MD Fellowships
The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds awards MD fellowships to outstanding medical students who are prepared to interrupt their studies for at least 10 months and change institution and city to conduct an experimental research project in basic biomedical research.
Purpose
To provide gifted young medics with the opportunity of pursuing ambitious research projects in internationally renowned laboratories.
Who can apply for an MD fellowship?
The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds awards MD fellowships to medical students who wish to pursue an experimentally demanding and hypothesis-driven research project in basic biomedical research in a leading laboratory.
Applicants must study medicine in Germany, put their studies on hold and change their working place (institution and city) for the entire duration of the MD fellowship, i.e. for an uninterrupted period of at least 10 months. Their research stay should take place before the third part of the medical examination (“Dritter Abschnitt der Ärztlichen Prüfung”).
Applicants are eligible if they gained good or very good marks in the first section of the medical examination (“Erster Abschnitt der Ärztlichen Prüfung”) and during their subsequent studies.
Applications must be submitted within 8 years after the University entrance qualification or high school-leaving exam (e.g. “Abitur”) and reach the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds at least three months before the planned change of location.
For a survey of topics that we can fund, please refer to the results of finished PhD projects in FUTURA, which cover a similar range of topics as the MD fellowships.
We do not support
- clinical studies;
- applied research, such as biotechnological and pharmaceutical (e.g. drug, diagnostic) development and studies on the course of diseases or the treatment of symptoms;
- botanical and prokaryotic investigations unless they are of general biological importance.
Furthermore, the MD fellowships cannot be used to supplement inadequate funding from other institutions or earned incomes, to bridge temporary financial difficulties or to complete investigations already sponsored by other sources or institutions.
The fellowship
- MD fellowships are granted for 10–12 months, an extension of up to 6 months is possible.
- The monthly stipend including a flat-rate for project-related costs and a country-related premium amounts to 1150 - 1600 euros.
- In addition, MD fellowship holders may receive travel allowances to participate in scientific meetings or practical courses. They can become part of a worldwide network of PhD and MD fellows.
Timing and selection
Applications may be submitted at any time, but must reach the foundation at least three months prior to the planned change of location and proposed commencement of the MD fellowship. The entire application - including the project proposal - must be written in English and by the applicants themselves.
For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.