Overview
The International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) Fellowship Program is designed for early career professionals who are interested in building the skills and networks that will enable them to become effective maternal newborn health (MNH) change agents at the country, regional, and global levels. IMNHC fellows want to contribute to, shape, and define global MNH priorities. They are viewed by their colleagues and peers as current and future MNH leaders. The IMNHC Fellowship Program seeks fellows with a diversity of MNH experience and backgrounds, including researchers, academics, health workers, public health professionals, program implementers, managers, and health administrators.
The Fellowship Program will be a cohort-focused program, running from February through June 2023, that includes pre-, during-, and post-conference activities to enhance the IMNHC experience for early career professionals. These activities will include networking opportunities with MNH leaders, tailored sessions, opportunities to speak or moderate at IMNHC 2023, and a co-creation workshop where fellows will help design the future of the Fellowship Program. In this co-creation workshop, fellows will collaborate with IMNHC organizers to consider the curriculum, structure, and format of the Fellowship Program for future IMNHCs.
The IMNHC organizers are accepting applications for the Fellowship Program from 1 December 2022 through 4 January 2023. Ultimately, 20 fellows will be accepted to comprise this first IMNHC Fellowship cohort.
Interested candidates should:
- be between 18 and 35 years of age on 8 May 2023
- have fewer than five years of professional experience in maternal and/or newborn health
- have a minimum of a professional degree
The IMNHC organizers strive for a diverse and representative group of fellows, especially with respect to geography, gender, and experience.
Guidance
To be eligible for the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) Fellowship Program, candidates must meet ALL requirements below:
- Be between 18 and 35 years old on 8 May 2023
- Have 5 years or less of professional experience in maternal and/or newborn health
- Have a minimum of a professional degree (e.g., associate’s degree)
The application process:
Applications for the Fellowship Program are open from 1 December 2022 to 4 January 2023. The application has three components:
- Responses to questions: Applicants should respond to the following questions during the application process. Responses can be submitted either in written format (an essay of no more than 1,200 words) or in video format (an MP4 file, maximum 3 min. in length).
- Tell us why you are interested in joining the Fellowship Program, explaining both how this program will enhance your professional development AND what experience or perspective you will bring to the program. Please also speak to what you will bring to the co-creation workshop to design the future iterations of the Fellowship Program.
- What does this year’s conference theme—Together 2023—mean to you? Applicants are encouraged to consider ways in which their work in MNH will support this theme.
- Submit an updated CV/Resume (PDF format)
- Submit a letter of reference (PDF format): This may be written by a peer, colleague, educator, or supervisor, with contact information included.
Kindly note that while IMNHC 2023 Fellowship Program activities will be conducted in English, application materials can be submitted in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. IMNHC will include translations for select sessions in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Selection criteria:
The IMNHC organizers will use the following questions to guide the evaluation of Fellowship Program applications:
- How well does the applicant demonstrate how the Fellowship Program will enhance their professional development goals and objectives?
- Does the applicant’s experience and/or education add a valuable perspective to the Fellowship Program?
- Does the applicant demonstrate a deep understanding of the conference theme, Together 2023, and how it contributes to their work in maternal newborn health?
- Does the applicant demonstrate strong potential for leadership in maternal newborn health, based on their experience and education?
- Does the letter of reference provide evidence of strong interpersonal skills and leadership qualities?
In reviewing the applications for the Fellowship Program, the IMNHC organizers will also seek to ensure that the group as a whole is diverse and representative, with particular respect to geography, gender, and diversity of experience. As such, secondary criteria that prioritize a balanced Fellowship cohort overall will also be utilized.
Submission
Applications for the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC) Fellowship Program are now open! Thank you for your interest in submitting an application. Please note that applications may be submitted from 1 December 2022 until 4 January 2023, 11:59 P.M. SAST. Please click here for general information and guidance on applications. Please also review this short video with additional details on the application process as well as this step by step guidance on submitting an application. All frequently asked questions may be found here. All other questions can be directed to [email protected].
Official Link: https://imnhc2023.org/fellows-program/submission/
