Merck fellowships contribute to the continued growth of clinical pharmacology in Sweden.

Since 1990, Merck, Sharpe & Dohme, Sweden, has created fellowships for physicians embarking upon a career in clinical pharmacology at Swedish medical schools. The fellowship has provided full salary at the level of a resident in clinical medicine for an average period of 1-2 years. Between 1992 and 2004, 22 fellows representing all six medical schools were selected for a fellowship. Of these, 20 have received specialties in clinical pharmacology, 11 now (2006) have positions as physicians in clinical pharmacology in university hospitals, 7 in the pharmaceutical industry, and 2 in a drug control agency. Two have not yet completed their training. The fellowships have been granted on the basis of excellence in clinical pharmacological problem-oriented research. The peer review of the applications has been performed by academic professors in clinical pharmacology and the chairperson of the Swedish Society of Clinical Pharmacology. The importance of having a donor with serious dedication to training and research and a scholarship organization that can prioritize these goals in an unbiased way are underlined. The Swedish MSD fellowships are a valuable complement to the resources provided by society to support the development of clinical pharmacology, i.e. the health care organizations, the faculties in medicine, and various research foundations.