Certificate of Advanced Studies in Gastrointestinal cancer - third cohort (CAS-GI)

 APPLICATION DEADLINE 15 DECEMBER 2025

The Certificate of Advanced Studies in Gastrointestinal cancer (CAS-GI) was launched in 2021 and is the first competence programme to focus on the improvement of both the clinical and scientific capability of oncologists, ensuring better-quality management of patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

• Duration: 18 months
• Structure: 5 online modules & 3 in presence seminars: participation in ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress, 4-day-CAS-GI stand-alone seminar 2025, Third Seminar TBD
• Collaborating university: Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Switzerland
• Chairs: Sara De Dosso (CH), Piefrancesco Franco (IT), Pietro Majno-Hurst (CH)
• Start date next cohort: June 2026
• Applications Period: September - December 2025

Upon successful completion of the programme and after passing the final exam, participants will obtain an academic certificate issued by the European School of Oncology and the Università della Svizzera italiana.

For further information please contact: Sarah Ortelli, sortelli@eso.net

Learning to Care Seminar programme

Admission

Admission to the Certificate of Advanced Studiese in Gastrointestinal cancer (CAS-GI) programme will be by competitive application only and the selection will be based on the eligibility criteria and on the selection procedure.

Applications will be considered if received completed with all required documents and within the deadline. Attendance is limited to 30 participants.

Decisions on admissions are made by the appointed Programme Chair.

Attendance

To obtain the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Gastrointestinal cancer (CAS-GI) programme, it will be compulsory that participants will attend all seminars and modules according to the provided timeline.

Insurance

The organisers bear no responsibility for untoward events in relation to the participation in the seminars. Participants are advised to take out their own personal and travel insurance coverage.

Eligibility

• The CAS-GI program is designed for medical doctors (medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, nuclear medicine or pathology), but it is equally accessible to graduates in natural sciences, who are engaged in the field of oncology, especially in the field of gastrointestinal cancer.
• Medical doctors:

• Master degree from an accredited college or university (e.g. state examination in medicine) in medicine or an equivalent degree at the level of state examination in medicine and have had at least two years residency training in a relevant institution.
  
  
• Natural scientists:
  
  
• Master degree from an accredited college or university in a course of studies in natural sciences or an equivalent degree at the level of at least three years of studies or in a course of studies with essentially the same contents at an accredited college or university and at least two years of professional experience in oncology.
  
  
• The following additional achievements will increase the assessment rate of the application:
  
  
• Further professional experience related to the course of studies
• Completion of an additional qualification in oncology (specialist training as a physician or international equivalent)
• Publications, as evidenced by cumulative impact factors greater than 10
• At least one year of relevant oncological experience in a foreign country

APPLICATION DEADLINE 15 DECEMBER 2025

ATTENDANCE TO THIS CERTIFICATE IS BY APPLICATION ONLY.

30 PARTICIPANTS WILL BE SELECTED.

IDEAL PROFILE OF THE CERTIFICATE CANDIDATE:

• Completed specialisation in oncology at least 2 years ago
• Involvement in scientific activities and clinical trials
• Fluency in English
• From ESO’s geographical reach: Europe, Mediterranean countries and Latin America
• Aged up to 50 years

Priority will also be given to candidates who:

• Have previously participated in ESO’s activities
• Are members of ESO’s College.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates should apply online (at the top of this page).

The application process involves completing an online questionnaire, where you will provide details about:

• Your work experience and training
• Your research experience and publications
• Your motivation and personal commitment to participating in this activity

During the application, you will also need to upload the following documents in PDF or JPEG format:

• Recommendation letter: A letter from your head of department or mentor, written on official hospital letterhead and signed.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)

• Copy of medical degree or equivalent degree in medicine or natural sciences or any other study programme covering the same contents in the original language and a certified English translation
• Copy of transcript of records of the examinations taken during the medical degree programme in the original language and a certified English translation
• If the point above is not applicable, please provide a record of all study achievements and examination results obtained in the course of studies until the application deadline
• Employment verification/reference letters accounting for professional experience in oncology
• Supporting documents to verify additional qualifications

You should also view this Data Protection statement and you will be asked to confirm that you ‘accept’ this statement during the application process.

SELECTION PROCESS

Applications are evaluated through a two-step process:

1. Automated Scoring: Some responses are assessed using a predefined scoring system to ensure fairness and consistency. Points are assigned based on your answers.
2. Committee Evaluation: Other sections, including your qualitative responses, are reviewed and scored by our selection committee.

This type of evaluation ensures a transparent and unbiased selection of top candidates for participation in this activity.

In keeping with the ESO mission, the cost of the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Gastro-intestinal programme is subsidized by the European School of Oncology (ESO).

The tuition fee which remains to be paid by each participant is EUR 4'900. A Financial Aid Fund will be available for participants who cannot covered the full fee directly.

The tuition fee includes:

• Access to the online modules via a dedicated online platform
• Access to the in-person seminars foreseen by the programme, including registration for the indicated congresses and accommodation: ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress 2026, 4-day-CAS-GI stand-alone seminar 2027 (Lugano, Switzerland), third seminar TBD
• Access to all exams required by the programme

The tuition fee does not include:

• Travel to the in-person seminars

REFUNDS

Cancellation of participation in the programme should be submitted in writing. A refund of the tuition fee will be considered if the programme has not started yet and on a case-by-case basis.

Chairs

• Sara De Dosso, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland (IOSI), Bellinzona - CH
• Pietro Majno-Hurst, USI Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Lugano - CH and Regional Hospital of Lugano (EOC), Lugano – CH
• Pierfrancesco Franco, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, IT

Module Directors

• Adriana Albini, IRCCS European Institute of Oncology IEO, Milan, IT
• Arnaldo Amato, ASST Lecco, IT
• Dimitri Christoforidis, USI Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Regional Hospital of Lugano (EOC), Lugano, CH
• Pierfrancesco Franco, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, IT
• Demetris Papamichael, Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre, Nicosia, CY
• Andrea Sartore Bianchi, Ospedale Niguarda, Milan, IT

Project Management and Organisation

• Sarah Ortelli, ESO, CH