The EMD Serono June Halper MS Clinical Excellence Fellowship
CMSC Clinical Training Institutional Award
In line with Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) mission of being the preeminent North American professional organization for Multiple Sclerosis Healthcare and Research, the CMSC and its supporters are launching this new excellent opportunity for training of future neurologists in clinical neuroimmunology with focus on multiple sclerosis and research related to neuroinflammation and neuroimmunology. The award is designed to support Academic MS Centers that demonstrate excellence in education and research of new MS providers and physician-scientists with difficulties in obtaining other sources of financial support for training fellows.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The applicant PrincipaI Investigator (PI) and Academic Institution must be a CMSC member in US or Canada.
- Apply for a pre-submission: A Letter of Intent with general descriptions of training goals, brief history of training former fellows, previous funding resources and Institutional limitations to apply for available training funding, along with the need for this award to support the training of future clinical fellows and physician-scientists’ candidates at the Institution.
If pre-application is accepted, an invitation for full submission will be provided in 2 weeks.
Full Application Format:
- Proposal Summary (2-3 pages) Please provide a concise overview of your proposed MS clinical fellowship program, including:
- Program objectives and goals
- Expected outcomes for Fellows
- How the program addresses current needs in MS research and clinical care
- Project Information Location (1 page)
- Include country, state, city, and zip code
- Training plan including Clinical Training Curriculum (please use table format)
- Research opportunities available (1 page)
- Description of 2-3 potential research projects available to fellows including research mentors (max 2-3 paragraphs each)
- List of previous fellows trained at the institution and their present professional status
- List of clinical mentors involved in the training. For each clinical mentor, please provide:
- Name and academic qualifications
- Specific role in the fellowship program
- Full CV (as attachment)
Award Selection:
Applications will be evaluated by a review committee composed of members of the Clinical Research Committee of the CMSC. Funding begins within 30 days after executing a signed agreement with the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers and the institution’s authorized representative.
Fellowship Selection:
Fellows will be chosen by Awarded Institution among applicants who have a degree in medicine (MD or DO) from an accredited institution and are licensed to practice medicine in the U.S or Canada. Applicants must have completed their residency training but be within 3 years of residency completion when funding begins. There are no citizenship requirements for applicants. Selection of the Postdoctoral Fellow: It will be the responsibility of the Institution to identify and recruit the postdoctoral fellow. The CMSC must be notified of the selected postdoctoral fellow’s identity no later than May 1, 2025.
Fellowship Stipend:
The fellow stipend offered is $100,000, payable to the institution. This amount will be distributed in four equal quarterly installments of $25,000 each throughout the fellowship period.
Institution Expenses:
The institution will receive $25,000 for direct and indirect expenses.
Travel Allowance:
An allowance of no more than $1,000 may be made to help institutions defray the costs of travel for the postdoctoral fellow to the CMSC Annual Meeting. Request must be submitted a minimum of 2 months before the meeting date to be considered for this travel support.
Research Allowance:
A research allowance of no more than $5,000 will be provided for the duration of the advanced training period. Research fees should be requested within 4 weeks of the start of the fellowship and should include a description and budget. Fellows are encouraged to share their research projects at the CMSC Annual Meeting.
Unexpended Funds:
Unexpended funds remaining at the termination of the award must be returned to the CMSC.
Participation in CMSC Programs:
Funded fellows are also expected to attend and participate in the CMSC Annual Meeting. Fellows will receive communication from CMSC staff about the schedule.
Other Activities:
Fellows should be able to sit for the CMSC MSCS examination which will assess their knowledge of basic science principles and clinical care in the following areas:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge base encompassing basic science and clinical aspects of MS
- Serve as a resource for information about current research directions and clinical trials
- Demonstrate best practices to ensure the appropriate use of established and novel agents, adherence, monitoring, management of adverse events and prevention.
Final Progress Report:
The mentor is expected to submit a final report on progress to the CMSC within 30 days following the termination of the award. The final report must include a summary of work conducted during the year of support; and a statement describing the overall benefits of the training experience and future plans. Additionally, the institution must also prepare the final expenditure report. Following completion of the program, Fellows will be required to participate in an evaluation in which they rate their ability to meet the stated learning objectives on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 representing the strongest mastery).
