EACTS Francis Fontan Fund · Paris, Rome and Madrid, or Brussels, Kaiserslautern and Madrid, Europe · Travelling Fellowship · Closed
Three one-week internships at high-volume aortic repair centres (Paris, Rome and Madrid, or Brussels, Kaiserslautern and Madrid) combined with the EACTS 'Fundamentals in Aortic Surgery' course and the Aortic Forum.
- Duration
- Three 1-week internships plus two EACTS courses
- Deadline
- 2027 cycle closed 1 May 2026 (applications ran 1 Mar–1 May)
- Eligibility
- EACTS member in the last year of training or within four years of completing it
- Required prior training
- Final year of specialty training or within the first four years after completing the specialty degree; paid-up EACTS membership and fluent English required
- International applicants
- Open to EACTS members worldwide; EACTS does not advise on visas
- Language
- English
- Funding
- €6,200 towards living and travel costs, plus a bursary for the EACTS Annual Meeting
- Application documents
- CV; letter of interest explaining criteria, career aspirations and fellowship impact; head-of-training/department support letter; operative-experience record. All submissions must be English Word or PDF files, not images or handwritten documents
- Official contact
- EACTS Francis Fontan Fund
- Focus
- Valve-Sparing Aortic Root and Aortic Valve Repair
- Intake
- From January 2027
- Participation
- Clinical fellowship; privileges depend on licensing, credentialing and institutional approval
- Registration
- Host institutional requirements apply
- Visa information
- EACTS is unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications; applicants must check visa requirements themselves.
- Application opens
- 1st March 2026
- Application deadline
- 1st May 2026
- Start date
- From January 2027
- Belgium placement
- Brussels is part of one alternative itinerary (Brussels–Kaiserslautern–Madrid); the other is Paris–Rome–Madrid.
- Grant payment
- 80% after the start date is confirmed; 20% after completion and the final report.
- Evaluation
- Periodic director meetings, structured feedback and a final report.
- Selection preferences
- Prior valve-sparing aortic-root replacement experience, academic aortic root/valve repair experience and ability to apply skills at the home institution are desirable, not mandatory thresholds
How to apply: Apply online through the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund during the annual application window, with CV, letter of interest, letter of support from head of training/department and operative experience.
Sources for programme details
- Required prior training, Application documents, Selection preferences: Official source ↗ · checked 22 Oct 2026
Official source ↗ · Last verified 21 Oct 2026 · Full programme profile →
EACTS Francis Fontan Fund · Toronto, Ontario, Canada · Travelling Fellowship · Closed
Two-week in-hospital fellowship in Toronto, supported by Medtronic, for newly graduated cardiothoracic surgeons to gain theoretical and practical experience in minimally invasive and off-pump CABG. Fellows must also attend the EACTS Annual Meeting.
- Duration
- 2 weeks of in-hospital training
- Deadline
- 1 May 2026 (window 1 March – 1 May 2026)
- Eligibility
- EACTS member with paid-up membership; partnership with anaesthesiologists and cardiologists at own centre; access to up-to-date coronary imaging; fluent English. Desirable: ability to set up a MICS CABG programme, >50 MICS cases/year, centre >150 CABG/year
- Required prior training
- Newly graduated cardiothoracic surgeons are the stated target group; EACTS membership in good standing, local anaesthesiology/cardiology partnership and coronary imaging resources are essential
- International applicants
- Open to EACTS members; EACTS gives no visa advice, so applicants must check visa requirements themselves
- Language
- English (fluency required)
- Funding
- €5,200 towards living/travel plus travel bursary for the 2027 EACTS Annual Meeting
- Application documents
- CV; letter of interest addressing criteria, career goals and impact; head-of-training/department support letter; record of operative experience; submit English Word/PDF files, not images or handwritten documents
- Official contact
- Apply via the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund pages (eacts.org)
- Focus
- Minimally invasive (MICS) CABG and off-pump coronary surgery
- Visa information
- EACTS is unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications; applicants must check visa requirements themselves.
- Participation
- Clinical fellowship; privileges depend on credentialing
- Application opens
- 1st March 2026
- Application deadline
- 1st May 2026
- Start date
- From January 2027
- Accommodation
- Travel bursary covers travel and accommodation at the 2027 EACTS Annual Meeting
- Application language
- All submitted documents must be written in English
- Visa application support
- EACTS states that it cannot provide advice or guidance on visa applications; applicants must establish the host requirements themselves
How to apply: Apply online through the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund page during the application window; applicants must be EACTS members and submit the listed documents in English as Word or PDF files. Only one fellowship application per year is allowed. Documents: CV, letter of interest, letter of support from head of training/department, operative experience.
Not published by the host: registration. Confirm directly before applying.
Sources for programme details
- Required prior training, Application documents, Application language, Visa application support: Official source ↗ · checked 22 Oct 2026
Official source ↗ · Last verified 18 Oct 2026 · Full programme profile →
EACTS Francis Fontan Fund · Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States · Research Fellowship · Closed
Two-year research fellowship with the Cornell cardiac surgery clinical trials unit, combining hands-on pragmatic clinical trial management with an MS in Clinical Epidemiology at Weill Cornell Medicine.
- Duration
- 2 years
- Deadline
- 1 September 2026 (window 1 July – 1 September 2026)
- Eligibility
- Last year of training or completed training, with previous research experience and peer-reviewed publications; EACTS member with paid-up membership; fluent English
- Required prior training
- Final year of training or completed training; previous research experience and peer-reviewed publications; EACTS membership in good standing
- International applicants
- Open to EACTS members; EACTS gives no visa advice, so applicants must check visa requirements themselves
- Language
- English (fluency required)
- Funding
- €3,000 travel grant plus a yearly research fellow salary paid by Weill Cornell Medicine; EACTS Annual Meeting 2027 bursary
- Application documents
- Two mentor support letters; letter of interest covering eligibility, career goals and use of acquired skills at the home centre; CV detailing publications; submit English Word/PDF files, not images or handwritten documents
- Official contact
- Apply via the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund pages (eacts.org)
- Focus
- Cardiothoracic pragmatic clinical trial design and conduct
- Visa information
- EACTS is unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications; applicants must check visa requirements themselves.
- Participation
- Clinical fellowship; privileges depend on credentialing
- Application opens
- 1st July 2026
- Application deadline
- 1st September 2026
- Start date
- From January 2027
- Application language
- All submitted documents must be written in English
- Visa application support
- EACTS states that it cannot provide advice or guidance on visa applications; applicants must establish the host requirements themselves
How to apply: Apply online through the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund page during the application window; applicants must be EACTS members and submit the listed documents in English as Word or PDF files. Only one fellowship application per year is allowed. Documents: Two letters of support from mentors, letter of interest, CV with publications.
Not published by the host: registration. Confirm directly before applying.
Sources for programme details
- Required prior training, Application documents, Application language, Visa application support: Official source ↗ · checked 22 Oct 2026
Official source ↗ · Last verified 18 Oct 2026 · Full programme profile →
EACTS Francis Fontan Fund · Papworth, Leuven, Pavia, Vienna, Bad Nauheim or Paris, Europe · Travelling Fellowship · Closed
A one-month stay at a European CTEPH centre (Papworth, Leuven, Pavia, Vienna, Bad Nauheim or Paris) covering surgical indications, deep circulatory arrest technique, ECMO and perioperative ICU management for pulmonary endarterectomy.
- Duration
- 1 month
- Deadline
- 2027 cycle closed 1 May 2026 (applications ran 1 Mar–1 May)
- Eligibility
- Early-career surgeons experienced in cardiothoracic surgery and extracorporeal circulation, with a realistic plan to start a CTEPH unit; not for residents or recent graduates
- Required prior training
- Experienced early-career surgeons with standard cardiothoracic surgery and extracorporeal-circulation experience; explicitly not intended for residents or very recent residency graduates; EACTS membership and a high likelihood of establishing a CTEPH unit required
- International applicants
- Open to EACTS members worldwide; EACTS does not advise on visas
- Language
- English
- Funding
- €4,000 towards living and travel costs, plus a bursary for the EACTS Annual Meeting
- Application documents
- Head-of-department/training-director support letter; letter of interest covering eligibility, career goals and home-centre application; CV detailing publications; operative-experience record; submit English Word/PDF files, not images or handwritten documents
- Official contact
- EACTS Francis Fontan Fund
- Focus
- Pulmonary Endarterectomy for CTEPH
- Intake
- From January 2027
- Visa information
- EACTS gives no visa advice; applicants must check requirements themselves
- Participation
- Clinical fellowship; privileges depend on licensing, credentialing and institutional approval
- Registration
- Host institutional requirements apply
- Application opens
- 1 March 2026
- Application deadline
- 1 May 2026; page states applications are closed
- Start date
- From January 2027
- Belgium placement
- Leuven is one of six possible CTEPH centres; a Belgian assignment is not guaranteed.
- Learning objectives
- Surgical selection, circulatory-arrest techniques, ECMO complication management and perioperative/ICU protocols.
- Application language
- All submitted documents must be written in English
- Visa application support
- EACTS states that it cannot provide advice or guidance on visa applications; applicants must establish the host requirements themselves
How to apply: Apply online through the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund during the annual application window, with CV with publications, letter of interest, letter of support and operative experience.
Sources for programme details
- Required prior training, Application documents, Application language, Visa application support: Official source ↗ · checked 22 Oct 2026
Official source ↗ · Last verified 21 Oct 2026 · Full programme profile →
EACTS Francis Fontan Fund · MSTCVS Quality Collaborative, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States · Research Fellowship · Closed
Four-month fellowship with the Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons Quality Collaborative in Ann Arbor, led by Francis Pagani. Fellows work with the team statistician on outcome analyses, join quarterly meetings and site visits, and prepare abstracts/manuscripts.
- Duration
- 4 months
- Deadline
- 1 September 2026 (window 1 July – 1 September 2026)
- Eligibility
- EACTS member with paid-up membership; last year of training or within first four years after completing training; fluent English. Desirable: EBCTS fellow, prior data/quality experience
- Required prior training
- Last year of training or within four years of completion
- International applicants
- Open to EACTS members; EACTS gives no visa advice, so applicants must check visa requirements themselves
- Language
- English (fluency required)
- Funding
- €20,000 bursary plus EACTS Annual Meeting 2027 bursary
- Application documents
- Letter of support from Head of Department/Training Director (if in last year of training), letter of interest, CV, operative experience
- Official contact
- Apply via the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund pages (eacts.org)
- Focus
- Cardiothoracic surgical quality improvement and outcomes analysis
- Visa information
- EACTS is unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications; applicants must check visa requirements themselves.
- Participation
- Clinical fellowship; privileges depend on credentialing
- Application opens
- 1st July 2026
- Application deadline
- 1st September 2026
- Start date
- From January 2027
How to apply: Apply online through the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund page during the application window; applicants must be EACTS members and submit the listed documents in English as Word or PDF files. Only one fellowship application per year is allowed. Documents: Letter of support from Head of Department/Training Director (if in last year of training), letter of interest, CV, operative experience.
Not published by the host: registration. Confirm directly before applying.
Official source ↗ · Last verified 18 Oct 2026 · Full programme profile →
EACTS Francis Fontan Fund · High-volume European host centre, Europe · Travelling Fellowship · Closed
Theoretical and practical development in robotic cardiac surgery at a high-volume European centre.
- Duration
- 4–6 weeks
- Deadline
- 2026 application window closed
- Eligibility
- EACTS eligibility criteria apply
- International applicants
- EACTS eligibility criteria apply
- Language
- Fluent English required
- Funding
- EUR 12,000 grant towards living and travel costs, plus bursary for the 2027 EACTS Annual Meeting
- Application documents
- For the published 2026/27 call: Statement of interest, CV with publications, and a record of operative experience. Applicants in their last year of training also need a support letter from the department head or training director. Submit English-language Word or PDF files.
- Official contact
- Use the official programme page
- Focus
- Robotic Cardiac Surgery
- Participation
- Practical scope depends on host credentialing
- Registration
- Host requirements apply
- Accreditation
- EACTS educational fellowship
- Intake
- 2026/27 cycle
- Visa information
- Applicants must understand the host-country visa requirements before applying. EACTS states it cannot provide visa advice or guidance; an award does not establish immigration permission.
- Operative exposure
- Practical scope depends on host credentialing
- Salary or stipend
- See official programme
How to apply: Apply through a future EACTS Francis Fontan Fund cycle.
Not published by the host: required prior training, positions, fees, application opens, research component, benefits, accommodation. Confirm directly before applying.
Sources for programme details
Official source ↗ · Last verified 15 Oct 2026 · Full programme profile →
EACTS Francis Fontan Fund · Paris, Calabria or London, Europe · Travelling Fellowship · Closed
Simulation and wet-lab training followed by two three-week stays at high-volume robotic thoracic centres in Paris, Calabria or London, focused on lung cancer and thymoma surgery.
- Duration
- 6 weeks (two 3-week placements)
- Deadline
- Applications ran 1 Jul–1 Sep 2026 (now closed); check the EACTS page for the next call
- Eligibility
- Senior resident/fellow in a thoracic unit, or young surgeon at a hospital doing robotic surgery
- Required prior training
- Senior resident/fellow in a thoracic unit, or junior surgeon at a hospital performing robotic surgery; EACTS membership in good standing
- International applicants
- Open to EACTS members worldwide; EACTS does not advise on visas
- Language
- English
- Funding
- €12,000 towards simulation training, living and travel costs, plus a bursary for the EACTS Annual Meeting
- Application documents
- CV including relevant publications/presentations; letter of interest; head-of-training/department or robotic-programme-director support letter; robotic operative logbook including primary- and patient-side-surgeon cases; submit English Word/PDF files, not images or handwritten documents
- Official contact
- EACTS Francis Fontan Fund
- Focus
- Robotic Thoracic Surgery
- Intake
- 2027 cycle
- Visa information
- EACTS is unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications; applicants must check visa requirements themselves.
- Participation
- Clinical fellowship; privileges depend on licensing, credentialing and institutional approval
- Registration
- Host institutional requirements apply
- Application opens
- 1st July 2026
- Application deadline
- 1st September 2026
- Start date
- From January 2027
- Application language
- All submitted documents must be written in English
- Visa application support
- EACTS states that it cannot provide advice or guidance on visa applications; applicants must establish the host requirements themselves
How to apply: Apply online through the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund during the annual application window, with CV with publications, letter of interest, letter of support and a robotic operative logbook.
Sources for programme details
- Required prior training, Application documents, Application language, Visa application support: Official source ↗ · checked 22 Oct 2026
Official source ↗ · Last verified 18 Oct 2026 · Full programme profile →
EACTS Francis Fontan Fund · Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai, China · Travelling Fellowship · Closed
EACTS-funded fellowship at the super-high-volume Shanghai Chest Hospital for young thoracic surgeons to master minimally invasive lobectomy, segmentectomy, lymph-node dissection, thymectomy and oesophagectomy, with simulation, wet-lab training and participation in clinical trials.
- Duration
- 6–12 months
- Deadline
- 1 September 2026 (window 1 July – 1 September 2026)
- Eligibility
- EACTS member; last year/stage of training or within first four years of independent practice; medical licence in home country; basic training in open thoracic procedures; fluent English
- Required prior training
- Residency in a formal general thoracic/cardiothoracic programme; basic open thoracic training
- International applicants
- Open to EACTS members; EACTS gives no visa advice, so applicants must check visa requirements themselves
- Language
- English (fluency required)
- Funding
- €11,350 towards living/travel plus EACTS Annual Meeting 2027 bursary
- Application documents
- Letter of interest, CV with publications, summary of thoracic operative experience, evidence of residency in a formal thoracic/cardiothoracic programme, letter of support from current supervisor
- Official contact
- Apply via the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund pages (eacts.org)
- Focus
- Minimally invasive (VATS) thoracic oncology surgery
- Participation
- Clinical fellowship; privileges depend on credentialing
- Visa information
- EACTS is unable to provide advice or guidance about visa applications; applicants must check visa requirements themselves.
- Application opens
- 1st July 2026
- Application deadline
- 1st September 2026
- Start date
- From January 2027
How to apply: Apply online through the EACTS Francis Fontan Fund page during the application window; applicants must be EACTS members and submit the listed documents in English as Word or PDF files. Only one fellowship application per year is allowed. Documents: Letter of interest, CV with publications, summary of thoracic operative experience, evidence of residency in a formal thoracic/cardiothoracic programme, letter of support from current supervisor.
Not published by the host: registration. Confirm directly before applying.
Official source ↗ · Last verified 18 Oct 2026 · Full programme profile →
Francis D. Pagani, MD, PhDQuality and Outcomes Fellowship Team Lead
Mario F. L. Gaudino, MDStephen and Suzanne Weiss Professor II in Cardiothoracic Surgery
Piroze M. Davierwala, MChOrganiser, Francis Fontan Fund MiCS-CABG Fellowship; Surgical Director, MICS Programme
Wouter OosterlinckLead Training Surgeon, Francis Fontan Robotic Cardiac Surgery Fellowship
Austria
Belgium
Canada
China
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
United Kingdom
United States