One of the aims of FESSH is to stimulate, assist and foster training in Hand Surgery for all surgeons both young and established, who are members of the national societies represented by FESSH.

FESSH Council will be awarding a maximum of 4’000 Euro per applicant. The FESSH Travel Award is for surgeons, both in training and established, to visit another Hand Centre in Europe with the purpose of furthering their knowledge of Hand Surgery. The Awards create a forum for exchange of information, techniques and and concepts in Europe, and help to spread best practice.

The applicant should be member in a national hand society which is a FESSH member.

PROSPECTIVE CENTRES TO BE VISITED MUST BE

  1. In a European country with a hand society that is a member of FESSH
  2. A recognised centre for Hand Surgery training
  3. Not in the same country as the training to date
  4. Not in the same country as the applicant lives

The FESSH Travel Award is to be used for travel, accommodation and subsistence, to visit a single centre for a clinical activity. The award must be taken between 1 January and 31 December of the year subsequent to the award. The same person cannot get the  Award within 5 years more than once.

Application is made through a simple on-line application form below. The applications open after the 15 June in the current year with a closing date on the 15 September the same year (extended!). Successful candidates will be informed by 10 October.

The following items are to be uploaded:

  • 2 page curriculum vitae including photograph
  • Letter of acceptance from the host centre
  • 2 letters of recommendation, one of which is from the Applicant’s head of training 
in the case of trainee hand surgeons (combine into one file)
  • 1 page detailed description of the proposed visit to include the planned daily programme, the expected number of surgical cases and clinics, the specialist interest that will be studied
  • A 500 word personal statement. This should describe your commitment to Hand Surgery, your learning goals from the visit, your future ambitions and how the Travel Award will help you and how it will help Hand Surgery in Europe.
  • Written confirmation that
    • If the travel does not occur for whatever reason the money is to be returned.
    • That the Applicant has sat, or will sit, the European Board of Hand Surgery Diploma
    • That the Applicant will provide a pdf or ppt poster for presentation at the Annual Congress and for uploading onto the website (the candidate is encouraged to attend, but it is not mandatory, the FESSH Congress.

Two thirds of the award will be paid to the successful applicants prior to their travel.

The final third will be paid after the visit when the below requested 3 documents has been sent to the FESSH Office

  • Signed confirmation from the Head of the host centre that the visit took place
  • An expense report with receipts on cost items the fund has been spent
  • Report, in illustrated poster style (.pdf or .ppt). This will be kept as a record in the FESSH archive.
Apply for the Award