Within this framework, the Academy at the Princess Máxima Center has set up an exclusive Talent Program aimed at training the top specialists of the future. Students, student researchers, medical specialists in training and healthcare professionals who want to specialize in a research area in pediatric oncology can follow a customized training program at the Máxima Center. With this, we support the development of talents in different phases of their training.
For each talent, there must be the potential and expressed ambition to become a leading international pediatric oncology specialist. The Talent Program should therefore, to a large extent, train the very best pediatric oncology medical specialists or other professionals of the future. After training, some of the talents will fly out to other centers around the world, building a large and valuable international network. The Máxima Talent Program should therefore be seen as a program through which the world's top specialists for pediatric oncology of the future are trained.
The five phases of the Talent Program
The Talent Program offers five programs at different levels, listed below:
- Students do a scientific internship in the field of pediatric oncology at the Máxima Center. There are now many dozens of these every year, and the number is expected to increase. Every year we want to offer four students the opportunity to present research results from their internship as 'Student Talent' at an international congress.
- Student researchers are (mostly) medical students who have already done promising research during their studies, which has led to one or more publications in a peer-reviewed journal. These talents can apply to the so-called MMPP: Máxima MD/PhD program. During this program, research continues and investment is made in the necessary courses and conferences to stimulate the development of the student-researchers. This phase is completed with a dissertation, with a paid appointment of up to 1.5 years following the completion of the study.
- 'Research AIOS pediatric oncology' are doctors in training to become medical specialists (and very occasionally other professionals in training or doctors who have not yet obtained a doctorate), who combine their scientific research with their specialization or training. The Talent Program is about funding the research portion. The goal is to bind this talented group to us early, so that they can continue and expand their scientific research during their specialization.
- Fellows involve a select group of specialists whom we train to become the very best pediatric oncologists or other pediatric oncology professionals. With an extended fellowship, we simultaneously give them the time and opportunity to further develop in the field of research by, among other things, setting up their own research program and building a strong international network. The combination of excellent care, research and a powerful network is essential to train a new generation of top specialists; those who will really make a difference. Sometimes the profile will be different: deepening in management, Outreach or education, also of great importance to the Máxima Center.
- Finally, the fifth component focuses on outside medical specialists with added value for the Máxima Center, who want to contribute to specific areas in pediatric oncology, such as neurologists, orthopedists, surgeons, neurosurgeons, radiologists or radiotherapists. In this way, the Máxima Center brings in additional, currently (largely) lacking specialist knowledge. This fifth phase of the Talent Program is also open to internal healthcare professionals who wish to (further) specialize externally in a specific pediatric oncology specialty or treatment, which is of great interest to the Máxima Center because they take back with them the knowledge and experience they have gained.
Application procedure
For most phases, applications for talent positions can be made on an ongoing basis. Depending on the candidate, the vacancy space and whether there are other candidates, an application process will be initiated ad hoc or not. For fellows, there is an opportunity to apply twice a year, with the deadlines being February 1 and October 1.
Selection of candidates
The selection committee has a varied composition, depending on the candidate and which phase of the Talent Program is involved. Interviews are scheduled several times a year, with the possibility of ad hoc appointments. The committee jointly comes to the decision whether or not to hire a candidate, obviously within the set financial framework. For fellows with a different specialization, the selection committee is customized.
