ESCP offered 3-month Functional Disorder Fellowships and 6-month Robotics Fellowships for 2023-2024, as well as three Travelling Fellowships. Fellows report here on their experiences.
Click on a fellow's name to read their report. First to report is Laura Koskenvuo.
| Name | Country | Host Centre or Country | Fellowship | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Udo Kronberg | Germany | South Korea | KSCP Travelling Fellowship | |
| Laura Koskenvuo | Finland | USA | ASCRS Travelling Fellowship | June 2024 |
| To be confirmed | Japan | JSCP Travelling Fellowship | ||
| Eleni Andriopoulou | Greece | To be confirmed | 6-Month Robotic | |
| Robert Braak | The Netherlands | To be confirmed | 6-Month Robotic | |
| Hazim Elyteb | United Kingdom | To be confirmed | 6-Month Robotic | |
| Przemyslaw Gajewski | Poland | To be confirmed | 6-Month Robotic | |
| Georgios Kriakopoulos | United Kingdom | To be confirmed | 6-Month Robotic | |
| Florian Kuhn | Germany | Ospedale San Paolo, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy | 6-Month Robotic | |
| Frida Ledel | Sweden | To be confirmed | 6-Month Robotic | |
| Mubasher Shaukat | United Kingdom | Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK | 6-Month Robotic | |
| Blanca Montcusi | Spain | Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland | 3-Month Functional | 20 May to 20 Aug 2024 |
| Michael Okocha | United Kingdom | St. Marks Hospital, London, UK | 3-Month Functional | 30 Sept to 31 Dec 2024 |
Sponsors
6-month Robotics Fellowships were sponsored by Intuitive
3-month Functional Disorder Fellowships were sponsored by Medtronic
Laura Koskenvuo
From: Finland
Visited: ASCRS Congress 2024 in Baltimore, USA
Time period: June 2024
At the last ESCP meeting in lovely Vilnius in September 2023, I was honoured to be awarded ESCP's best paper for our MOBILE2-trial. This double-blind, randomised trial compared mechanical bowel preparation with and without oral antibiotics in patients undergoing rectal anterior resection and colorectal or coloanal anastomosis. The results showed a benefit of oral antibiotics in terms of overall complications, surgical site infections and anastomotic leaks.
I was thrilled to travel to Baltimore to present our trial. The travel arrangements went smoothly with a help of ESCP and Vanessa McCourt, and congress arrangements, coordinated with Kristi Conley from ASCRS, were equally efficient.
I arrived in Baltimore on the evening of 31 May and was fortunate to attend the entire meeting. The jet lag made it easy for a European to wake up early for the sessions 😉 and the convenience of staying at a hotel connected to the congress centre made access effortless.
The meeting was thoroughly enjoyable, spanning four days filled with fascinating lectures. I found the Rectal Cancer Super Sessions and the session on 'Watch and Wait' particularly compelling. I must commend our American colleagues for their exceptional lecturing skills; they have a remarkable ability to convey a wealth of information succinctly and effectively.
Many lectures discussed recent RCTs in rectal surgery, including PROSPECT, RAPIDO, PRODIGE, OPRA, to name a few, providing valuable new insights for me into these well-known trials. There was also a notable synergy from having concurrent meetings, as some new trials initially introduced at ASCO were also discussed at the ASCRS meeting. Additionally, I benefited from the breakfast session on robotic surgery.
In addition to the scientific sessions, the congress offered numerous opportunities for networking and collaboration. I had the pleasure of meeting and exchanging ideas with colleague, which was an enriching aspect of the experience. The social events organised as part of the congress were also delightful.
Overall, attending the ASCRS Congress was a highly enriching experience, offering new perspectives and enhancing my knowledge in the field of rectal surgery. I am grateful for the support of ESCP and ASCRS in making this trip possible. The insights gained and connections made during this congress will undoubtedly contribute to my ongoing research and clinical practice. I look forward to applying what I have learned and continuing to collaborate with the global surgical community. This was my first time at the ASCRS meeting, but definitely not my last!