The challenges faced by the Irish health service in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID are unprecedented. 

The HSE Chief Clinical Officer has agreed, as a once off in this COVID era, to provide a number of fully funded post CSCST fellowships for the July 2021 – July 2022 training year.  The HSE has committed to supporting 8 Post CSCST Fellowships aligned to the RCSI for Surgery and Emergency Medicine.

To progress this initiative the HSE have partnered with the Postgraduate Training Bodies to identify, develop, recruit and oversee these once-off 12 month Post CSCST Fellowships. These opportunities will provide formal recognition of the Fellowships by RCSI.

The process of identification of the Fellowships and subsequent recruitment will be managed through Surgical Affairs with input from the HSE.

The relevant information and application are available here: Fully funded post CSCST Fellowships and for further information please email fellowships@rcsi.ie

This will provide perspective applicants with all the information and guidance required to submit an application. We would recommend that you consult with your hospital, Training programme director and specialty colleagues prior to submission of an application. Deadline for submissions is the 14^th December 2020.

This is a very welcome step and initiative to ensure the continued growth of formal Post CSCST Fellowships within the healthcare system and offers us a unique opportunity to provide doctors who have completed specialist training in Ireland to access high quality training in a specialised areas of clinical care in Ireland.

With a view to ensuring these Fellowships are accredited and approved in line with internationally recognised fellowships ISPTC and Surgical Affairs will work with the successful applicants to ensure each COVID Era fellowship meets the required accreditation standards for our Post CCST trainees who choose to remain at home to pursue fellowship opportunities.

We look forward to working with you on the establishment of these fellowships over the course of the next few months.