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EBCOG fellowships

European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Introduction

In order to stimulate the mobility of trainees across Europe, EBCOG (the European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists) annually awards three fellowships to Obstetrics and Gynaecology trainees currently training in Europe. This exciting project, set up by EBCOG and ENTOG (the European Network for Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology) and successfully piloted in 2012 and 2013, was thought to contribute to the harmonisation of training standards throughout Europe. The positive feedback from these fellowships has resulted in EBCOG awarding further fellowships in the following years.
EBCOG awards three individual fellowships per year, each worth 3000 euros, to spend a three-month period in a foreign training centre which has been recognised by EBCOG.
The fellowship is usually announced in autumn of the previous year and the fellowships awarded during early spring of the following year. The fellowship has to be completed during the same year it has been awarded. Specific guidelines and/or deadlines will be made available via the EBCOG and ENTOG websites and their respective newsletters each year.
The fellowship project is being managed by an interim working group constituted by members of the EBCOG Executive and the ENTOG Executive.

Obligations

EBCOG should assist trainees in obtaining a fellowship in their accredited centre of choice but cannot guarantee the availability of a hosting centre for the fellowship program. The hosting centre will be required to appoint the trainee a tutor throughout their fellowship, in addition to providing a rota and a list of departmental and national requirements for arranging the fellowship. The trainees learning objectives should be decided on an individual basis and defined at the beginning of the fellowship.
Before application the following arrangements have to be made:

Candidates are expected to personally contact the hospital where they wish to complete the fellowship to ensure the feasibility of the fellowship PRIOR to applying for the EBCOG fellowship.
The head of department from the hospital that the trainee will be leaving to complete their fellowship has to endorse the arrangement.
The head of department of the hospital the trainee wishes to complete their fellowship in has to endorse the arrangement.

After completing the fellowship, each trainee is expected to send a final report to EBCOG summarising his or her activities and financial expenditures (mandatory). They are also requested to share their experiences on the ENTOG/EBCOG websites within two months after the completion of the fellowship.

Application process

Application materials can be found and submitted on the ENTOG website: https://entog.eu/fellowships/

Applicants are requested to send the following documents before the application deadline announced each year:

Application form
Curriculum vitae (maximum two pages)
Motivation letter for the fellowship (maximum one page)
Letter of endorsement written by the head of department from the hospital that the trainee will be leaving to complete their fellowship.
Letter of endorsement (or letter of intention) written by the head of department of the hospital the trainee wishes to complete their fellowship in.

Note: Candidates are expected to personally contact the hospital to ensure the feasibility of the fellowship PRIOR to applying for the EBCOG fellowship.

Additional information

You are personally responsible for planning your fellowship, including travel arrangements and accommodation.
Additional expenses beyond the 3000EUR grant will not be covered by EBCOG.
Some, but not all, hospitals may be able to negotiate a salary. Please enquire prior to application.
Check in your own department/country whether the fellowship will be recognised (i.e. whether the three months spent abroad will be included as part of your national training).
Enquire about possible language barriers (English may not be enough) and enquire about the national requirements to be more than an observer. Recognition of your medical degree/title may be required (e.g. GMC recognition is essential for working in the UK). Please appreciate that these administrative procedures may take a great deal of time to complete.
Confirm the need for liability insurance, and whether the hosting hospital will cover you.
Check occupational health requirements such as MRSA swabs, hepatitis and BCG vaccinations.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Exact eligibility as a current O&G trainee (highest predictor / prerequisite)

Eligibility is the first and most important filter. Competitive applicants must generally be:

Current obstetrics and gynaecology trainees
Training in an EBCOG member country
Still in basic specialist training when the fellowship is completed

An otherwise excellent applicant who does not meet these requirements is unlikely to be eligible.

2. Strong educational and training value (very high predictor)

The central purpose of the fellowship is training development, not conventional research funding. The strongest applications clearly explain:

What competencies will be gained
Why the proposed experience is important
How the training fills a current gap
How the fellowship advances the applicant's development as an obstetrician-gynaecologist

EBCOG's broader mission is to improve the health of women and babies by raising standards of training and care across Europe.

3. Clear fit with the EBCOG PACT training framework (very high predictor)

The proposed fellowship should focus on either:

Basic or Core training in obstetrics and gynaecology, or
Training in one of the recognized Elective modules under the EBCOG PACT framework

A proposal that clearly maps its learning objectives to recognized European training requirements is likely to be stronger than a vague observational visit.

4. Strong added value of European mobility (very high predictor)

The fellowship was created specifically to stimulate trainee mobility across Europe and help harmonize training standards.

The strongest applicant explains:

Why training abroad is necessary
What the host centre offers that the home institution does not
Which new clinical practices or skills will be learned
How exposure to another European healthcare system will improve professional development

The international placement should have a clear purpose beyond simply spending time at another hospital.

5. Excellent host-centre fit and accreditation (very high predictor)

The host institution must meet the program's standards. The fellowship should generally take place at:

An EBCOG-accredited training centre, or
An eligible nationally accredited centre in a country with an EBCOG-recognized national visitation system

A strong application selects a host centre because it offers specific expertise, case exposure, procedures, or training opportunities that match the applicant's objectives.

6. Advance confirmation of placement feasibility (very high and actionable predictor)

EBCOG expects applicants to contact the proposed host hospital before applying to confirm that the fellowship is feasible.

This makes advance planning a particularly important success factor. Strong applicants are likely to have:

Contacted the host centre early
Confirmed availability
Discussed training objectives
Resolved practical barriers
Established a realistic placement plan

This is one of the clearest actionable requirements in the published fellowship criteria.

7. Strong endorsement from both home and host departments (very high predictor)

Before application, the arrangement must be endorsed by:

The head of department at the applicant's home hospital
The head of department at the proposed host hospital

Strong institutional endorsement signals that the placement is feasible, supported, and educationally valuable.

8. Specific and individualized learning objectives (high predictor)

EBCOG expects learning objectives to be defined individually at the beginning of the fellowship.

Competitive applications should therefore identify concrete goals such as:

Developing a specific surgical skill
Improving high-risk obstetric management
Gaining exposure to maternal-fetal medicine
Learning minimally invasive gynaecological techniques
Developing expertise in reproductive medicine
Improving ultrasound or diagnostic capabilities

Specific, measurable objectives are stronger than broad goals such as “gain more experience.”

9. Strong tutor and structured training plan (high predictor)

The host centre is expected to appoint a tutor and provide a rota and relevant departmental requirements.

The strongest fellowship plan therefore includes:

A suitable supervisor or tutor
Structured clinical activities
Appropriate case exposure
Defined learning opportunities
A realistic schedule

This demonstrates that the fellowship will be an organized educational experience rather than an unstructured observership.

10. Ability to complete the fellowship and reporting requirements (high predictor)

The fellowship must normally be completed during the same year in which it is awarded. After completion, fellows must submit a report covering activities and financial expenditures and are requested to share their experience through EBCOG/ENTOG channels.

A strong applicant therefore demonstrates:

Availability during the required period
Realistic travel and training arrangements
Ability to complete the placement on schedule
Commitment to reporting and dissemination

EBCOG's annual reporting confirms that completion and administration of fellowships are actively monitored.

Specialties

Gynecology

Obstetrics

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be current Obstetrics and Gynaecology trainees from an EBCOG member country (for a list of member countries go to www.ebcog.eu/council). They should have not yet completed their basic training prior to the completion of the fellowship.
The fellowship is intended to expose the trainees to basic (“Core”) training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology or to training in one of eight elective modules (“Elective”) according to the EBCOG PACT (European Training Requirement) training recommendations (available here: www.ebcog.eu/pact and here www.entog.eu/fellowships).
The fellowship must be hosted in either an EBCOG accredited or nationally accredited training centre. The latter is only applicable for countries with an EBCOG recognised national visitation system. A list of accredited centres can be found on the EBCOG website (www.ebcog.eu/visitation).
The fellowship should be completed in the same year in that it has been awarded.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Rue de l'Industrie 24, 1040 Brussels

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