For over 30 years ESMO has supported more than 600 young oncologists through a range of fellowships that have provided valuable educational opportunities, shaped professional lives and enhanced careers.
The ESMO oncology fellowship programme provides young oncologists time dedicated to learn how to think scientifically and conduct research according to rigorous standards and incorporate the latest scientific practices into daily practice.
The ESMO Oncology Fellowship Programme promotes:
- Professional development
- Research, education and the science of medical oncology
- Networking of oncology institutes and oncology fellows
- Importance of mentors to supervise and guide young oncologists
An ESMO Fellowship educates young oncologists in the field of clinical and laboratory research and is an investment in the future, which is likely to impact on the quality of cancer patient care for years to come.
These are practical programmes with a number of important objectives:
- To improve treatment: The programme guides and challenges Fellows early in their academic career, with the goal of raising levels of clinical competence and professional excellence and improving the quality of patient care.
- To advance science: Through the collaboration of home and host institutes and under the mentorship of dedicated faculty physicians and scientists, Fellows receive specialised training in translational and/or clinical cancer research. This training provides Fellows with valuable clinical and laboratory experience and with the skill sets necessary to implement their newly acquired techniques.
- To enhance careers: Oncology Fellowships support the professional development of young oncologists through encouraging their involvement in high-quality clinical and research projects. ESMO Fellows who participate successfully in the Translational and Clinical Research Fellowship Programme also receive a certificate of recognition at the awards ceremony during the ESMO Congress.
What our Fellows think about the Programme
Christoph Massard
Institute Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
If you want to better understand your strength or weakness, you need to go abroad and come back for good as Ulysses and his Odysseus. Ten years on, my best memories are the network of smart people met during my journey.
Noelia Tarazona
Hospital Clinico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
The ESMO Fellowship was an excellent opportunity to further strengthen my training to be a leader in Oncology which has been my goal since I graduated in Medicine. I had the opportunity to spend two years at a “Centre of Excellence” (The Royal Marsden) and that gave me a greater understanding of different work perspectives, the chance to meet colleagues for future collaborations and allowed me to introduce my new knowledge and skills into my home institution. I feel so proud of being part of ESMO and I would like to continue contributing to the progress of this Society.
Konstantinos N. Syrigos
Athens University School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
As an ESMO fellowship recipient, I am very proud and I believe that this was a very important step in the beginning of my professional career
Giannis Mountzios
Henry Dunant Hospital Center Athens, Greece
The ESMO Fellowship Programme has opened a new window of opportunity for me and has made me think and act as an international l Oncologist. It has broadened my spirit and my perception of cancer as a global health issue and has taught me that multidisciplinary teamwork offers the best results. I am grateful to ESMO for the opportunity given to me when I most needed it and for making me feel like a member of a big family of dedicated professionals who share the same goals and the same vision, to improve cancer care worldwide.
To find out more see Giannis’s article in ESMO Perspectives