International Travel Grants for Surgeons and Anesthesiologists

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The International Society of Surgery Foundation (issfoundation-issf.org) in conjunction with the European ISS Foundation for Global Surgical Care offers a number of Travel Grants to young surgeons in general surgery, trauma surgery, and digestive surgery, as well as anesthesiologists (< 40 years old). These grants are not, unfortunately, for medical students or residents in their first two years of training. Awards are focused on individuals from developing countries who have demonstrated interest in teaching and research. The award will permit the recipient access to the International Surgical Week ISW 2026, the 51st Congress of the International Society of Surgery ISS/SIC in Mexico City, Mexico, which takes place from 19 to 23 April 2026.

 

The award is a substantial monetary contribution toward travel, hotel, and living expenses. The congress registration will be waived (i.e., free for awardees).

Applicants must be documented graduates of Schools of Medicine and must be younger than 40 years of age at the time of application. Applicants whose careers are in the later stage of their training or in their early career development after training are deemed more suitable candidates than those in senior academic positions.

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The date of birth must be included in the application, as should a photograph—preferably a passport-sized photo. Applications will be accepted only when the applicant is in surgical or anaesthetic practice, teaching, or research in a field of or related to surgery/anesthesiologists for a minimum of one year after completion of all formal training.

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Individuals who are already economically funded by any third party or who have received a prior ISS Foundation travel award may not apply for an ISS Foundation Travel Scholarship. If any support is obtained while the ISS Foundation application is in process or already awarded, the ISS Foundation office must be informed immediately. Preference will be given to applicants who have not attended prior international meetings.

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Award sponsors: ISSF | IATSIC | ISDS | IASMEN

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Application Requirements

• Completed application form (see above).

• Applicants must have demonstrated some form of commitment to teaching and clinical or basic research by their country-of-origin standards.

• Applicants should provide separate lists of all published scientific journal articles, book chapters, and abstracts (avoid articles in development or in press).

• Applicants must provide a short statement of personal goals and career objectives in the discipline of surgery and/or anesthesiology.

• Applicants should have a working knowledge of English (proceedings of the ISS/SIC Congress are in English only).

• Applicants must submit letters of recommendation from three of their colleagues, one of whom must be the chairman of the department in which they hold their appointment or their senior surgeon in charge. These letters must include a specific statement detailing the nature and extent of the applicant's past interest in teaching and other academic involvement.

• Each applicant must also submit an abstract for potential presentation at the meeting (submission at https://www.isw2026.org/abstracts) and include a copy of this abstract with the application.

• Travel scholars will be required to submit a short report about the experience and how it affected their future career plans, provided to the ISS Foundation office at the meeting's completion.

Further information and travel award applications for the International Surgical Week (ISW) 2026 can be obtained from the ISS Foundation website (issfoundation-issf.org) or from the ISS Office (surgery@iss-sic.com).

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The application process will open on 20 June 2025.

 

The Abstract Deadline is the  8 August 2025.

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The deadline to apply is 20 September 2025. Applications received after this date will not and cannot be considered. Successful applicants will be notified by 20 October 2025. 

 

The award must be used for the International Surgical Week ISW 2026.

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Successful applicants are required to follow the Travel Scholar Program. This program will be published at a later stage.

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Applications are to be submitted by email to surgery@iss-sic.com.

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Cheng-Har Yip, President, ISS Foundation
Michael G. Sarr, Secretary-Treasurer, ISS Foundation

DISCLOSURE: By applying for the ISS Foundation Travel Scholarship, the applicant declares that she/he is not in an economic position to self-support 

ISW 2026 attendance. Furthermore, no financial support from any third party is given at the date of application.

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