ESCP Fellowships 2024–2025 Update

ESCP offered 3-month Functional Disorder Fellowships and 6-month Robotics Fellowships for 2024-2025. Fellows report here on their experiences.

Click on a fellow's name to read their report. The most recent report is from Michael E. Kelly.

Sponsors

6-month Robotics Fellowships were sponsored by Intuitive

3-month Functional Disorder Fellowships were sponsored by Medtronic

Michael E. Kelly

From: Ireland
Visited: International Colorectal Research Summit, Korea
Time period: May 2025

It was a great privilege to be awarded the 2025 KSCP Traveling Fellowship. The fellowship was a fantastic experience and was organised excellently. I want to thank both the ESCP and KSCP Secretariats. The quality of the presentation and discussion at the International Colorectal Research Summit 2025 was impressive, featuring a distinguished local and international faculty. In particular, I was very impressed with the high-quality presentations and video surgeries, enthusiasm among the new generation of 'young' surgeons, and innovative treatment strategies, especially regarding sidewall nodal involvement and the evolving role of ctDNA.

The session 'Emerging Issues to Know as Surgical Oncologists' was truly excellent - a comprehensive overview of current, future, and innovative therapies available for treating colorectal cancer. I was fortunate to meet Prof. Tae-You Kim, who just presented impressive data on CancerFind® and its potential as a screening tool.

In terms of international faculty, Prof. Richard Kim provided one of the best overviews of neoadjuvant treatment for CRC that I’ve heard in a long time. Breaking down the nuances and highlighting the future. Prof. George Chang gave a talk on work-life balance that highlighted many of the challenges surgeons face. Also, he presented an optimising TnT session in another great session: 'Advances in Total Neoadjuvant Therapy (TNT) for Rectal Cancer.' It was a great session to see where East and West meet and diverge.

I was fortunate to give a talk on 'The role of MRI derived radiomics to predict recurrence following pelvic exenteration for locally advanced rectal cancer - a multi-institutional analysis' and several Korean centres have expressed interest in collaborating with future studies.

This exchange programme was a really inspiring experience for me, and I am very grateful to the Education Committee of ESCP for offering me this great opportunity as an exchange fellow. I would also like to thank the Korean Society of Coloproctology and all the hosts of the visiting centres for their hospitality. The culinary experience, entertainment (especially the Taekwondo Tigers), and discussions were very memorable.

Quentin Denost

From: France
Visited: ASCRS Congress 2025 in San Diego, USA
Time period: May 2025

It was a profound honour to be awarded the ASCRS Traveling Fellowship in partnership with the European Society of Coloproctology. This opportunity enabled me to engage in a cross-continental educational exchange aimed at surgical innovation, and international collaboration in the field of colorectal surgery.

The fellowship was structured around three core objectives: exposure to innovative surgical techniques, strengthening transatlantic professional networks and sharing best practices across healthcare systems.

The fellowship underscored the value of global surgical collaboration. I engaged in reciprocal case discussions with fellows and attendings, comparing practice guidelines and sharing institutional protocols. These conversations opened opportunities for future joint research initiatives.

This fellowship has deeply enriched my surgical perspective. By bridging two leading colorectal societies - the ASCRS and ESCP - the experience not only refined my technical and academic skills but also strengthened the foundation for ongoing international academic exchange and research partnerships.

I extend my deepest gratitude to the ESCP their unwavering support and dedication to global surgical excellence.

Javier Corral Rubio

From: Spain
Visited: Meander Medisch Centrum, Belgium
Time period: February to April 2025

Knowledge and clinical skills acquired

During my three-month fellowship at Meander Medisch Centrum, I had the unique opportunity to train at a national reference centre for pelvic floor disorders and minimally invasive colorectal surgery, especially with the robotic platform. This experience allowed me to deepen my understanding of pelvic floor pathology and learn the principles and practice of robotic ventral mesh rectopexy, a key focus of the centre. I had the chance to observe and assist in numerous procedures, including rectopexies, sacrocolpopexies, and combined surgeries in collaboration with urogynaecology.

Beyond robotic surgery, I engaged in the multidisciplinary management of complex pelvic floor disorders, working closely with gynaecologists, physiotherapists, continence nurses.... This gave me insight into how structured collaboration leads to better patient outcomes and improved surgical planning.

I also assisted in advanced colorectal resections, including laparoscopic and robotic oncological procedures (right and left hemicolectomies, low anterior resections, abdominoperineal resections) and emergency cases. These experiences allowed me to observe the precise, protocol-based, and highly efficient workflow of a high-volume unit.

Training and education experiences

Academically, I engaged with local residents and fellows in operative training and attended structured educational meetings, including sessions and dedicated pelvic floor disorder meetings. This environment reinforced the importance of ongoing learning and multidisciplinary coordination in proctology and colorectal surgery.

I had the chance to join Professor Esther Consten in the training of international surgeons in the robotic platform at Amsterdam Skills Center.

I was also invited to the Colorectal Thrive 2025 in Fribourg, a congress with very interesting lectures and renowned international speakers.

Overall experience

This experience has greatly enriched my perspective as a colorectal surgeon and provided me with valuable tools that I plan to incorporate into my daily practice.

Professor Consten and Dr Verheijen were generous hosts who made my stay both educational and enjoyable. One of the most rewarding aspects of my fellowship in Amersfoort was the warm welcome and full integration into their surgical and academic team. From day one, I was treated as a colleague and encouraged to participate.

I am grateful to Professor Consten for her mentorship and for sharing her expertise in robotic pelvic floor surgery. Her dedication to surgical precision was deeply inspiring. I thank her sincerely for allowing me to be part of her program.

I am also thankful to the ESCP and Medtronic for making this invaluable experience possible.

Comment by supervisor

For three months we had a pleasant, collegial and excellent robot fellowship with Dr Corral. Due to the eagerness to learn and the critical view of Dr Corral, the fellowship has in my opinion had a great value for both Meander Medical Center and for Dr Corral himself.

We discussed, prepared and performed many and a variety of robot-assisted colorectal procedures together. The collaboration with the different residents was crucial in this. Participation in outpatient clinics, pelvic floor consultations and clinical ward visits were educational and instructive. This way a proper insight in our colorectal oncological, benign and functional pelvic floor clinic was provided.

We shared a good collaboration and exchange of knowledge. We were therefore very satisfied with the fellowship of Dr Corral.