Merck Sharp & Dohme International Fellowships in Clinical Pharmacology
by the Merck Company Foundation

ASCPT
If you are interested in clinical pharmacology, please study the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) thoroughly. The Society is the one and only organization dealing with this as its main subject. If you have already presented one time or more in the Society, you are fully qualified to apply for any fellowships as the Merck Fellowship and the chance of winning one of them may be, I hope, around fifty percent or more. Or even if you have some material(s) and are planning to submit it within one year, you are the right applicant for them.

To tell the truth, this was not true in my case. Dr. Carr and I were interested in new radiopharmaceutical compounds, and, as a matter of fact, before we met we had been attending the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine rather than ASCPT, not knowing each other at all. In my first letter to Dr. Carr, I wrote that I had presented papers for two successive years in the Society, and the fact might have had an impact on his decision to invite me to his Department.

further reading


• Calnan J, Barabas A. Speaking at medical meetings: a practical guide. William Heinemann Medical Books, 1976.
• Mande S. Effective presentation skills. London: Kogan Page, 1988.
• Ollerenshaw R and Mansell P. From mechanical aids to instruction. Br Med J 26 August 1950:2; 488-493./
• Paton A. Write a paper. In: Lock S, ed. How to do it - a collection of BMJ papers. 2nd ed. London: BMA; 1985:135-140.
• Zimmer M. Effective presentations.London: Sphere Reference, 1987.

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
The Society is publishing its official journal of the above title through the Mosby Company. If you have not as yet subscribed to the Journal, why don't you do it as soon as possible by electronic subscription (full texts online) ? It is simple as well as inexpensive, and is well worth it. Then please subscribe ardently and know what institutions there are in the United States. If you are keenly interested in some papers published, the chairperson of the institution is exactly the right person whom you should contact either by e-mail, letter, or overseas call eventually. Please do not hesitate and stick to the bitter end. The goal is near.

ASPET ( American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics )


"Merck Sharp & Dohme International Fellowships in Clinical Pharmacology. Directory of Merck Fellows."

In the year 2000, The Merck Company celebrated its publication of the centennial edition of the Merck Manual, the one and only best and long seller ever published in the world of medicine. In addition, the Merck Company issued a complete list of Merck Fellows as titled above.

In it are the e-mail lists of the most Merck Fellows. The Directory shows each Fellow's present committee work or administrative activities as well as research work or interest.

If you are interested in a special subject and want to know if there are any Merck Fellows who are the experts on your subject of interest and may give you good advice, I would be happy to look the subject up in the Directory and inform you whether such Fellow is in it, since the book may be a limited edition.

Please be careful in writing correctly and properly. Any small typographical or grammatical errors may be fatal in achieving your goal, and I advise you to have not only your manuscripts but also your letters proofread by professional people. And please remember. This Fellowship is international. Some of the Merck Fellows are from The United Kingdom and from Canada, to name a few countries.

When I prepared the manuscripts of the Merck Fellowship application in 1985, proofreading had to be done in person. It was rather time-consuming work. Those were really bad old days when I could not spare a minute to complete that difficult mission. Nowadays there may be many companies that deal with such subjects as a form of e-business.

The Chicago Manual of Style
Medical Encyclopedia/MEDLINEplus Health Information

You buy, eat, and travel using Internet. Then, why don't you learn by Internet? There are many good sites on the Internet. To name a few ...

Online TOEFL Practice (from Free ESL.net) etc. The importance of thousands of internet radio stations ( news, sports, dramas, etc. ) of CD quality for English language education cannot be expressed fully. When I was a medical student some 25 years ago in the Far East, the only way to listen to streaming English speech is to fine-tune either of the only two short-wave radio stations ( FEN and AFRTS ) at midnight. The quality was bad enough to hear and was as if I were listening to people talking 20 meters away on the subway.

If you specialize in cardiology, please subscribe ACCEL audiotape or audio CD ( click here ). It brings you each month the latest cardiovascular news, literature reviews, editorials, and in-depth coverage of conferences worldwide i.e., up-to-date reports on diagnosis, treatment, and research. Listen any time, while you're driving or exercising, to leading specialists who share their expertise and insights on the most important recent issues. I have listened this tape for years every day.

Stanley Academy offers English medical terminology training and homestay accomm

Please read ECFMG home page carefully and keep yourself thoroughly informed ( please click here ). If you read the Merck Fellowship Brochure, a completed ECFMG certificate may not be necessarily required. However, at least USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK may be mandatory from a practical point of view. If not qualified by ECFMG at all, you have to do quite a limited work in any United States hospital, even though your mission is not to be enrolled in a certain residency program. Fortunately enough all who study hard can pass this test anyway. Thus, there should be no reason why you avoid taking these two tests in your country. For up-to-date information on how to win ECFMG award, why don't you visit ( KAPLAN home page ) ?

Actually ECFMG award is only a passing point to State medical licenses. In order to be fully qualified, you have to pass an examination for State license that differs from State to State, after winning ECFMG award. Fortunately, you do not need the State license at all to pursue your work in clinical pharmacology as a Merck Fellow. In my case, although the New York State medical license had not been completed, all the people in the hospital acknowledged me heartily as a research fellow and a house staff.

You had better consider not applying for CSA without a strategy of your confirmed belief. For some people passing this exam may be simple but too expensive, since you have to go between you country and the United States before applying for the Merck Fellowship. Although I do not say it is absurd, it is not practical at all anyway. Besides you have to be aware of an important announcement ( please click here ) in that, when USMLE Step 2 CS is implemented in mid-2004, it will replace the ECFMG CSA as the exam that satisfies the clinical skills requirement for ECFMG Certification. This means that you must mark USMLE home page also ( please click here ) and read carefully. Discuss this matter with your United States Sponsor.

Among several world enterprises, not only the Merck Company Foundation but also other pharmaceutical companies offer opportunities of pharmacology fellowships in the United States, and I can easily imagine that many more companies may be offering such opportunities.

• Cardiovascular Diseases Subspecialty Fellowship Program. Mayo Clinic Rochester
• Public Health Informatics Fellowship Program (PHIFP)
• Neurology Fellowship Programs University of Rochester
• FREIDA Online
• The College Fund/UNCF
• Research & Development Postdoctoral Research Fellow Program, 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA
• National Medical Fellowship, Inc.
• Life Sciences Research Foundataion. Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

  PAST AND CURRENT SPONSORS.
  
  

  Abbott Laboratories

  Amgen

  Diagnostics R&D - Mannheim

  Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute

  The Burroughs Wellcome Fund

  E.l. du Pont de Nemours and Company

  Eli Lilly and Company

  Exxon Education Foundation

  Genentech, Inc.

  Genetics Institute, Inc.

  GlaxoSmithKline

  The Golden Family Foundation

  Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.

  Howard Hughes Medical Institute

  Johnson & Johnson

  Kansas Health Foundation

  Richard Lounsbery Foundation

  John D. and Catherine T. Mac Arthur Foundation (The)

  Merck Foundation

  Novartis Pharma

  OfDonnell Foundation

  Pfizer Global Research and Development

  Sanofi Winthrop, Inc.

  Schering-Plough Foundation

  Upjohn Inst.

The State University of New York at Buffalo, where I studied, has both medical school and pharmacy school and is ideal for Merck Fellowship application. For example, by using inteenetm you can easily get information on the best pharmacy schools, departments, and programs in the United States. Unfortunately my boss Dr. Carr had already retired and left his office.

Academic Degree: MD

Year of Fellowship Award : 1986-88

Name of US Training Institution : Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of New York at Buffalo, 127 Farber Hall, Buffalo, New York 14214

Name of US Sponsor : Edward A. Carr, M.D. He was then Professor and Chairman, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, State University of New York at Buffalo, 127 Farber Hall, Buffalo, New York 14214.

Title of research work conducted during fellowship tenure :

(1) Clinical Heart Transplantation: scintigraphic detectability of acute rejection using three radionuclides (thallium-201, technetium-99m and gallium-67). By December, 1988, a total of some 200 scintigraphies have been performed in 13 patients. The results were published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 1989; 30:1464-9. Several other radionuclides were also studied. Twelve-lead electrocardiograms of the 13 patients were also studied. The results were published in Japanese Circulation Journal, 1990; 54: 1122-9.

(2) Rat Heart Transplantation: uptake of various radionuclides, i.e., thallium-201, technetium-99m, gallium-67, technetium-99m tertiary butyl isonitrile (TBI), in rejecting and non-rejecting rat hearts has been pursued since before 1986. In 1986-88, newer radiopharmaceuticals, iodophenyl pentadecanoic acid, NEN-30 (an isonitrile compound), and indium-111 labeled platelets were further studied. Effects of cyclosporine A and sulfinpyrazone to inhibit platelet accumulation were also studied. Part of the results were presented by Prof. Carr at several medical meetings.

(3) Dipyridamole Scintigraphy: this work was conducted by Drs. J. Smalley and A. Ellis, Department of Cardiology, Buffalo VA Medical Center. In 1987, I collaborated with them for about four months. Eighty patients or so were studied then. Each case was discussed with other guest cardiologists at weekly catheterization conference.

Since 1988, after coming back to Japan, I had joined in about 50 to 60 phase-2 trials of new cardiology drugs in Japan. The exact number needs weeks to review and is, as of this writing, not clear enough unfortunately. But the number means that I have been very busy since I left the United States.

The drugs cover almost all cardiology drugs which have become commercially available from 1988 through 1998 in Japan, in passing, the latest was losartan potassium, becoming available since Sept. '98, in Japan. All studies have been funded by the corresponding pharmaceutical companies in Japan.

Most works have been done in Nagoya University Hospital and in the Department of Cardiology, Meitetsu Hospital, Nagoya, and other affiliated hospitals of Nagoya University, mostly under the direct leadership of Dr. Kazuo Yamada. He is Professor Emeritus of Nagoya University and is Director Emeritus of Meitetsu Hospital. A best old boy! I returned to Nagoya University in 1988 and moved to Meitetsu Hospital in 1990. Dr. Yamada is, I believe, among the twelve famous cardiologists in Japan, e.g., once the editor-in-chief of Japanese Circulation Journal.

In the State University of New York, on the other hand, much time had been spent on clinical heart transplantation. Although almost twenty years have already passed since then, only a few operations of this kind have been performed in Japan. To my regret, my mission to the Unites States is not yet fully accomplished.

1. Yamamoto S, Ogawa S, Kitano T, Shima K, Sakamoto T, Shibamiya K, Kondo T, Sotobata I :Complete evaluation of the cardiovascular lesions in 24 patients with Takayasu's aortitis using four-image, intravenous digital subtraction angiography. Am Heart J 114(6):1426-31, 1987

2. Yamamoto S, Matsushima H, Suzuki A, Indo T, Matsuoka Y: A comparative study of thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography and electrocardiography in Duchenne and other types of muscular dystrophy. Am J Cardiol 61:836-41, 1988

3. Yamamoto S, Bergsland J, Michalek SM, Carroll M, Gona JM, Balu D, Carr EA : Uptake of myocardial imaging agents by rejecting and nonrejecting cardiac transplants. A comparative clinical study of thallium-201, technetium-99m, and gallium-67. J Nucl Med 30:1464-9, 1989

4. Suzuki A, Muto S, Ohshima M, Saito H, Yamamoto S, Yokota M, Hayashi H: A new scanning method for thallium-201 myocardial SPECT: semidecubital position method. Clin Nucl Med 14:736-41, 1989

5. Yamamoto S, Bergsland J, Michalek SM: Evolution of right bundle branch block and other intraventricular conduction abnormalities in the transplanted human heart. Jpn Circ J 54: 1122-9, 1990

6. Yamamoto S, Kitano T, Kanda H, Kondo T, Suzuki A: A comparative study between a new, 50-degree right-semidecubital scanning and usual supine scanning of thallium-201 myocardial tomography for evaluation of coronary artery disease. Jpn Circ J 55: 356-64, 1991

*There are also peer-reviewed papers that were written in Japanese and published in Japan. Each has no English title, however, and is omitted here. The author hesitates to announce that the second article is cited in the most world-famous cardiology textbook The Heart by Dr. Hurst.

The Fellowships are offered to help meet the worldwide need for well-trained pharmacologists to discover new drugs, evaluate them properly, provide advice to government and industry, educate medical students, physicians, and the public, and study and decrease drug toxicity.

The purpose of the Fellowship is to promote and strengthen the discipline of clinical pharmacology in countries outside the United States. The Fellowships are intended to provide training for individuals interested in clinical pharmacology, so they may become qualified to teach and conduct research in this discipline in medical schools and hospitals throughout the world.

After the training program in the United States, Fellows are expected to return to their home countries and contribute to the advancement of clinical pharmacology there. The Fellowships are not intended to provide training in other fields, for persons already qualified in clinical pharmacology, nor for a course of study intended primarily for obtaining a degree.

The statement below is intended to help the applicant and sponsors envision the skills that the Selection Committee expects a Fellow to possess upon completion of a program of study supported by a Fellowship:

Clinical pharmacology seeks to ascertain the biochemical, physiological, and pharmacological effects of drugs on all parts of the human body under all conditions - including toxicity, metabolism, and modes of action. It is concerned with the evaluation of efficacy, therapeutic utility, and safety of drugs administered to human beings and/or human populations.

The training program contemplated by the applicant and the United States Sponsor should supplement the applicant's present clinical training with the special training essential to the study of drug action in man. The special training should provide a thorough understanding of the assessment of clinical and pharmacological literature, the ethical conduct of research, experimental design, measurement techniques, errors of measurement, analysis and interpretation of data, preparation of manuscripts, and communication of data.

The appropriate areas of study and training should include but are not limited to those listed below. Applications that bridge two or more areas are encouraged.

Basic Science - Includes but not limited to biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, animal and human pharmacology and physiology, pathology, toxicology, pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics, proteomics, biostatistics.

Patient Orientation - Includes but not limited to clinical studies, drug development science, drug disposition and effects, and risk-benefit analysis.

Population-based Orientation - Includes but not limited to pharmacoeconomics, pharmacoepidemiology, phamacogenetics, risk-benefit analysis, drug utilization and regulatory policies.

It is also desirable that the Merck Fellow should participate in the clinical pharmacology services provided by the U.S. Sponsor's unit at the training institution, such as assisting the clinical areas in drug studies or teaching medical students and house staff critical approach to the use of drugs in human beings.

The selection Committee expects that the skills in research and teaching acquired by a Merck Sharp & Dohme International Fellow in Clinical Pharmacology will be recognized by an appropriate appointment upon returning to the Fellow's home country.

Four fellowships are awarded annually. Each award is for a term of up to two years at recognized training institutions in the United States. The recipients of the recipients awards, known as "Merck Fellows" may begin fellowship tenure any time up to one year from the date of award notification.

Each fellowship award provides an annual stipend of $35,000 to the Fellow, which may be subject to the U.S. income taxes. The fellowship award will be administered by the U.S. training institution with which the Fellow is affiliated during the fellowship tenure.

In addition, the Foundation will provide appropriate funds to the U.S. training institution to cover standard tuition and fees for the Fellow, medical benefits for the Fellow, spouse and up to two dependents, and travel expenses incurred by the Fellow, spouse and up to two dependents traveling to the training institution in the United States at the start of the program and back home upon completion of training.

The applicant must

Be a citizen or resident of a country other than the United States;

Be a physician, i.e., have an M.D. degree or equivalent;

Be licensed to practice in his/her home country; and

Have completed at least three years of post-medical school training, such as one year of internship and two year of residency in a medical specialty.

Applicants must also proficient in speaking and writing the English language. This is to assure that Fellows will receive optimum benefit during their two-year fellowships in the United States.

Completed applications and all supporting documents must be received October 18, 2003, in order to be considered for the 2004-Fellowships.

Incomplete, late, or applications submitted via fax will not be considered.

Awards will be announced in January 2004.

Application material may be obtained from The Merck Company Foundation or from the local MSD offices throughout the world. Inquiries may addressed to The Merck Company Foundation by mail or by fax to 1-908-423-1987. All applications and inquiries must be submitted in English.

An applicant must provide name of tow sponsors: a Home Country Sponsor and United States Sponsor described below. Please refer to the Application Instruction and to Application Form #3 for further information about the responsibilities of the sponsors.

Home Country Sponsor

The Home Country Sponsor must be someone, such as a dean, department head, other university or hospital administrator, or the applicant's supervisor, who knows the applicant, is familiar with his/her higher work, and who is able to assure the applicant of a suitable position upon completion of training in the United States. The letter from the Home Country sponsor is an important component of the applicant and is key criterion for selection.

United States Sponsor

Each applicant must have a sponsor at a training institution in the United States who has agreed to direct and supervise the training program. Applicants must be accepted in the training program before applying for the Fellowship.

The director of the clinical pharmacology program at the training institution, or a senior faculty member within the program is an appropriate sponsor. The information provided by the U.S. Sponsor about the training and research programs planned for the applicants is an important component of the application since the quality and usefulness of the training and research in the United States are key criteria for selection.

Applicants whose first language or "mother tongue" is not English are encouraged to make every effort to provide with their application, the results obtained from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) . Though TOEFL results are not required at the time of application, they are helpful in the selection process. TOEFL results, however, must be sent to the foundation before fellowship tenure may begin and award winners are expected to achieve a TOEFL score that demonstrates sufficient proficiency in the English language. Applicants may write to the TOEFL center in the United States at the address below to obtain information on how to register for and take the TOEFL. Alternatively, applicants may contact their local TOEFL test or information center.

TOEFL/TSE Services
P.O. Box 6151, Princeton NJ 08541-6151, U.S.A.
Tel: 1-609-771-7100
Fax: 1-609-771-7500
Website: www.toefl.org
E-mail: tofl@ets.org

Information on clinical pharmacology training programs in the United States may be available from clinical pharmacology journals, the website of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics: www.ascpt.org, or websites of universities or medical schools in the United States.

A Selection Committee of distinguished scientists in medicine and clinical pharmacology considers all applicants on a competitive basis. Awards are based on the Committee's evaluation of all factors, with special emphasis on:

Applicant's ability, education, and training, and professional objectives;

Position offered in home country upon completion of the training program;

Home country need for highly trained clinical pharmacologists, as well as the adequacy of facilities there; and

Quality and usefulness of the training and research program in the United States.