institutions will cover the costs of living after a certain period of time has passed successfully. University department Chairs are in specific cases willing to continue the salary of an excellent scholar after an agreement is signed that upon return he or she will stay on for a certain period. Not for every award winner the same rules apply and they will differ between departments and countries/states. It is obvious that the award winner has to arrange the financial and appointments facets before starting the overseas program. Both European and American Plastic Surgeons can apply for the Academic Scholarship. If the award is given to an American specialist the next scholarship will be awarded to a European colleague and vice versa.
It is agreed upon by the Board of the AAPS-EURAPS that the first AAPS-EURAPS Academic Scholarship will be awarded to a European Plastic Surgeon if the number and quality of the European applications suffice. Because of financial limitations the AAPS-EURAPS Scholarship will be awarded every two years without overlap.