Gaining Experience Programme

Objectives

1. Offer Early Career Psychiatrists short observership placements (2-8 weeks) in various renowned psychiatric institutions across Europe that will allow them to broaden their clinical, research, teaching skills and knowledge, and become familiar with different mental health systems in Europe.
2. Improve mentoring and professional networks among experts and Early Career Psychiatrists.
3. Gather more Early Careers Psychiatrists under the EPA Early Career Psychiatrists Committee (ECPC) umbrella.

Observership Placements

This is a unique experience for Early Career Psychiatrists! The 2025 winners will have the opportunity to fulfill their observerships all around Europe:

• Ancona, ITALY – Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche
• Berlin, GERMANY – Psychiatric University Clinic of Charité, St. Hedwig Hospital
• Bern, SWITZERLAND – Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern
• Birmingham, UNITED KINGDOM – Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Budapest, HUNGARY – North-Buda Saint John Central Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Teaching Department of Semmelweis University, Baby-Mother-Father Unit
• London, UNITED KINGDOM – Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London / South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
• London, UNITED KINGDOM – Queen Mary University of London, East London NHS Foundation Trust
• Madrid, SPAIN – Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañon
• Milan, ITALY – Mental Health and Addiction Department Edoardo Bassini Hospital (MI), Nord Milano Community Health and Social Care Trust-ASST University of Milano-Bicocca
• Montpellier, FRANCE – Academic Hospital of Montpellier
• Palermo, ITALY – Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, Psychiatry Section
• Pecs, HUNGARY – University of Pecs, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
• Thessaloniki, GREECE – ΙΨΚ Institute of Psychotherapy and Greek rTMS clinic
• Tours, FRANCE – Child and adolescent Psychiatry University Department
• Zagreb, CROATIA – University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče
• Zurich, SWITZERLAND – Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Zurich

Want a sneak peek? Then check out what participants have to say about previous editions!

Eligibility

1. Applicants must be Early Career Psychiatrists (psychiatrists under 40 years of age and/or within 5 years after passing the specialist exam). Residents and trainees are not eligible for this programme.
2. Applicants must reside in a country included in the World Health Organisation – European Region (Select “European Region” from the drop-down list) and cannot apply for a placement in the country he/she is currently living in.
   
3. The applicant should be fluent in English and should have notions of the host country language for clinical purposes.
4. The applicant must be familiar with the proposed speciality of the department/institution.

Programme Requirements

• According to their profile and activities, institutions can offer clinical, academic, research-focused observerships, or a combination of these areas (see each placement descriptions above). Applicants must be familiar with the proposed specialty of the department/ institution they have chosen. For clinical purposes, applicants should be fluent in English and have notions of the host country language.
• Participants are encouraged to prepare a presentation about their work, institution and interests to be performed at the hosting institution as a way of sharing knowledge.
• As different countries have different regulations for patient confidentiality and right to clinical work, the exact level of patient contact or clinical participation during the placement should be discussed in advance with the host institutions.
• Participants will be asked to write an observership report (example of reports).
• Participants are strongly encouraged to present the experience gained during the programme at their home institution upon their return.

Application

Visit our dedicated webpage to know more about the application process.