The Israeli Medical Association World Fellowship Scholarships, 2020.
This year, 15 scholarships were awarded to outstanding Israeli physicians who are going to or have already begun fellowship programs around the world. The US$4,000 (16,000 NIS) scholarships were funded by the Israeli Medical Association, the Organization of Clalit Physicians, the Organization of State Employee Physicians, Rambam Medical Center, Rambam Medical Center Physicians' Committee, Sheba Medical Center and Sheba Medical Center Physicians’ Committee.
The World Fellowship Grants Committee, consisting of Prof. Arnon Afek, Chairman of the Israeli Medical Association World Fellowship, Dr. Arie Bitterman, Dr. Alex Levin and Dr. Boris Itzkovitz, convened to evaluate 63 exceptionally qualified candidates. The World Fellowship Grants Committee meeting was held in the presence of Adv. Sara Broker of the Israeli Medical Association who monitored the evaluation process.
After much deliberation, scholarships were granted to 15 doctors who have been accepted to fellowship positions in the US, Canada, Spain, Brazil and the UK.
The scholarship program gives physicians a unique opportunity to experience foreign medical systems, institutions, and practices hands-on and to serve as ambassadors of Israel and the Israeli medical field. Additionally, these scholarships strengthen the connection between World Fellowship members abroad and their Israeli colleagues.
Due to the understandable restrictions enforced upon us by the Corona Pandemic, the World Fellowship Grants Committee made the difficult decision to cancel the World Fellowship Scholarship Ceremony this year. However, as in previous years, the scholarships were awarded to the recipients in memory of a deceased physician, thereby maintaining this meaningful tradition.