Fellowship Introduction
The European Society of Cardiology introduced the status (title) “Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology” (FESC) in 1988, as an honorary recognition offered to its most prominent members.
The Fellowship of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC) is an internationally-recognised, prestigious position, confirmed by the FESC diploma, for excellent clinical cardiologists and cardiovascular scientists with a deep interest and knowledge of cardiovascular medicine. Cardiologists and cardiovascular scientists bearing the title FESC are recognised as the core group of ESC experts, serving the Society in different roles and benefiting from certain privileges as specified below.
Requirements to become a Fellow of the ESC: Applications for ESC Fellowship
An FESC candidate must prove scientific or clinical excellence in cardiology:
Scientific excellence
- Copy of academic diploma (MD., PhD. or equivalent): If not originally in English, translation is mandatory
- Publications record of the applicant: pasted (copied, printed) directly from PubMed, Web of Science or Scopus international scientific libraries (must include all authors as they appear on these web libraries). Other (eg self-typed) publications lists will not be accepted
- Supporting letter from the President of an ESC Association or Chairman of the ESC Working Group or two supporting letters in English from two ESC Fellows
- Short CV in English with contact details
Clinical excellence
- Copy of National Cardiology Diploma (either official translation in English, or explained in the supporting letter from the NS)
- Copy (reprint, preferably in PDF format) of one publication, where the candidate is the first author. (This may be a publication in a national cardiology journal)
- Two supporting letters in English: One letter must be from the National Society of Cardiology (signed by its representative, who must be FESC). This letter should confirm, that the applicant is "a leading and distinguished cardiologist in his/her country“. Second supporting letter can be from any other ESC Fellow
- Short CV in English with contact details
All elements refered to here are mandatory. This means that the ESC Credentials Committee will reject candidates who do not supply all these elements.
Application Procedures
When applying for the ESC Fellowship online, please follow the procedures below:
- Select the category according to the candidate status
- Browse the documentation requested, depending on the category, and upload (all documentation has to be translated into English)
- Submit the application before the annual deadline of 15 March
Applications should be sent via the online submission system (no paper submissions will be accepted) to the European Heart House (Membership Services Departement) by the applicant or by any of the constitutional bodies of the ESC (National Society, Association, Working Group).
The application should be made electronically via the dedicated online system, available here or your ‘My ESC’ account. The application must contain all above specified documents.
The deadline for applications is 15 March, year N for ESC Fellowship to be awarded during the ESC Congress in year N. The newly elected FESC will be informed in May year N of acceptance / rejection of their application.
The newly elected ESC Fellows should pay the Fellowship fee before 1 January, year N+1. Thus, all FESC benefits, privileges and duties formally begin on 1 January, year N+1. Alternatively, the newly elected ESC Fellows may pay their first Fellowship fee immediately after they receive the notification of their election as Fellows (ie for the year N). In this case they will benefit from the ESC Fellows privileges upon receipt of their payment.
The Election Process
Applications submitted after the annual deadline will not be considered by the ESC Credentials Committee.
The ESC Credentials Committee reviews complete applications only and the candidate is informed by email.
The payment of the yearly Fellowship fees generates the Fellows Privileges here
Annual Fellowship Fee Rules
The yearly Fellowship fee is 400 EURO, and covers the period of 1 January – 31 December. The request for payment for previously-elected, confirmed, Fellows is mailed at the end of September and the payment must be received before 30 November to ensure the delivery of the selected Journal early January (when the Fellowship fee is paid on time).
Payment should be made preferably online.
On 1 January, all advantages for Fellows will be cancelled if the Fellowship fee remains unpaid.
After 2 years of non-payment of fees, consecutively or not, the Fellow will be informed of his/her exclusion from the ESC Fellowship, unless payment is received within 3 months. An excluded Fellow will remain a Member of the ESC if he/she is a Member of an ESC Constituent Body, and his/her reintegration in the ESC Fellowship register will be accepted upon payment of all due fees.
A "pay in order" principle applies: the Fellowship fee is due every year and one may only pay the Fellowship fee of the given year, upon payment of the fee of the previous year.
Exemption of Payment Rules
In the case where a Fellow is unable to pay his/her Fellowship fee, he/she must contact the Membership Services Departement before November, giving the full reason for his/her inability to send the payment. The reason should be unexpected (eg sudden significant illness or similar). Differences in economic standards of various countries will not be accepted as reason for exemption, as far as this was known to the candidate before he/she applied for the ESC Fellowship.
The ESC Credentials Committee will then make a decision. Exemption will be possible only for specific reasons and the evaluation will be made on a case by case basis. The exemption is valid only for one year and cannot be repeated.
A Fellow exempted from payment will retain Fellowship but cannot claim Fellows‘ privileges such as subscription to the ESC Journal or free entrance to the ESC Congress and its onsite Fellows advantages.
The Emeritus Fellow (EFESC)
The status of Emeritus Fellow will be conferred by the ESC Credentials Committee upon written request of the Fellow when he/she reaches minimum age of 65 years, and retires from full-time work. Proof of retirement should be provided to the Membership Services Departement.
An Emeritus Fellow retains the title of Fellow but is no longer required to pay the annual Fellowship fee.
He/she is entitled to attend the ESC Congress at a reduced registration fee that will also include one of the ESC Journal subscription for one year.
The status of Emeritus Fellows of the European Society of Cardiology will not be offered to Fellows with outstanding fees unpaid to the ESC. |