Certificate of Advanced Studies in Prostate cancer - second cohort (CAS-Pr2)

Applications will open soon.

Postgraduate programme focused on the improvement of both the clinical and scientific capability of oncologists and aiming to ensure better-quality management of patients with prostate cancer.

• Duration: 13 months
• Structure: 6 online modules & 3 in presence seminars: participation in PROSCA 2025, APCCC 2026 and ESO Learning to Care Seminar (LTC) 2026
• Collaborating university: Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Switzerland
• Chairs: Silke Gillessen, CH; Ursula Vogl, CH; Andrea Gallina, CH

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 and a diploma supplement issued by the Università della Svizzera italiana.

ESO COLLEGE MEMBERSHIP

Being selected to take part in this course is one of the ESO activities that gives participants eligibility to enrol in ESO’s College. The course also enables members of the College to earn credits and therefore access more membership benefits. Full and active participation in the course as well as passing the final certificate examination earns participants 400 ESO College credits.

KEY DATES

• Application opening: 1 November 2024
• Application deadline: 30 April 2025
• Notification of admission to applicant: 15 June 2025
• Start date: September 2025 (exact date TBD)
• Seminar 1: November 2025, PROSCA 2025 (exact dates and location TBD)
• Seminar 2: 29 April-2 May 2026, APCCC Conference, Lugano, Switzerland
• Seminar 3 and finale exam: September 2026 (exact date TBD), ESO Learning to Care Seminar (LTC) 2026, Padova, Italy

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

LINK TO THE PLATFORM HERE.

Admission

Admission to the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Prostate cancer (CAS-Pr) 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 25 participants.

Decisions on admissions are made by the appointed Programme Chair.

Attendance

To obtain the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Prostate cancer, 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-Pr 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 prostate cancer.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

Applications will open soon.

To apply you have to provide the following documents:

Before you start completing the online application form, please be sure you have all the requested files as outlined below ready to be uploaded to the system. Online applications will not be complete unless all the files are uploaded.

• Application supplement (template available HERE)
• Curriculum vitae outlining previous education and professional experience
• Copy of master’s 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 master’s 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
• Personal statement, which explains why you believe you are eligible for this programme and how and why it will further support your intended career
• Supporting documents to verify additional qualifications

In keeping with the mission of the European School of Oncology, ESO generously subsidizes the cost of the CAS-Pr programme.  The tuition fee which remains to be paid by each participant is EUR 4’900.  A CAS Financial Aid Fund will be available for participants who cannot cover the full fee directly.

The tuition fee includes:

• Access to the modules via a dedicated online platform
• Access to the three in-person seminars foreseen by the programme, including registration for the indicated congresses and accommodation
• Access to all exams required by the programme

The tuition fee does not include travel to the in-person seminars.

Cancellation

Cancellation should be submitted in writing and will be treated on a case-to-case basis.

Chairs

• Silke Gillessen, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, CH
• Ursula Vogl, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, CH
• Andrea Gallina, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, CH

Scientific Directors

• Andrea Alimonti, Institute of Oncology Research, CH
• Elena Castro, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, E
• Eva Compérat, Medizinischen Universität Wien, A
• Stefano Fanti, University of Bologna, I
• Karim Fizazi, Institut Gustave Roussy, F
• Andrea Gallina, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, CH
• Rossella Graffeo, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, CH
• Silke Gillessen, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, CH
• Ken Herrmann, Universitäts­klinikum Essen, D
• Barbara Jereczek-Fossa, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, I
• Piet Ost, Cancer Research at Ghent University, B
• Jean-Philippe Theurillat, Institute of Oncology Research, CH
• Ursula Vogl, Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, CH
• Thomas Zilli, University of Geneva, CH