PhD for MD contracts
Call for projects closed Call for applicants closed Interview and/or deliberation closed Results announced
The call is closed.

Presentation of the call

The PhD Program in Neuroscience of Aix-Marseille University (AMU) proposes to finance one year of doctoral scientific research for interns, young medical doctors, or pharmacy graduates. This call will provide the selected candidate, enrolled in a PhD in Neuroscience, with the opportunity to spend a fully-funded year of research within a NeuroMarseille laboratory. The contract is fully funded by NeuroSchool (nEURo*AMU, ANR-17-EURE-0029) and aims to foster links between doctors, pharmacists, and researchers, to encourage the involvement of doctors and pharmacists in experimental research and to bring scientific, medical and paramedical training closer together.

The selection process takes place in three stages:

  • a call for projects for research teams from Aix-Marseille University laboratories with receipt of applications by February 28, 2023, at the latest,
  • a call for applications from interns, young doctors or pharmacists with receipt of applications by May 2, 2023, at the latest,
  • the audition of the shortlisted candidates which will take place in late May/early June (exact date to be specified later; auditions may be conducted by visioconference).

Important: Candidates who wish to apply with a project other than those submitted in step 1 by the researchers are free to do so. They must then apply with this new project, in coordination with the AMU researcher of their choice. The project and the application will then be examined jointly.

Call for projects (for researchers) - CLOSED

Researchers of the AMU laboratories are invited to propose a doctoral research project in neuroscience for a resident or young doctor in medicine or pharmacy.

The principal investigator (PI) with whom the PhD student will perform the majority of the research activity must hold an HDR affiliated to the Ecole Doctorale Sciences de la Vie et de la Santé (ED62) d’Aix-Marseille University and must be working in a research team affiliated to NeuroMarseille.

To submit a project, please download the file below (see the “Documents available for download” tab, scroll down the left panel to see it).

The PhD research project must highlight its neuroscientific aspects. Maximum 1 page in Verdana font size 11, i.e. approx. 500 words. It must contain :

  • a title
  • the state of the art and international scientific context,
  • objectives,
  • methods,
  • expected outcomes and benefits,
  • adequacy with neuroscience,
  • feasibility (e.g. indicate the CPP number for human studies),
  • expected candidate profile, specifying at least 4 skills.

Please submit the project at the latest on February 28, 2023, at midnight Central European Time (CET) via the online form below.

The validity of the projects will be checked by a committee to ensure its feasibility and compliance with the rules of the Life and Health Science Doctoral School of Aix-Marseille University (AMU). After verification of their eligibility, research projects will be posted on the NeuroSchool website as well as advertised worldwide by early March 2023. PI applicants are also encouraged to advertise these calls.

Call for applications (for students) - CLOSED

The candidates will be able to download the necessary documents from early March 2023, in the “Documents available for download” tab (scroll down the left panel to see it):

  • The list of proposed research projects – update : no research project was proposed directly, but applicants can propose one along with their application, in coordination with a NeuroMarseille researcher. Please describe the project as explained in the “Call for projects” section above.
  • The document “Choice of research projects”, in which the candidate should select and rank up to two of the proposed research projects – update : as there was no proposed project upstream, please use your letter of motivation to explain why you are the best candidate for this project.
  • The template for the two recommendation letters that must be sent by two referees directly to neuroschool-phd-program-direction@univ-amu.fr

We invite interested candidates to contact PIs as early as possible to learn more about their project, specifying that they are preparing an application.

The application must be submitted in English on our website before May 2, 2023, at midnight (CET) and must contain:

  •  The document (“Choice of research projects”) highlighting the adequacy between the applicant’s background. Up to the two research projects can be selected (see “Documents available for download” tab, scroll down the left panel to see it) – update : not necessary anymore
  • a detailed CV (with copy of the obtained degrees)
  • a letter of motivation (500 words max – update : can be twice as long since it now includes the “choice of research project”): compared to the document about the choice of research project, you can talk more generally about your application and research interests, without going into detail about the chosen projects.

Where should you apply? Click directly on “Submit your application” on this call.

The selection of candidates will be done in 3 phases:

  • 1st phase: the project leaders proceed to a first pre-selection of the candidates who seem most suitable for their project.
  • 2nd phase: the selection committee examines the pre-selected candidates of all projects and selects the candidates to be auditioned according to their academic background, motivation and their adequacy with the project.

Important: not all candidates who are pre-selected by the project supervisors will necessarily be auditioned.

  • 3rd phase: the selected candidates from Phase 2 are interviewed, if necessary by videoconference, by the selection committee who will establish a final ranking.

The selection committee will be composed of the heads of the NeuroSchool PhD Program in Neuroscience, clinicians, and researchers.

PhD starting date: between October and December 2023

Interview

Shortlisted candidates will be informed by e-mail and will then be auditioned individually in late May/early June 2023 (date to be specified later). These interviews may be conducted by visioconference.

The selection committee will be composed of the heads of the NeuroSchool PhD Program in Neuroscience, clinicians and researchers.

The interview usually consists of :

  • a brief presentation of the applicant’s CV and background, the main objective of the selected project and the applicant’s motivations (10 minutes),
  • answers to questions from the selection committee (10 minutes).

Conditions and guidelines

At the time of the application, candidates may either be in the course of completing their residency, having validated their residency (MD and/or PharmD, and/or “diplôme d’études spécialisées”) within the previous two years, or be “Chef de Clinique des universités-Assistants des hôpitaux (CCA)” or”Assistant Hospitalier Universitaire” (AHU). This limit does not apply to applicants who have already started their PhD in science.

Candidates must obtain their Master’s degree at the latest by September 1st, 2023.

The successful candidates must be registered or register for their Ph.D. at AMU, in neuroscience. Their research must be completed on a full-time basis in an AMU research laboratory for a period of one year starting no later than December 2023.

One 1-year contract will be awarded during this call.

To avoid any conflict of interest, members of the selection committee must not be associated with one of the research projects presented by the shortlisted candidates.

Selection criteria:

Candidates will be selected by a committee according to the following criteria:

  • background and academic perspectives of the candidate, motivation and adequacy with the project,
  • feasibility of the project for the candidate (including complementary financial support),
  • potential co-financing.

General information

Monthly salary: 2395.45 € (gross), i. e. approximately 2221 € (net), or 2142 € net after income tax, subject to contribution rate changes.

Contact:

neuroschool-phd-program-direction@univ-amu.fr

Documents available for download

Call for projects phase

Please rename the document with the name of the PhD supervisor and include the summary of the PhD project.

Call for applications phase

Please rename the documents with your name in first position.

Results

Following its call for PhD projects for young medical doctors, the NeuroSchool PhD Program awarded a one-year PhD contract to Ionut-Flavius Bratu , who will do his PhD at the INS under the supervision of Fabrice Bartolomei and Agnès Trébuchon, on the following topic: Characterization of the postictal state: detection of the epileptogenic networks and quantification of the postictal deficit.