Background Information
The FAIMER International Fellowship in Medical Education (IFME) is sponsored by
the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER®),
which is a nonprofit foundation of the Educational Commission for Foreign
Medical Graduates (ECFMG®). The IFME program provides faculty from schools of
medicine abroad with educational opportunities that are tailored toward specific
home country needs. Fellows study aspects of medical education that have the
potential to improve and expand medical education programs in their home country
institutions and departments.
Program Objectives
IFME program objectives include:
Assisting international medical schools in improving and advancing the process
of medical education.
Facilitating placement of medical education leaders from abroad in U.S. host
institutions able to provide excellent instructional experiences in areas of
recognized home country need.
Advancing the international exchange of information in the medical sciences and
in medical education.
Contributing to the promotion of international understanding and exchange among
nations.
The Program
Up to twenty fellowships are awarded annually. Mentoring will be provided by
preceptors in basic medical and clinical science departments or medical
education departments in U.S. medical schools. Eligible areas of study include:
educational methodology, curriculum design, and evaluation systems. This study
may be conducted in departments of medical education or traditional disciplines
of clinical or basic sciences. Although the major emphasis of this program is to
learn educational processes, Fellows may concurrently pursue some collaborative
research interest with U.S. basic science or clinical faculty.
Under this program, fellowships are not provided for any of the following:
programs in basic medical or clinical research, degree-granting educational
programs*, programs that require tuition payments*, grants for short-term
courses or conference attendance, specialty training in residency programs,
clinical fellowships, training solely in clinical procedures, or educational
programs in schools of public health.
* FAIMER is currently piloting a program that will permit IFME fellows to obtain
a Masters in Medical Education at institutions around the world, using graduates
of the FAIMER Institute as the test group.
Eligibility
Applicants for this program must:
Reside and work in their home countries at the time of application, acceptance
and initiation of the fellowship award.
Have a graduate or professional degree.
Hold an academic appointment as a faculty member in a school of medicine or
postgraduate medical education institute.
Be in a position of leadership with respect to curriculum and educational
policies and procedures. Preference is given to mid-career applicants.
Be willing and able to travel to the United States.
Have at least three years of work experience as a faculty member in the home
country following completion of their formal academic and clinical training.
Demonstrate competence in written and spoken English.
Have the endorsement of their home country medical school or postgraduate
medical education institute for the proposed educational program.
Have a position at the home country medical school or institution to which they
will return upon completion of the fellowship.
Duration of Program
Programs range in length from six months to one year. Fellowships are limited to
a maximum stay of one year.
Home Country Endorsement
Applicants must have the endorsement of an educational institution with which
they are affiliated. In order for the IFME program to fulfill its objectives, it
is essential that the home country endorsement include documentation of the
institutional and home country need for the proposed educational program, and a
plan for utilizing the benefits of the educational program. Applicants and
endorsing home country institutions are expected to certify that applicants will
return to the institution of origin or to a position that has been designated
for them upon their return.
Please note that only one application per program year can be accepted for
review from each home country endorsing institution.
United States Host Institutions
Institutions in the United States that host Fellows must have an academic
administrative unit responsible for accepting Fellows, must arrange their
educational programs, and must ensure that appropriate supervision is provided.
Host institutions are asked to submit a program plan for the Fellow.
Most applications originate in the home country without a proposed U.S. host. In
this event, successful applicants will be matched with appropriate U.S. faculty
mentors by FAIMER. U.S. institutions interested in hosting Fellows should
contact the IFME program for more information.
Application Procedure
FAIMER's 2005 fellowship application is now available on this website; paper
applications are no longer accepted.
The on-line application must be completed by the applicant. The Medical School
Nomination must be completed by an official of the home country institution. The
Reference Report must be completed by the applicant's immediate supervisor. It
is the responsibility of the applicant to submit the Medical School Nomination
and the Reference Report to the appropriate respondents.
Important Note: We would like to inform you that only a very small number of
FAIMER IFME awards will be granted this year due to limited funding.
Applications to the FAIMER Institute will have a significantly higher
probability of being funded. We therefore strongly encourage you to consider
applying to the Institute or to both the Institute and IFME. Please contact us
at [email protected] if you have any questions.
If you experience problems with the on-line application, please contact the IFME
program by e-mail ([email protected]), fax (215-966-3121), or by telephone
(215-823-2105 or 215-823-2106). Telephone assistance is available Monday through
Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time in the United States.
Review Criteria
FAIMER staff screens applications for completeness and for basic eligibility. An
external Scientific Review Panel reviews eligible applications and makes
recommendations for awards. In reviewing applications and making awards,
consideration is given to the following:
Professional qualifications of the applicant.
Appropriateness and specificity of the educational programs proposed by the
applicant and the endorsing home country institution.
The home country endorsing institution's plans for and commitment to utilizing
the benefits of the fellowship to meet identified needs.
Assessment of the overall value of the fellowship experience to the individual,
institution, home country, and global region.
Evidence that the applicant will be in a position to implement the proposed
educational improvements upon return to the home country institution.
All applications are subject to the same review process and require the same
assurance regarding the availability of a position in the home country upon
completion of the fellowship.
The IFME program is highly competitive. It is recommended that applicants and
respondents submit their portion of the application in a timely manner.
Award Announcements
Applicants will be notified of the final results of the review of applications
no later than April 2005.
Conditions of Appointment
Fellowship recipients must begin their educational programs in October of the
same year in which the award is made.
Fellows are expected to be in good health at the time of appointment. They are
required to devote full time to the educational program for which the fellowship
was awarded. Any substantial change in the educational program or a change in
fellowship institution requires prior FAIMER approval. All Fellows are required
to submit a mid-fellowship report and a final report upon completion of the
program.
Financial Awards
Fellowship allowances generally include a monthly stipend of $2,400, round-trip
economy class airfare for the Fellow only, and travel to one scientific meeting
in the U.S., as appropriate. In addition, the program provides up to a total of
$2,000 toward the cost of health insurance for the Fellow and accompanying
family members. The only allowance for dependents is health insurance coverage.
The U.S. host institution receives a modest grant of $5,000 of which $3,000 is
an unrestricted grant for the host department and $2,000 is for administrative
costs related to the fellowship.
Timetable
January 21, 2005 The on-line application must be submitted to FAIMER.
January 21, 2005 All supporting documents must be received at FAIMER.
March 2005 Review of applications by Scientific Review Panel.
April 2005 Announcement of Awards
April - June 2005 Placements obtained at U.S. host institutions for awardees.
Programs must begin in October of the same year in which the award is made.
The interactive, web-based application is now available on this website; paper
applications are no longer accepted.
If you experience problems with the on-line application, please contact the IFME
program by e-mail ([email protected]), fax (215-966-3121), or by telephone
(215-823-2105 or 215-823-2106). Telephone assistance is available Monday through
Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time in the United States.
Other Fellowship Programs
FAIMER Institute
FAIMER also sponsors the FAIMER Institute, a fellowship program designed for
international medical school faculty who have the potential to play a key role
in improving medical education at their schools. It is uniquely designed to
teach education methods and leadership skills, as well as to develop strong
professional bonds with other medical educators around the world.
Masters in Medical Education
FAIMER is currently piloting a program that will permit IFME fellows to obtain a
Masters in Medical Education at institutions around the world, using graduates
of the FAIMER Institute as the test group.
Participating Institutes from India
Yenepoya Dental College
Smt. N.H.L. Municipal Medical College
Seth G.S. Medical College
Rangaraya Medical College
PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research
Pravara Medical Trust
Osmania Medical College
National Institute of Mental Health
M.P. Shah Medical College
King George's Medical College
Kasturba Medical College
Kakatiya Medical College
J.N. Medical College
Indira Gandhi Medical College
Government Medical College
Goa Medical College
Gauhati Medical College
Dayanand Medical College
Christian Medical College
Calcutta National Medical College
Banaras Hindu University
Annamalai University
Andhara Medical College
All-India Institute of Medical Sciences
Note: source: http://www.ecfmg.org/faimer/ifme/partinst.html
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