We've some wonderful reports from medical students who benefitted from complimentary registrations to our 19th Scientific and Annual Conference in Thessaloniki.
Olivia Aristodemou
The ESCP conference was the first conference of my medical career thus far and I hope to attend many more. I was unsure about what to expect or how it would benefit my medical career. Only after my attendance I can say I will be a better medical student and future doctor from these past few days.
Having met surgeons from the Portsmouth colorectal team, I received an invite to a robotics surgery course. This is great exposure for a medical student who is highly interested in surgery and a chance to develop surgical skills.
Within my teaching hospital, I have had opportunities to be taught by amazing well-established colorectal surgeons. However, it is interesting to note that they have all been male. At the conference I had the chance to not only listen to but have conversations with great female surgeons, most notably being incredibly inspired and in awe of Dr Patricia Sylla and Dr Gabriela Möslein. They gave great advice to myself, a young female medical student with hopes of being a surgeon. We spoke about the difficulties that can come with this, particularly being female, and had an honest and open conversation surrounding this.
I connected with other medical students who were members of Eurosurg. This was an introduction into this society, and I hope to get involved with the research that they conduct.
Towards the end of my 4th year in university, I must complete a compulsory international elective. I have hopes to undertake this in New York as I would like to experience the American healthcare system being a British medical student. During the conference I was able to connect with a few surgeons from New York and we will be in contact to hopefully arrange this elective for myself with their help.
Most of all, this conference was all inspiring and motivating and I am incredibly grateful for all the opportunities and connections that the there days has supplied for me. I now look forward to trying my best to attend the Tripartite in Paris 2025.
Andreas Denys
When I got the mail that I could benefit from the complimentary registration for medical students, I directly looked for a flight to Thessaloniki.
I landed on Tuesday and attended the ‘How to Peer Review’ Course. Getting the chance to talk to editors from Colorectal Disease and getting to know how the whole submission process works was very interesting and inspiring. The role of a peer reviewer can not be underestimated, and this course helped me with tips-and-tricks on how being a peer reviewer, a good peer reviewer, how you can contribute to the submitted manuscript, and even how you can help the authors to improve their research skills in the long term.
The next day, on Wednesday, the real congress started. I went to all the sessions I could attend and saw so many inspiring presentations. It’s amazing to hear the results of new, mostly unpublished, studies, to hear experts in their field speaking about how they contribute to the better care for patients. I learned about the new techniques treating colon cancer. The results of the FOxTROT trial showed how and when chemotherapy can be administered (neo-)adjuvant and improve the outcomes of patients having operable colon cancer. The presentation of the DIRECt guideline results made me search for them on PubMed, reading these and saving this on my phone. I was amazed by the results of the Rossini 2 trial. The fact that we need to keep researching on what we are doing is so valuable. Skin preparation is also a part of surgery and despite being something nurses and surgeons do everyday without many thoughts, it can have a big effect on the outcomes. So, it was very interesting to hear that 2% alcoholic Chlorhexidine does reduce SSI and that this is the best practice. Also, the results of the ACCURE-trial were completely new to me. The fact that appendectomy could prevent relapse in ulcerative colitis patients sounds like a potential breakthrough finding. Also, for the rest of the day I had to change to listen to inspiring speakers and presentations. I listened to Prof. Denost presenting the results of the GRECCAR 20 trial, I learned about methods and techniques to reduce anastomotic leaks with a new aerosolized ICG technique and about the management of hidradenitis suppurativa and so many more things
On Thursday the sessions kept on being inspiring. I was very happy to attend the Young ESCP session, a very interesting session for young surgeons, trainees and students. I really loved the talk of Carly Bisset about the life of a surgeon scientist. And of course, I managed to get the pin. I learned more about perineal fistulas, guideline updates and attended the interactive trainee workshop.
I could go one about all the sessions I attended on during the conference, but they were all extremely interesting and inspiring. I will be searching on PubMed for all the research I heard about and now I do want to know everything about coloproctology. While I am very well aware that before I reach that point, many years will be passed, I feel privileged to get to attend this conference and that hopefully I will also attend the conference in 20 years, and maybe, who knows, could be one of the experts myself? But for now, I just can use all the knowledge I have gained to brag against my supervisors.
Iohana Dinu
I am a 4th year medical student from the UK and this was my first medical conference that I have attended.
Prior to knowing about the complementary registration, I was concerned about the cost of the conference and I was worried that I would not be able to attend due to funding issues. The fact that there was complimentary registration for students was a huge relief to me and I was confident that I could book and experience such a wonderful week.
I arrived much more stress free, and I was able to enjoy the lectures and the symposiums, I was able to listen to all the incredible speakers who have motivated me, and I left feeling much more hopeful for my future in the colorectal community.
This opportunity also allowed me to talk to many seniors in the field from all over the world and make some valuable connections for the future.
Without the complementary registration I would not have been able to see my first poster presented at a conference, I would not have learnt from the specialists, and I would not have made connections which I am sure are extremely valuable for my future as a colorectal surgeon.
Romilly Hayward
I was extremely grateful for the complimentary registration to the European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) conference in Thessaloniki this year. The conference provided an invaluable opportunity to advance my medical career, with a comprehensive program that significantly enhanced my knowledge in key areas, including the management of inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancers, and complex fistulas. I found each session to provide high-quality insights into both common and challenging cases in coloproctology, enriching my understanding of this specialty.
The Women’s Breakfast, in particular, was a wonderful experience. It offered insightful perspectives on leadership and professional development within the surgical field, with thought-provoking discussions on gender equality and career advancement in surgery. I found these discussions both inspiring and motivating, as they highlighted the challenges and opportunities that exist for women in surgery. Talks on mentorship and the potential establishment of a mentorship programme within ESCP were also extremely valuable.
I also took the opportunity to explore the industry symposium, which proved to be a another enriching experience. A particular highlight was participating in the laparoscopic simulation, where I had the chance to assist in a simulated sigmoid colectomy. This hands-on experience was incredibly exciting and left me feeling energised and even more enthusiastic about pursuing a career in surgery.
In addition, the conference provided an excellent platform for networking with esteemed professionals and peers from diverse backgrounds, and I established connections that I am confident will be beneficial in my future career. The insights I gained from interactions with surgeons and researchers who share a passion for coloproctology have broadened my understanding of the various career pathways within colorectal surgery, and I now feel more motivated than ever to pursue a career in this field.
Overall, attending the ESCP conference has had a profound and lasting impact on both my professional development and my enthusiasm for surgery. The knowledge, inspiration, and connections I gained will undoubtedly shape my future academic and clinical trajectory. This experience was invaluable, and I look forward to the opportunity to attend future ESCP conferences.