Palliative Care Fellowships

An important facet of oncology: easing the physical and mental suffering of cancer patients. Fellows spend an intensive period of observation or research at one of the ESMO Designated Centres of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care

• Provide oncologists or oncology fellows additional experience in palliative care training
• Allow recipients to spend a minimum of one month of observation or research at one of the ESMO Designated Centres of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care.

Amount and duration

Palliative Care Research Fellowship

5,000€ for a minimum of one to three months research at an ESMO Designated Centre of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care

Palliative Care Observation Fellowship

2,500€ for a minimum of one month observation at an ESMO Designated Centre of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care

Host Institutes

The host institute will receive a one-off payment of 750€ towards the administration costs of hosting a fellow

View the list of Designated Centres 

Application requirements

Candidates must

• Be an ESMO member at the time of application
• Be an oncologist
• Be proficient in English and/or in the community language of the host institute

Application must include

• Completed online application form
• Digital photograph
• Recommendation letter from your department head at your home institute
• Acceptance letter from the person responsible for you while completing your fellowship at the host Designated Centre
• Weekly programme for palliative care observation fellowships (arranged by yourself with the host Designated Centre)
• Motivation statement of your fellowship goals and how the acquired techniques will be used in the home institute/country
• For Palliative Care Research Fellowship please provide the following which must be prepared by yourself and the supervisor at the host Designated Centre:
  • Maximum 3 pages, preferably in pdf format, must be written in English
  • Should include sufficient scientific data such as:
    • Aim of the project
    • Research Methodologies
    • Originality of the project
    • Feasibility of the project and work plan
    • Proposed timeline
    • Host scientific expertise in the field

Application review process

Applications for the Palliative Care Fellowship are reviewed by the ESMO Designated Centres Working Group, which comprises experts in the field of supportive and palliative care. The working group will select the recipients after evaluating and scoring all aspects of the applications.

• The extent and level of previous education (CV)
• Motivation letter
• Other professional training and publications
• Quality of the application
• Research fellowship, overall strategy, methodology, and proposed analyses of the research data as well as and appropriateness to accomplish the specific aims within the grant term. Feasibility of the project given the time frame and the budget
• How the acquired information and knowledge will be used in the home institute

The Committee will evaluate each applicant taking into consideration the above irrespective of race, sex, nationality, or religious/political views.