Education

Global Health Scholarships

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh is pleased to announce the launch of its new Global Health Scholarships; a major initiative aimed at increasing the number of specialist physicians in low- and lower-middle income countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

Working in partnership initially with the Kenya Associations of Physicians and the Malawi College of Physicians, the scholarships will support postgraduate training in internal medicine through the East, Central and Southern Africa College of Physicians (ECSACOP). Beginning in the 2026/27 academic year, the programme will initially fund four trainee doctors, covering tuition and examination fees for the full four-year training programme.

This initiative responds to a critical shortage of doctors in the region which limits access to care, constrains training capacity for future healthcare professionals, and slows progress toward universal health coverage.

The ECSACOP programme provides high-quality, locally delivered specialist training aligned with international standards. By enabling doctors to train within their home countries, the programme strengthens national health systems and improves retention of skilled professionals.

The RCPE Global Health Scholarships aim to remove financial barriers that prevent many qualified doctors from pursuing specialist training. Selection will be competitive, recognising clinical excellence, leadership potential, and a commitment to serving local health needs, particularly in underserved and rural communities. While modest in scale, the initiative is expected to have a lasting impact by strengthening clinical leadership

Eligibility

Applicants must have: 

MBChB (or equivalent), and completed internship training 

Current registration, a licence to practice and certificate of Good Standing from the Medical Council / Relevant Regulatory Body.

Letters of support for the training programme from an ECSACOP Council member and their current employer.

A confirmed training place from ECSACOP for the 2026/27 academic year.

Applicants must be self-funding.

Application process

We will use information supplied in the ECSACOP application process and supplement this with applicants’ responses to the following questions submitted via an online survey:

  1. Firstly, outline your training to date (this should be in bullet points, including locations) 
  2. Describe your current post, the nature of your clinical practice and your plans to progress during the next 5 years (250 words max)
  3. Describe how completing this training will benefit your clinical practice, the patients you work with, and your home location (250 words max)
  4. Describe a time when you identified a problem or opportunity and took initiative to address it. What actions did you take, how did you influence others, and what was the outcome? (250 words max)
  5. Explain why you should be considered for a scholarship including any financial limitations you may have (250 words max)

Each question will be anonymously scored by four assessors. Where the scores are tied, the College reserves the right to make the final decision. 

If you have any queries about the scholarship application process, please contact us on: international@rcpe.ac.uk  

Terms and Conditions
  1. The scholarship will be paid directly to ECSACOP at the start of each academic year. Recipients must pass all ARCP assessments each year and FCP Part 1 to qualify for the next year of funding or the funding will be terminated. 
  2. RCPE must be advised of any change in circumstance from that which was originally approved.
  3. Scholarship recipients who acquire funding at any point by a sponsor (e.g. an employer, industry or government sponsor, charity or third-party organisation) must advise the RCPE immediately. In such cases the RCPE scholarship may be offered to another student who is self-funding.
  4. Trainees who withdraw from the programme before completion, other than for academic reasons as recommended by ECSACOP or illness, may be required to repay scholarship awards.
  5. Scholarships are not transferable between individuals or other training programmes.
  6. The scholarship will cover the cost of ECSACOP tuition and examination fees. No financial substitution is available.
  7. Applicants must be citizens of Malawi or Kenya and living and working in Malawi or Kenya.
  8. Recipients must submit a short report (max 500 words) to RCPE at the end of each academic year outlining their progress over that time.
  9. RCPE reserves the right to withdraw the award.
  10. In recognition of the RCPE’s investment in the recipient’s medical education, the recipient confirms their commitment to maintain high academic standards and use the knowledge, clinical skills and training acquired through this scholarship to advance and improve healthcare. 
    Upon successful completion of ECSACOP training the recipient agrees to dedicate their professional services to Malawi or Kenya for a minimum period of two years, contributing to patient care, clinical excellence, and the strengthening of healthcare systems.
  11. Acceptance of this scholarship is subject to acceptance of these terms and any amendments issued. RCPE may make reasonable amendments to these terms and conditions where this is necessary to reflect changes in law, regulatory requirements, or the effective administration of the Scholarship Programme. Any amendments will be notified to the recipient in writing before they take effect and will apply only to future scholarship periods. RCPE will ensure that any amendments are proportionate and consistent with the purpose of the Scholarship Programme. If a recipient reasonably considers that a proposed amendment would materially disadvantage them, they may notify RCPE in writing and withdraw from the scholarship at the end of the current academic year without penalty.
  12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction These terms and conditions, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of Scotland. The parties agree that the Scottish Courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any such dispute or claim.
  13. RCPE will publish limited details of scholarship recipients (name, country, photograph, brief biography) on the RCPE website, and possibly other media. Information about RCPE data handling and privacy can be found on the RCPE website. 

     

 

Education