Pan-African Organization for Health, Education and Research Scholars Program 2026

About the Scholarship Program:

POHER is a 501(c)(3) IRS tax exempt, non-governmental organization (NGO) with a focus on the soundness of the health sector as the cornerstone of social and economic development of all African countries.

• Improve health awareness in African communities.
• Promote and advocate the creation of partnership between health professionals in Africa and overseas irrespective of country of residence.
• Introduce and promote the use of new and adapted technologies in healthcare and education in Africa
• Mobilize material resources for healthcare services in Africa.

POHER is committed to supporting education locally and internationally. Since its inception, our program has supported 49 students across the African continent from Nigeria, Zambia, Cameroon, Malaysia, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan/Egypt, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Rwanda. The POHER mentorship program is a comprehensive initiative designed to help mentees develop clinical research projects and advance their long-term career interests. We provide foundational knowledge in clinical research, good clinical practice guidelines, and opportunities for scholars to present their research progress to our expert mentor network.

Benefits of the Scholarship Program:

Winners will receive the following benefits:

• Research Mentorship: Introduction to key principles in scientific research with personalized career guidance

• Collaborative Learning: Work-in-progress meetings where scholars present research ideas to experts and peers

• Conference Support: Guidance on research conference attendance, abstract development, and manuscript preparation

• Professional Networks: Networking opportunities with peers and mentors across Africa for collaborative projects

• Educational Opportunities: Access to online global health courses and career-related training

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to help organize POHER’s Annual Research and Mentorship Symposium

• Advanced Training: Eligibility for the POHER-Mizzou global health research elective course

Please note: This program does NOT provide funding for medical school tuition.

For specifics, the program:

• Introduce Scholars to key principles in scientific research and to provide career guidance
• Foster a learning environment where scholars present and hear each other’s research ideas through work in progress meetings with experts and peers
• Provide guidance on research conference attendance and development of abstracts and manuscripts
• Enable networking and collaborations with peers and mentors to develop professional reslationships across Africa and implement research projects and other collaborative academic projects
• Provide opportunities to attend an online global health course and other career-related courses
• Provide opportunities to help organize POHER’s Annual Research and Mentorship Symposium for African biomedical trainees

Selection Criteria for the Program:

• Academic Status: Currently enrolled medical student in an African medical school (MD, MBBS, MBChB program or equivalent)
• Research Interest: Demonstrated interest in research (prior experience not required)
• Commitment: Motivation to receive research and career mentorship
• Graduation Timeline: Graduation from medical school after January 2026
• Leadership Potential: Evidence of leadership capabilities and initiative
• Active Participation: Commitment to participate in all program activities, including virtual meetings and educational webinars

*** Prior research experience is not a pre-requisite to apply.

Application Deadline:

30th October, 2025 at 23:59 Central African Time.

Application Process:

Interested and eligible candidates should apply for the program by accessing the application form through the application link below:

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We at Icanstudent wish you the very best in your scholarship application process. Don’t forget to follow the Icanstudent website for more information and guidelines on how to be a top applicant in your scholarship application process. Good luck!!!