Training

ESPN training grants

Call for training grants

ESPN is working hard to develop and enhance training standards that foster development of all current and future trainees and ensure that they have reached appropriate skill levels at the end of their training. Up to 3 training grants will be awarded twice yearly to young paediatric nephrologists (or paediatricians working in centres with children affected by kidney diseases) within Europe to enable them to spend up to 6 months at one or more established paediatric nephrology centres.

Applications for ESPN training grants are open throughout the year, however deadlines for applications are 1st September and 1st February each year so that the applications can be discussed at the ESPN council meetings which are held in February-March and September-October. The decisions will be shared with applicants within two weeks of the ESPN council meeting.  Late applications will not be considered.

Preference will be given to applicants who will perform a research project alongside their clinical attachment in the hosting centre. It would normally be expected that the trainee seeks training in a different country. Grants for training programmes within the same country will be considered but will need to justify why there is not local or national support for this training.

The total value of the training grant will be up to 3000 euros or 500 euros per month for a programme of less than 6 months.

All applications will be evaluated by the ESPN council on the basis of the candidates’ qualifications and educational needs.

Unsuccessful candidates from previous years may re-apply.  Current ESPN council members may not apply and if they are involved in the traineeship (as home or hosting centre leads) they should not be involved in the reviewing process of the applications. Training grants will not normally be awarded more than once to the same individual. Training centres can host an ESPN-sponsored trainee once every 2 years. 

The below documents should be sent all together to the President and the Young Paediatric Nephrologists Network Coordinator (contact details here below):

• 1. ) The application form (including the signature of the head of department)
  2. ) Curriculum vitae
  3. ) Letter of acceptance from the clinical lead who will be responsible for the training during the internship/traineeship
  4. ) Reference letter from the candidate’s current supervisor
  5. ) Details of the traineeship (e.g. weekly/monthly duties of the prospective candidate). The candidate could attach the clinic’s program and precise in which duties they will participate (if not all).

A receipt of application will be sent by email.  

A training report should be completed at the end of the training period by the trainer and trainee and sent in within one month to our ESPN secretary by the trainee with a copy of the application form. The training report should be sent to both the President and the YPNN Coordinator.

Click here to download the application form and the training report form. The latest needs to be completed at the end of the traineeship and submitted within one month after the end of the traineeship, as indicated here above. The financial application form for the accepted applicants can be downloaded here.

Please find here previous trainees’s experiences.

Contact details:

ESPN Young Paediatric Nephrology Network (YPNN) Chair
Rute Baeta Baptista
rute.baeta.baptista@gmail.com

ESPN Young Paediatric Nephrology Network (YPNN) Vice-chair
Fabio Paglialonga
fabio.paglialonga@policlinico.mi.it

For further information with regards to clinical attachments and support in the application process or finding a training centre please do not hesitate to contact us.

Summer schools

In the future, it is also hoped to have a regular summer school, run somewhere in Central Europe, to provide further training opportunities.