Videos of sessions from the ESO/GAINS/WSO Early Career Investigators Workshop

27 Jan 2021 Other News

European Stroke Organization/GAINS/World Stroke Organisation Early Career Investigators Trials and Cohorts Virtual Workshop this year was a great opportunity for young stroke researchers in their early careers to meet each other and attend an inspiring series of lectures from established researchers in the field of stroke. The aim of the workshop was reflected in the title: “Creating The Next Generation of Stroke Researchers Amongst Our Early Career Investigators”.

The Workshop was held Friday 4^th and Sat 5^th of December 2020 for around 2 and half hours each day. Over 200 mentees attended the event from all over the world. We combined both guest lectures from eminent scientists and emerging leaders about what’s available to support research and researchers in stroke, stories of career progression (and failure) and interactive talks about the experience of mentoring and being mentored, with smaller group mentoring workshops. Thirty-five mentors from across the globe helped out over the two days, with a good balance of men and women, earlier career and highly experienced mentors. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive and we are in the process of taking note of suggestions for future programs and events right now.

WSO member who missed attending the workshop can find the pre-recorded talks on the website HERE >>

A summary of the lectures is provided below with thanks to Aristeidis Katsanos, a participant to the program from Ontario, Canada. This was prepared for the ESO website and we thank them for sharing the blog.

We thank the individuals and organisations who worked to present this great event.

Julie Bernhardt, 2020 Convenor

By Aristeidis Katsanos, MD, Division of Neurology, McMaster University and Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton, ON, Canada

The first session, Chaired by Dr Bernhardt, started by presenting the available “Global Trial Network Resources for Early Career Investigators -What Exists That Can Help You?” Dr. Demchuk presented the GAINS & Stroke Net and provided an overview of what is required to become a successful trialist in the early and mid-career stages. Dr. Lemmens presented the goal and aims of ESOTA, which constitutes a European “network of networks” to support European collaboration for stroke research and provide a link for researchers planning trials. Dr. de Sousa provided an overview of active Early Career Professional Committees for stroke researchers worldwide, focusing on their structure, activities and aims. In the next lecture Dr. Martins presented the example of Brazil as an emerging country perspective in stroke research underlining the importance of publishing research advances to attract public and international scientific attention. The next education session, chaired by Dr. Sandset, was a series of lectures building on a “Roadmap To Becoming A Successful Stroke Clinician Scientist”. Drs. Al-Shahi Salman, Coutts, Campbell presented their own personal journey and their transition from early to mid-career, acknowledging what worked for them and what they think that should have done differently. This series of lectures was targeted to new investigators and spread the ideas of collaboration over competition and impact over volume for paving a successful research path. The next session was a lively conversation between a successful mentor (Dr. Broderick) and his successful mentee (Dr. Khatri) highlighting the beauty and challenges of this unique relationship between two researchers at different career stages. The first day finished with group sessions addressing topics of protecting research time & negotiating salary support for research, getting the first grant and building funding, work life balance, how choose between saying no and saying yes, research network building and navigating to become an independent researcher.

The next day Saturday, December 5, 2020 was chaired by Dr. Dowlatshahi and started with a presentation Dr. Diener on the lessons learned from successful and failed trials. Dr. Diener provided a 30 year overview of randomized clinical trials in acute stroke treatment and secondary stroke prevention, in an ad-hoc analysis of the results from major trials testing neuroprotective or antithrombotic regimens. In the next presentation Dr. Middleton provided the challenges and opportunities of working across multiple centres or countries. The second day finished again with group sessions on “Research Project Presentations and Critique”. During this session attendees had the opportunity to present their ongoing research studies or developing ideas and receive constructive feedback from a group of mentors with similar research theme interests. At the end of each group session participants were encouraged to exchange emails and contact mentors and peers to connect further.

European Stroke Organization/GAINS/World Stroke Organisation Early Career Investigators Trials and Cohorts Virtual Workshop was a unique opportunity for stroke researchers who like to develop further and transition to mid-career. This workshop provided significant and practical tips on many aspects of the early career life and work challenges. If I should summarize the main idea and concept of this very successful workshop I would use a phrase from Isaac Newton: “Seeing further by standing on the shoulders of Giants”.

ESO/GAINS/WSO Early Career Investigators Virtual Workshop

On the 4th and 5th of December 2020 the first ESO-GAINS-WSO Early Career Investigators Virtual Workshop took place. Over 200 stroke-interested clinicians from a range of backgrounds and from many countries signed up for this 2-day event.

Watch the sessions

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Achieving our vision of a life free from stroke is a task that WSO cannot achieve alone. We are committed to building our partnerships at the global, regional and national level to scale up and deliver improvements in prevention, treatment and support to reduce the burden of stroke.