+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Verified

The Robin S. McLeod Traveling Fellowship for Surgeons from Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract

Purpose
The SSAT established the fellowship to promote interaction among surgeons in low- and middle-income countries and members of the SSAT. The goal is to develop centers of excellence in GI surgery throughout the world, harnessing the expertise of SSAT members and identifying local champions who can promote GI surgical quality in their home countries.

Conditions of Fellowship
Successful candidates will work with their assigned SSAT Sponsor to visit the sponsor’s institution. During this visit, the candidate will have opportunities to learn about various aspects of GI surgery. The candidate will attend the DDW meeting and present their plan for the development of GI surgery in their country to the International Outreach Committee. The fellow will receive a complimentary five (5) year membership to the SSAT and serve on the International Outreach Committee for one year. At the end of their one year of service on the International Outreach Committee, the fellow will provide an update on their local progress and present a strategic plan for the future.

Traveling Fellowship Stipend
The successful recipient will receive a stipend of up to 8,000 USD to support reasonable costs for travel, lodging, and meals. Funds will be used to travel to Digestive Disease Week plus visit one or two institutions where the recipient will be hosted by an SSAT member. In addition, the Society will pay for the Traveler’s registration at DDW. Additional support for family members will not be provided. Traveling Fellows must submit a complete itinerary to receive funds prior to travel. Following completion of the fellowship, the Traveling Fellow must provide a summary of expenses including original receipts.

The Traveling Fellows will receive complimentary membership in the SSAT for five years.

Fellowship Application Process
To be eligible for consideration, the following materials must be submitted to the Society’s Administrative Offices via the online application

Completed application that indicates the area of study in which the Traveling Fellow is interested and if the Fellow requires assistance in choosing institutions to visit.
Copy of the Traveling Fellow’s curriculum vitae.
Letter from Chair/Superior at the Traveling Fellow’s own hospital/university.
A needs assessment for GI surgery in the local community including identification of strategic local partners and pitfalls in development of a local center of excellence.

Review Timeline

June 30, 2026	Application Deadline
July 2026	Applicants reviewed by the International Outreach Committee
August 2026	Applicants are notified
September 2026	Applicants accept or decline Fellowship by this date
January 2027	The traveler should submit their complete itinerary and a letter from the host SSAT member(s).
May 2027	Applicants attend DDW
Before or after DDW	Successful applicants visit 1 or 2 other institutions
Within 6 months	Successful applicants submit a report of trip

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Strong relevance to digestive diseases or GI surgery

The clearest predictor is direct alignment with digestive disease research or gastrointestinal surgery.

The most competitive proposals typically address:

gastrointestinal surgery
foregut disease
colorectal disease
pancreatic disorders
hepatobiliary surgery
esophageal disease
inflammatory bowel disease
surgical oncology of the GI tract
bariatric/metabolic surgery
digestive disease mechanisms

SSAT states that its Career Development Awards support investigators in digestive diseases.

2. Clear clinical relevance and patient impact

One of the strongest SSAT-specific predictors is clinical relevance.

Successful applications usually demonstrate potential to:

improve surgical outcomes
improve perioperative care
reduce complications
improve quality of life
optimize digestive disease management
improve decision-making in GI surgery

Projects with a visible path to improving care for patients with digestive diseases tend to score highly.

3. Strong early-career investigator profile

SSAT funding is especially focused on young faculty and emerging surgeon-scientists.

Competitive applicants are often:

surgeons within 5 years of first faculty appointment
junior academic GI surgeons
early-career faculty establishing independent research programs
residents or fellows applying for trainee awards

The SSAT Career Development Award specifically targets surgeons within five years of their first faculty appointment.

4. Strong translational or clinically rigorous study design

Successful proposals generally include:

hypothesis-driven translational research
rigorous clinical investigation
prospective outcomes research
patient-centered outcomes
comparative effectiveness research
surgical education research

SSAT explicitly supports both basic laboratory and rigorous clinical investigation.

5. Feasible project with protected research time

A particularly important predictor is whether the investigator has:

realistic project scope
achievable milestones
institutional support
sufficient protected time

For some SSAT awards, the department/division must ensure protected time for research, often at least 25% effort.

6. Strong mentorship and academic environment

Competitive applications often show:

established research mentor(s)
strong GI surgery division support
access to patient populations or databases
clinical research infrastructure
protected academic development pathway

This is especially important for residents, fellows, and junior faculty.

7. Potential to launch an independent research career

A core goal of SSAT funding is helping applicants become independent surgeon-investigators.

Reviewers often favor projects likely to:

generate pilot data
lead to NIH/NIDDK or equivalent funding
produce publications
build long-term digestive disease research programs

The Career Development Award is explicitly intended to “assist in the establishment of investigators.”

8. Outcomes, education, and health services research are increasingly competitive

SSAT now explicitly funds:

clinical outcomes research
patient-centered outcomes research
health services research
comparative effectiveness research
cost-effectiveness research
surgical education research

This creates strong opportunities beyond bench research.

9. Strong publication and presentation potential

Reviewers favor projects likely to:

produce peer-reviewed manuscripts
be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW)
contribute to the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
build national visibility in GI surgery

SSAT-supported work is frequently presented at DDW and published in GI surgery journals.

10. Engagement within the SSAT academic community

Applications can be strengthened by:

SSAT membership
participation in SSAT meetings
DDW abstract presentations
networking with GI surgery collaborators
involvement in early-career SSAT programming

SSAT’s Early Career GI Surgeon Development Track reflects this emphasis on career-building and community engagement.

Common Reasons for Rejection

Frequent reviewer concerns include:

weak GI or digestive disease focus
insufficient clinical relevance
poor feasibility
lack of protected time
weak methodology
limited innovation
unclear path toward independence
inadequate mentorship structure

Specialties

Gastroenterology

Surgery

Gastrointestinal Surgery

Eligibility Requirements

Open to all practicing Alimentary Tract surgeons in low- or middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank Classification.
Priority will be given to surgeons where there is deemed to be a need in the local environment and the Fellowship will be beneficial to the traveler and to the local hospital where they practice.
Each recipient must attend the SSAT International Outreach committee meeting held at DDW.
At the conclusion of the Traveling Fellowship, the Traveler will submit a brief written report to the International Outreach Committee, which will include a description of the experience including highlights and observations and the strategic plan for continued development in their local community.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 500 Cummings Center Suite 4400 Beverly, MA 01915

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity