BIH Charité Junior Clinician Scientist Program

Requirements and program content

• Funding

  • Funding scope: two years (personal funding, pay group Ä1 TV-Ärzte)
  • Protected research time: 20 percent protected time for research
  • Target agreement: written definition of content-related goals and research and clinical time at the start of the program together with the program fellow, mentors, clinic director and program management
  • Dedicated and continuous mentoring: one mentor from each of the areas of clinical training and biomedical research
  • Structured and competency-based curriculum: the BIH Charité Junior Clinician Scientist Program does not include a dedicated continuing education program, but almost all education offers for (Digital) Clinician Scientists are also accessible to Junior (Digital) Clinician Scientists; e.g., modules for the acquisition of scientific competencies and key qualifications, seminars on translational, interdisciplinary topics, and meetings for scientific exchange between clinicians and researchers
  • Travel support: max. 1.500 € per program participant for conference visits (active participation) and work visits within the framework of the BIA Mobility and Innovation Fund

  After a successful application, the BIH Charité Junior Clinician Scientist Program can be succeeded by the BIH Charité (Digital) Clinician Scientist Program.

  The position will be pay group Ä1 on the basis of the TV-Ärzte Charité, taking into account qualifications and personal requirements, for a fixed term of two years with 20 percent of the full weekly working time.

  Various measures have been implemented to make the BIH Charité Junior Clinician Scientist Program family-friendly. The program can be completed part-time, whereby only the clinical part can be reduced (to at least 20 percent of a full-time position). The protected time for research of 20 percent, which is covered by the program, cannot be reduced by working part-time. This does not extend the program duration of two 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 open to physicians and dentists with an employment contract at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Applicants who are not currently affiliated with the Charité must provide written confirmation from the host department at Charité stating that they will receive an employment contract at Charité by the start of the funding period. Applicants must have started their medical residency in a clinical specialty by the start of the respective funding period. The duration of training must not exceed three years at the time the funding begins. Dental applicants must have begun their specialization in a dental discipline by the start of the funding period. Returnees from abroad and applicants outside of Charité are eligible to apply provided they have a binding prospect of an employment contract at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin at the time of application.

  Further requirements:

  • completed doctorate
    • Dr. med., Dr. med. dent., PhD or comparable academic degree
    • degree at least magna cum laude
• Application

  The BIH Charité Junior 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 and basic 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 (grade of at least magna cum laude)

  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 Junior (Digital) Clinician Scientist Program, the (pre)selection of BIH Charité Junior (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 Junior 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 two-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 Junior 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.

• Events

  A monthly CSP Jour Fixe is held, during which the (Digital) Clinician Scientists present their research projects to the other program participants and the program leadership. These meetings are also open to Junior (Digital) Clinician Scientists.

  Junior Clinician Scientists are also cordially invited to the annual retreat, where (Junior) (Digital) Clinician Scientists, mentors and clinic directors come together. The retreat serves as a communication platform for (Junior) (Digital) Clinician Scientists to expand their network with one another and with mentors, and provides a space for scientific and strategic discussions.

  Junior Clinician Scientists also have access to the biannual Hot Topic Seminars on varying topics in the field of translational medicine, as well as the two-day Clinician Scientist Summer Symposium on Translational Medicine. For this symposium, which takes place every two years in Berlin, Junior Clinician Scientists can propose international speakers with expertise tailored to their own research areas.

  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]).