Overview

Through the generosity of Edwards Lifesciences Foundation, TSF offers these travel scholarships of $2,500 for qualified early-career cardiothoracic surgeons (within seven years of completion of CT surgery residency), cardiothoracic surgery residents, and general surgery residents who are interested in participating in humanitarian outreach.

The TSF International Medical Volunteer Scholarship provides a 1-2 week volunteer opportunity for a cardiothoracic medical volunteer to learn from an experienced cardiothoracic surgeon volunteer leader. International Medical Volunteer Scholars will choose from TSF affiliated cardiac surgical trips, and serve as an active member of the volunteer team, assisting with surgery, screening, and/or medical education for underserved patients. Examples of recent international TSF volunteer opportunities include humanitarian outreach work in Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Nepal, and Peru.

Purpose

The TSF International Medical Volunteer Scholarships aim to provide humanitarian outreach experience for early-career cardiothoracic surgeons (within seven years of completion of CT surgery residency), cardiothoracic surgery residents, and general surgery residents who wish to gain experience in surgical outreach efforts.

The humanitarian outreach trips engage volunteers in work with underserved patients in low and middle-income countries under the mentorship of an experienced surgeon volunteer. These trips are designed to educate, screen and/or treat underserved populations, and may include other programs that advance health care and address underserved populations.

Eligibility

a) A cardiothoracic surgeon who has completed a program leading to certification by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery or its equivalent in a country outside of the United States, and who is within seven years of completion of CT surgery residency, or;

b) A cardiothoracic surgery resident enrolled in an ACGME-accredited cardiothoracic surgery residency fellowship program (or the equivalent outside of the United States) who has not yet completed their training.

c) A general surgery resident who is enrolled in an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency program and has not yet completed their training (or the equivalent outside of the United States), and who has shown a demonstrated interest in cardiothoracic surgery.

Required Application Materials

• Biographical Information
• Short Answer Questions
• Applicant's Curriculum Vitae or NIH Biosketch
• Headshot Photograph
• One (1) Letter of Recommendation*

*If the applicant is a resident, the letter of recommendation must come from the applicant’s program director. The program director must confirm that the resident has permission to participate as an international medical volunteer, which would remove them from their residency program for up to two weeks.

Timeline

Application Open: February 18, 2026
Application Deadline: March 15, 2026
Applicants Notified of Award or Regrets: No later than April 30, 2026

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