CNIC-National Centre for Cardiovascular Research - INVESMIR Programme

What the INVESMIR Programme gives you

You get a full-time research placement of 4 to 6 months in a laboratory of the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) in Madrid. There you run a cardiovascular research project under the supervision of a CNIC scientist. If your hospital is outside the Madrid region, you get your travel costs reimbursed up to 300 EUR (one return trip, economy class on public transport). You also get accommodation in Madrid covered up to 250 EUR per week, capped at 1,000 EUR over four weeks. The aim is to help you keep running research projects at your own hospital afterwards. The Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) and the CNIC run the programme together, and the 2026 round offers up to 10 places. This is a training stay, not a paid job, so there is no salary or stipend.

Who can apply

• Your job: You are a doctor in your R3, R4 or R5 year of your specialist training (the Spanish MIR programme) in cardiology or cardiovascular surgery.
• Where you train: You are undertaking your specialist medical training at a hospital in Spain.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.
• Society membership: You are a member of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC).
• Lab acceptance: Before applying, please first contact a research group at the CNIC and ask a supervisor there to issue you with a written letter of admission.
• Hospital approval: Your hospital’s training committee has approved your placement.

How to apply

Applications are submitted via the CNIC’s online system. You create an account and upload your documents as PDF files. The 2026 round runs from 21 April 2026 to 15 January 2027, and applications are reviewed on the 15 of each month. A joint committee comprising representatives from the SEC and the CNIC assesses each application on the basis of your academic background and your proposed research project. You will be notified of the decision by email.

How realistic are your chances?

The eligibility criteria are very strict: you must be a junior doctor specialising in cardiology or cardiovascular surgery in Spain, a member of the SEC, and already have a CNIC laboratory that has agreed to take you on. Obtaining this commitment is the real hurdle, which is why the bulk of the work is already done before you even apply. If you already have a supervisor and a solid project in place, your prospects are good due to the small, specialised pool of applicants and the ongoing monthly assessment process. Applying early in the application cycle is advantageous, whilst places are still available.