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From bench to the UEG floor
A personal experience from an young gastroenterologist from Egypt and how UEG helped him to achieve his goals.
Mohammed Khorshid, a young gastroenterologist, tells us his personal success story of being invited to give an oral presentation at UEG Week.
He realised that young GIs all face similar challenges, and explains how attending UEG Week every year and participating in the Young GI Network can help to overcome these.
Back home, Mohammed supports his co-workers by sharing the new knowledge and serving as a role model. He encourages his colleagues from all over the world, but especially those from less prosperous countries, to submit their abstracts to UEG Week. All abstracts are peer reviewed and authors will get the chance to present their work, as well as receive abstract related awards and travel grants.
Follow Mohammed’s example and submit your abstract to UEG Week until April 26, 2019.
Register to UEG Week and participate in the Young GI Network activities!
Interviewer: Radislav Nakov
The London Neurogastroenterology Course
Learn about pathophysiology and evidence-based treatment of functional GI disorders
13th EDS Postgraduate Course
EDS aims to support young surgeons and gastroenterologists during their residency training.
UEG Classroom Courses
These educational events are perfect opportunities to increase your GI knowledge.
Radislav Nakov, member of the YTG and the Education Committee explains what’s happening at UEG’s classroom courses and who should attend them.
These educational events are perfect opportunities to increase your GI knowledge but also to expand your professional network. Find out more about the courses and how to apply.
An incidental diagnosis by endoscopic ultrasound
What has been detected by follow-up EUS in a patient with a multifocal IPMN?
An asymptomatic 66-year-old male patient with a multifocal intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) underwent a follow-up EUS examination with a linear array echoendoscope. His medical history included diabetes, hypertension and smoking. While advancing the echoendoscope in the oesophagus, the endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) image shown was captured.
WHAT IS YOUR DIAGNOSIS? A. Oesophageal duplication cyst B. Aortic aneurism C. Mediastinal cyst D. Aortic dissectionWork-life balance: 10 tips from the UEG Week 2018 experience
A list of Dos and Dont's that came out of the Career Chat.
Carolina Ciacci is a full Professor of Gastroenterology at University of Salerno (Italy), a member of the UEG Equality & Diversity Taskforce and a mother of two adult children. At UEG Week 2018, she participated in the session “Career Chat: Women as educators” and in the Facebook live chat “How to improve work-life balance for doctors?”. Based on these discussions and her own personal experience she shares her ten tips for work life balance in this edition of the GI Hive.
The World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report of November 2017 indicated that it would take 100 years to close the gender gap at a world level1. While some academics are working towards closing the education gap, the intent to parity is yet to be translated into action on the representation and voice in other professional areas.
In the medical science field, the increasing number of women has not paralleled so far by a proportionate number of women in the leading positions, nor by a modification of the man-tailored traditional working environment in one more suitable to the modern model of family. It is believed that woman leadership can accelerate the process of women empowerment, via closing the education gap, translating the good intents into action, but mainly by identifying and removing barriers for women to succeed.
United European Gastroenterology (UEG)’s global vision is of promoting and providing equal opportunities and to be a place free of discrimination. The vision is supported by the UEG Equality & Diversity Task Force (E&D TF). During UEG Week 2018, the Equality & Diversity Task Force and the Young Talent Group of UEG organized the Career Chat and a Facebook live interview with the aim of supporting young gastroenterologists (GIs) to reach their goals and a satisfying work-life balance.
Both initiatives were successful, and the discussion aimed to make both senior and young GIs conscious and creative in removing inherent barriers to succeed. It was recognized that the working set in most GI and endoscopy units is still man-modelled. However, young doctors felt the need to set up systems that help them to go through the natural life stage changes while having a satisfying career. The participants (both genders, but in the vast majority woman) expressed their need to find the right track in advancing women and making the workplace more gender-inclusive.
In the Career Chat, was highlighted that the vast majority of the “leadership” or “career” challenges women GIs are facing are neither career nor profession related. They are emotional, often linked to the sense of guilt of not being a good parent because of the time and efforts spent at work. As a result women, especially mothers, have a sense of failure in achieving good results both at home and at work. The discussion between the senior and young participants of the Career Chat showed that to become successful and fully express their strengths and creativity, professionals independent of gender should strive to have some habits but might also need to give up some of them.
Here is a list of Do's and Dont's that came out of the Career Chat:
- Make a careful analysis of your potential and find out how to empower yourself, both at work and within the family.
- Set up your priorities, short and long-term goals. Get the skills you need to succeed. Look around, find a spot for you in your working setting, fill up the empty space with expertise and knowledge. Live up to your potential!
- Choose your family partner carefully. This will help to share your family duties with him/her. Make a written list of each of your tasks. Try to set a routine for chores but know that you both need to be flexible.
- Ask for help! Outsourcing is not a shame. It is hard to be on the same day on call, a mother, and a good housekeeper. Hire all the help you can afford, even if you have to pay a fee.
- Make a careful plan of your expenses, since outsourcing is expensive. In some periods of your life, it is more important to spend less on entertaining and more on babysitting or housekeeping.
- Be efficient! Consider reducing commuting by living close to the workplace, or the kindergarten/ school. Find a gym next to your working place and go whenever you can. Check on your smartphone the time you spend on social media. You will be surprised how much time you waste scrolling the screen of your phone (yet it is sane to do that for some time!)
- Keep healthy! Eat well, train your body, and get a good night´s sleep. Don’t forget to look after your mind. Have a little quiet time alone. Enjoy small moments of harmony. It is vital to be fit for the daily challenges of your life.
- Learn to say “no”! Saying “no” is difficult; however, you need to protect yourself from unnecessary and unfair demands that will add nothing to your personal growth and career. Be firm and protect your space.
- Failure is not an option (Gene Kranz, Apollo 13). Accept the possibility that sometimes in your life your career might slow down temporarily because of family engagements. Use your time at home cleverly; you might find a way to write a review or improve your knowledge in a particular field.
- Do not mix up family and work. When you are at work, focus on what you are doing. Do not make unnecessary phone calls or waste time discussing your family life with your colleagues. Remember also that your colleagues may have supported you when you were on parental leave, so be helpful and available for them, too. On the other hand, if you are at home with your family limit checking your emails, or answering phone calls as much as possible. Multitasking will not work if you are striving for excellence in both fields.
It seems that there is not a perfect recipe to achieve work-life balance. It will never be 50:50 because the amount of time and efforts to dedicate at work or at the family/social life will vary according to the personal priorities and also the times of life. In conclusion, senior and young GIs agreed with the idea that life as a physician is tough but rewarding. The recommendation is to refuse to give up being a woman and a mother. Life experience will give a woman leverage in being a physician, maybe a better one.
Reference:
- World Economic Forum. The Global Gender Gap Report 2017
Mistakes in chronic diarrhoea and how to avoid them
Chronic diarrhoea is a common condition with a wide variety of possible causes
Chronic diarrhoea, lasting more than 3 or 4 weeks, is a common condition with a wide variety of different possible causes. Estimates suggest 5% of the population have experienced chronic diarrhoea and sought medical advice about it. All gastroenterologists see many patients whose principal complaint is frequent, loose stools, and will be aware of investigations that are needed to diagnose serious conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or colorectal cancer (CRC). Most people who present with chronic diarrhoea will not have these conditions and, if less common disorders are not considered, may be given a diagnosis of diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) or perhaps functional diarrhoea.1 Many different treatments are used for IBS-D and often benefit only a small proportion of patients, leaving many with unmet needs, seeking further investigation, advice and treatment.
Guidelines for the investigation of chronic diarrhoea in adults have recently been updated.2 These guidelines provide recommendations for investigating most patients who have chronic diarrhoea, and reflect the now greater availability of simple tests such as faecal calprotectin, coeliac serology, lower gastrointestinal endoscopy and tests for bile acid diarrhoea (BAD). The criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders were revised in 2016 (Rome IV), with modifications made to the definitions of the various functional bowel disorders (FBD).1 The revised criteria recognise a continuum between functional diarrhoea and IBS-D, and the usefulness of the Bristol stool form scale (BSFS) types 6 and 7 for defining diarrhoea. Approaches to the clinical evaluation of patients are indicated in those articles,1–2 which provide much of the evidence discussed here, backed up by my clinical experience, highlighting certain mistakes that can be made in the management of chronic diarrhoea.UEG Research Fellowship
UEG YTG Member Gianluca Ianiro talks about this revolutional UEG grant for researchers.
We spoke with Gianluca Ianiro, a gastroenterologist at Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli in Rome, and a member of the UEG Young Talent Group (YTG) and UEG Research Committee
Together with the Research Committee and the YTG, Gianluca developed a new UEG grant, the UEG Research Fellowship. In 2019, UEG will award a grant of € 50,000 to a researcher so that they can spend 12 months working with a renowned European principal investigator (PI).
The Research Fellowship is suitable for clinical or basic researchers from Europe or the Mediterranean area. Those who are in training, have completed their training or PhD within the past 3 years or already have significant research experience are eligible to apply. The Research Fellowship is highly recommended for young researchers who want the opportunity to develop their ideas in a new working environment.
Download the detailed information and criteria, and apply by no later than January 18, 2019.
European Specialty Examination in Gastroenterology and Hepatology
The ESEGH is a high quality, reliable examination, based on a proven format.
Enhance your knowledge with the UEG Library!
Find new educational online content from UEG Week 2018 subtitled into Spanish.
Mistakes in pancreatic cystic neoplasms and how to avoid them
Surveillance and therapeutic approaches need to be tailored appropriately
Pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCN) are a frequent and clinically challenging condition. PCN prevalence increases with age and reports estimate that they may be present in 2–45% of the general population1,2. In addition, the biological behaviour of the various types of PCN differs (ranging from benign to malignant [table 1]), requiring different surveillance and therapeutic approaches. Correct management of PCN is, therefore, critical for avoiding progression to cancer, but at the same time avoiding unneeded close and long-term follow-up, unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures and overtreatment.
In this article, we discuss some frequent and relevant mistakes that can be made in the diagnosis, surveillance and management of PCN, and propose strategies to avoid them. These strategies are mainly based on the recently published European evidence-based guidelines on PCN.3
Mistakes in... booklet 2018 out!
With more than 40,000 page visits in the first 7 months of 2018, this series is one of the highlights of our educational offering.
National young GI sections and the ECYG
Ivana Mikolasevic talks about the European Conference of Young Gastroenterologists
The GI Hive is a brand-new blog from the UEG Young Talent Group (YTG) that covers the most up-to-date information about life, career development, education and opportunities for young gastroenterologist in Europe. Interviews, infographics, WhatsApp conversations and videos with both junior and renowned gastroenterologists will all be published in the GI Hive on a regular basis.
Our latest guest in the GI Hive is Ivana Mikolasevic, a member of the UEG YTG and an associate professor in Rijeka, Croatia. In December 2018, Ivana and a group of young gastroenterologists from the Croatian Young GI section (Tomislav Bokun, Maja Mijić, Sanja Stojsavljević, Nadija Skenderević, Ana Ostojić, Viktor Domislović, Ivan Jakopčić, Petra Puž) are holding the first European Conference of Young Gastroenterologists in Zagreb, Croatia. Ivana is president of the organizing committee and shared a few words with us about the conference and the Croatian Young GI Section.There are still countries in Europe without a young GI section and the YTG has published a paper on how to start one. Could you tell us how everything started in your country and about the organisation of the Croatian Young GI section and its activities?
We revived the inactive youth section of our national society of gastroenterology in 2013. We first started having meetings during national society meetings/congresses, following the organisation of dedicated sessions for young gastroenterologists when they presented their best scientific work. Then we took over the administration of our society's webpage and gradually the idea of having our own meeting grew. At the beginning of 2017 we organised the first three-day symposium dedicated to members of the youth section: it was a great success and was repeated early this year. To be honest, as we are a rather small community, we were sceptical about having our own meeting, but it eventually appeared to become almost like a necessity and the occasion all young members eagerly awaited—to meet each other and be able to discuss common interests and problems. Our senior colleagues have been extremely supportive of all our activities, so we would suggest that young gastroenterologists start activities for themselves in their own countries without fear, and that they ask for support of any kind from senior colleagues.How did you decide to organise the first European Conference of Young Gastroenterologists (ECYG)?
So, I talked in front of our small ECYG team—Tomislav Bokun, Maja Mijić, Sanja Stojsavljević, Nadija Skenderević, Ana Ostojić, Viktor Domislović, Ivan Jakopčić, Petra Puž and me. The idea for the conference organisation was born within the Youth Section of the Croatian Society of Gastroenterology, with a desire to stimulate and strengthen international cooperation. We already have annual meetings of the youth section when we discuss how to improve our education; we hold lectures about specific topics in digestive health and so on. We wanted to do the same thing with this conference but on a European level, because we have all had such good experiences making contact with colleagues from other countries who we met on courses and congresses we have attended during our education. Therefore, we wanted to create something that would be focused on young gastroenterologists and their networking, under the supervision of senior experts established in specific fields of gastroenterology. The idea of gathering together as many young GIs as possible so that we can make new contacts and share experiences made us enthusiastic, although, at first, none of us were probably aware of exactly what we were getting ourselves into. Then, once we put down all the assignments on paper, we rolled up our sleeves and started working.What can young GIs learn by attending the ECYC?
This is the first conference targeting young gastroenterologist from all over Europe with the purpose of exchanging experience, knowledge and ideas with eminent professors and researchers. The main idea of the conference is for us, young gastroenterologists, to have a chance to present our most challenging clinical cases and discuss them with our peers and acknowledged experts in the field. Furthermore, ECYG gives us the opportunity to present our clinical and scientific work in a poster presentation form. Not only that, during hands-on sessions young delegates will be able to improve their manual skills in abdominal ultrasound, Colour Doppler, elastography and endoscopy. Moreover, this conference will enable us to initiate constructive and productive dialogues and to create a network for future collaboration with colleagues all over Europe. Finally, to enable us to achieve this goal, interaction will be encouraged and stimulated throughout the conference.What are the most important messages from the conference?
Learn. Connect. Grow. It doesn’t matter if you come from a big or small country, region or hospital—if you try to give the best of yourself, as we, people from a small country, are trying to do by organising this conference, you can succeed in anything. Finally, our wish is that this project stimulates the awareness of young people about the need for teamwork, co-operation and education, both within their own centre and among other centres. Our small team wants to stress the importance of teamwork and collaboration needed in everyday practice to succeed. Another important point is the apparent need for organising events and programs dedicated to young GIs. This conference is another 'proof of concept' for gathering young GIs in youth GI sections and organising events for them. We believe that every nation should have their own young GI section and all their own meetings, and we also call for close collaboration in organising hopefully future ECYGs. We invite you to view the YTG section of the UEG webpage for more information on activities for young GIs within UEG and to get into contact with the YTG and also Friends of YTG countries around Europe. We also invite you to share your experience about organizing events for young GIs as this could help us to improve the quality of ECYG. Fresh ideas are also warmly welcomed! To improve our knowledge, we have to work together and exchange our ideas, so we can approach complex medical problems from every angle. The future of the field lies with young gastroenterologists, but the knowledge lies with those who are less young. We want to transfer knowledge into the future.What are your insights for the future of the conference?
Well, we want to do it all over again! Call us crazy, but so far this has been such a great experience and we are sure it will continue this way until and during the conference. We hope that we will get good feedback and reviews, so we can show that a small country like Croatia can do something big as this when people work together.Interviewer: Radislav Nakov