Clinical Fellows

The Clinical Fellows programme is intended for physicians who have completed the AGIKO route (MD clinical research trainee) or a similar route. As a clinical specialist, general practitioner or public health physician with a doctorate, they must have the intention of deepening their clinical research at an academic level in order to, for example, profile themselves for a future career as an academic member of staff or professor.

With the Clinical Fellows programme, ZonMw is increasing the possibilities for young, talented medical specialists, general practitioners, nursing home physicians, public health physicians (and possibly veterinarians) to build and further expand their clinical research career. The Clinical Fellowship is an individual grant with a prestigious character, tailored to the specific situation of the clinician. For a period of 3-5 years, the clinical fellow is partly exempted from clinical responsibilities so that he or she can carry out scientific research on a part-time basis and set up their own line of research.

Who can apply

Physicians or veterinarians who hold a doctorate and have experience in the area of medical research, who are at the start of their career as a registered medical specialist, general practitioner, nursing home physician, public health physician or veterinarian and at the same time want to set up and run their own line of scientific research.

What can be applied for

The maximum grant is € 160,000. Of this a minimum of € 113,460 is intended as recompense for the costs of the fellow's salary during the time this person devotes to the research, € 4540 is reserved for travel and congress costs and a maximum of € 42,000 can be devoted to funding material costs directly related to the research. This amount can be reduced if funding from another source is also found for the same project and it cannot be reasonably demonstrated that the complete grant payment from ZonMw is necessary to realise the project.

When can be applied

To be announced at a later date.

Criteria

With respect to the CV

• Demonstrable interest in scientific research
• Scientific research experience 
• List of publications 
• Experience gained abroad 
• Research management experience 
• Enterprising and motivated 
• Additional interests and versatility 
• Other interesting items

With respect to the scientific quality of the application 

• Objective and research question: Clear, tangible and with a well-argued (theoretical) scientific basis?
• Innovative and challenging nature? 
• Clinically relevant? (also with respect to the bridging function between research and practice?)
• Approach: clear? Satisfactory for the research question? Suitable methods and analyses? 
• Composition of the project group: Well-embedded and good partnerships? 
• Is the project feasible? 
• Is a new and own line of research evident? 
• Other interesting issues

During the assessment procedure, the ZonMw committee will consider whether the application fits within the programme's objectives. It is certainly not the aim to support researchers who are already established, and who sometimes even have the prospect of a professorship, with a Clinical Fellowship.

Procedure

Preproposals
The preproposals will be assessed by the Clinical Research Committee of ZonMw. Based on the committee's selection, two to three times the maximum number of applicants that can be honoured will be invited to submit a full proposal for a second round. The other applicants are advised not to do this in view of the small chance of their proposal being honoured. This first round will take about three months (September to December).

Full proposals
The full proposal will be submitted for assessment to at least two, and preferably three, independent referees of whom at least one is not Dutch. Candidates may make two suggestions for referees. If these referees are considered to be independent then one of them will be approached. The referees’ reports will be sent to the applicant for a written rebuttal. After that the application, the referees' reports and the rebuttal will be submitted to the Clinical Research Committee of ZonMw. They will use these to reach a final assessment based on the quality of the candidate and the scientific quality (including embedding, clinical relevance and the innovative nature) of the research proposal. Then based on the committee's funding recommendation, the ZonMw board will decide which proposals to fund.

Financiers

ZonMw (The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development)

Contacts

• Mw. dr. Marianne Biegstraaten-Meeuws
  phone: +31 (0)70 349 51 71, e-mail: biegstraaten@zonmw.nl
• Mw. Marjan van Rooyen
  phone: +31 (0)70 349 52 16, e-mail: rooyen@zonmw.nl

no documentation available