BIH Charité Digital Clinician Scientist Program

Requirements and program content

• Funding

  • Funding scope: three years (personal funding, pay group Ä1/Ä2 TV-Ärzte)
  • Protected research time: 50 percent protected time for research; recognition of research time by the Berlin Chamber of Physicians (up to 18 months)
  • Target agreement: written definition of content-related goals and research and clinic time at the start of the program together with the program fellow, mentors, clinic director and program management
  • Dedicated & continuous mentoring:  one mentor each from the fields of clinical training, biomedical research, and digitalization
  • Structured and competence-oriented curriculum: modules for acquiring (computer)science competencies and key qualifications, seminars on translational, interdisciplinary topics, and meetings for scientific exchange between clinicians and researchers. Furthermore, there is the possibility to acquire key qualifications. In addition, seminars on translational and interdisciplinary topics as well as regular meetings for exchange between clinicians and researchers
  • Travel support: max. 2.250€ per program participant for conference visits (active participation) and work visits within the framework of the BIA Mobility and Innovation Fund

  The position will be pay group Ä1/Ä2 on the basis of the TV-Ärzte Charité, taking into account qualifications and personal requirements, for a fixed term of three years with half weekly working hours.

  Various measures have been implemented to make the BIH Charité Digital Clinician Scientist Program family-friendly. The program can be completed part-time (at least 70 percent), whereby only the clinical part can be reduced (to at least 20 percent of a full-time position). The protected time for research of 50 percent, which is covered by the program, cannot be reduced by working part-time. This does not extend the program duration of three years, but the clinical training must be extended in accordance with the reduction of the clinical part. In addition, program participants have the option, in consultation with the program management, to pause their personal funding for up to a maximum of 36 months (up to 18 months per child) due to employment restrictions, maternity leave, and parental leave.

• Requirements

  The program is aimed at doctors of human medicine and dentistry with a clinical connection to the Charité. Returnees from abroad who have a binding prospect of a position at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin at the time of application are eligible to apply. Applicants must have completed at least three years of residency in a clinical area at the time of the start of the respective funding period or have started residency training in a specialization after having already completed it, whereby applicants without a residency degree will be given priority. Returnees from abroad and/or external candidates who have a binding prospect of a position at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin at the time of application are also eligible to apply. Physicians with completed habilitation usually cannot be considered. Applications from candidates who have already completed a structured Clinician Scientist Program at another location with protected time for research (usually 50%) cannot be considered in the application process. However, applications from candidates who have already successfully completed a Junior CSP at another location (usually 20% protected time for research) will be considered.

  Further requirements:

  • completed doctorate
    • Dr. med., Dr. med. dent., PhD or comparable academic degree
    • degree at least magna cum laude; in individual cases compensable by outstanding publication achievements
  • continuous scientific activity as evidenced by publications
• Application

  The BIH Charité Digital Clinician Scientist Program is announced twice a year. The application includes, among other things:

  • a fully completed application form, including information from your resume and a project outline
  • a letter of recommendation from the head of the clinic or institute
  • nomination of three mentors (clinical, basic science, and computational science)
  • completed and signed forms: confirmation of performance, confirmation of funding, and information regarding ethics approval and authorization for animal research projects
  • medical license
  • doctoral degree certificate

  Applications must be submitted online via the BIH Application and Reporting Portal within the respective application period.

  Women are strongly encouraged to apply. With the aim of attracting the best and most innovative colleagues to the BIH Charité (Digital) Clinician Scientist Program, the (pre)selection of BIH Charité (Digital) Clinician Scientists is conducted using separate “selection lists” for women and men. Each “selection list” receives half of the available positions. Selection is based on defined quality criteria and minimum standards.

  
  Following a formal review of the application documents, the selection of Digital Clinician Scientist candidates takes place through a two-stage process:

  Stage 1: Pre-selection on the basis of the written applications by the review panel

  Stage 2: Final selection by the review panel after the selection colloquium, during which the candidates present their project to the review panel

• Course of the program

  Target agreement meeting

  At the start of the program, the program management conducts a goal-setting meeting with the program fellow, their mentors, and the clinic director. During this meeting, the content and schedules for clinical work and research over the three-year funding period are planned and documented in writing, and any outstanding questions are addressed. The target agreement is signed by all parties involved.

  Reporting Requirements to the Clinician Scientist Office

  After one year of program funding and annually thereafter, the Digital Clinician Scientists prepare a report on the current status of their research project. A final report is submitted at the end of the funding period. Scientific continuing education and training, the status of clinical training, and career-relevant indicators/developments (e.g., habilitation, newly acquired third-party funding, publications, awards), as well as breaks due to rotations or parental leave, are recorded separately. Reports are submitted online via the BIH Application and Reporting Portal.

  Feedback meetings with mentors

  The continuous mentoring includes regular feedback meetings with the mentors to discuss the progress of the research project and clinical training (at least once a year). The annual written reports on the progress of the research project serve as the basis for these discussions. The submission of the feedback meeting minutes to the Clinician Scientist Office of the BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy, including the signatures of all participants, is mandatory once a year for the Digital Clinician Scientists.

  Final meeting with the program management

  At the end of the program, there will be a final meeting  with the program management to discuss both the experiences gained during the program and future career prospects.

• Curriculum

  

  In addition to protected research time and dedicated mentoring, the DCSP focuses on modules for the acquisition of scientific competencies. In total, DCSP fellows are required to earn 180 credits, with 90 credits covered by clinical training (specialty or subspecialty training) and 70 credits covered by the research project. The remaining 20 credits are earned through DCSP curriculum offers.

  As part of the structured, competency-based curriculum, fellows can attend scientific events as well as education and professional development courses from the portfolio of the BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy (BIA), the BIH Center for Responsible Research (QUEST), and the BIH department for Equal Opportunity, or earn credits by participating in courses offered by (partner) institutions.

  In the elective area, Digital Clinician Scientists can individually enroll in scientific training and professional development courses that equip them with specific core, methodological, and leadership skills relevant to their project and/or their professional development. When selecting courses, emphasis should be placed on the digital aspects of medicine and medical research.

• Events

  At the monthly CSP Jour Fixe, (Digital) Clinician Scientists present their research projects to the other program participants and the program management. The CSP Jour Fixe promotes networking and scientific exchange among the (Digital) Clinician Scientists.

  In addition, seminars from the Hot Topic series are held twice a year on a variety of topics in the field of translational medicine; these are organized by the (Digital) Clinician Scientists (with support from the Clinician Scientist Office) and are intended to promote dialogue between clinicians and researchers on interdisciplinary topics.

  During the annual CSP Retreat, the (Digital) Clinician Scientists meet with their mentors and clinic directors in the Berlin area. The retreat serves as a communication platform for the (Digital) Clinician Scientists and for expanding their network with one another and with their mentors, and provides an opportunity for scientific and strategic discussions.

  In addition to the CSP Retreat, a two-day Clinician Scientist Symposium on Translational Medicine is held every two years in Berlin, to which (Digital) Clinician Scientists can invite internationally renowned physicians and scientists as speakers. This gives them the opportunity to discuss their projects with leading personalities from their own field of research. During the symposium, program participants have the opportunity to present their research project in the form of a short presentation or a poster.

  The BIH supports program participants with children and, whenever possible, provides childcare at the event venue. This also applies to the monthly CSP Jour Fixe meetings. If you have any questions about childcare, please contact the BIH’s Equal Opportunity Officer, Karin Höhne ([email protected]).

• "Excellence-Track"

  In recent years, several fellows of the BIH Charité (Digital) Clinician Scientist Program ((D)CSP) have secured funding for outstanding early-career research programs, which led to the development of the "Excellence Track". Admission to the “Excellence Track” is intended for principal investigators who have secured outstanding third-party funding.

  Clinician Scientist Fellows of the "Excellence-Track" are not required to go through the official two-stage selection process of the BIH Charité (Digital) Clinician Scientist Program, as they have already prevailed in a highly competitive external selection process. They will be associated to the (D)CSP and have the same rights and obligations as the regularly funded Clinician Scientist Fellows (see all information on this website). The only difference is that the research portion of their position is not funded by program funds.

  Admission to the Clinician Scientist "Excellence Track" is reserved for the following programs:

  • Emmy Noether Program (DFG)
  • European Research Council (ERC) Grants  
  • Professorships (e.g. Lichtenberg Professorship of the Volkswagen Foundation); decision on a case-by-case basis

  Starting with Call 2023_II, recipients of funding from the Max Eder Junior Research Group Program (Deutsche Krebshilfe) will also be included. 

  NOTE FOR ALL CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS WITH CURRENT (D)CSP FUNDING:

  • If you successfully obtain one of the above-mentioned excellence grants during your regular funding within the BIH Charité (Digital) Clinician Scientist Program, you will switch to the "Excellence Track". This will end the funding from program resources; however, your rights and obligations as a Clinician Scientist Fellow will continue (see above).
  • Please contact the CSP Office if you are applying or planning to apply to one of the above-mentioned excellence programs during your regular funding under the BIH Charité (Digital) Clinician Scientist Program.

  If you have any questions regarding the Clinician Scientist "Excellence-Track", please contact the CSP Office:

  Prof. Dr. Il-Kang Na (il-kang.na@bih-charite.de), Director BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program
  Dr. Nathalie Huber (nathalie.huber@bih-charite.de), Head of BIH Clinician Scientist Office