Newsletter – February 2014

Dear European colleague residents, we are thrilled to welcome you in the ! The EURAPS – Junior Working Group (JWG) was established during the last annual EURAPS (European Association of Plastic Surgeons) Meeting in Antalya to provide a practical platform for pursuing excellence in Plastic Surgery under the mentorship and with the support of Dr. Grazia Salimbeni, President of EURAPS and Dr. Manfred Frey, EURAPS Secretary General.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


  1. Welcome to the JWG!
  2. Get involved!
  3. Hurry to submit your abstract to the 3rd EURAPS-RC meeting!
  4. Join us at the 25th EURAPS and 3rd EURAPS-RC meetings in Ischia!
  5. Contact us!


1. Welcome to the JWG!

WHY THE JWG?

We believe the JWG will provide an opportunity for European PRS residents to get together in order to culturally and scientifically enrich our training! This is something new and unique in the European setting!

Purposes of the JWG are to sustain cooperation among European residents through a dynamic and friendly collaborative group open to active participation of every interested resident.

Our aims are:

  • To establish a network for reciprocal interaction and cultural exchange among residents;
  • To promote and facilitate mobility among European centers of excellence in Plastic Surgery:
  • To share high-value learning opportunities;
  • To sustain clinical, scientific and research collaborations;
  • To assist residents and to promote the ideals of EURAPS.

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN WORKING ON?

In the last months we have been intensely dedicated to:

  1. Create the first European database of contacts of Residents in PRS;
  2. Create the first European database of Research Centers in PRS open for research fellowships;
  3. Create the first European database of Clinical Centers in PRS open for clinical fellowships;
  4. Establish an “Editorial Board” that will provide updates and news through our periodic Newsletter.

WHAT ARE WE PLANNING TO WORK ON?

We are at the really beginning and there is still a lot of work that can be done together. We have planned to:

  1. Organize our first gathering in Ischia in May 2014 during the 25th EURAPS-3rd EURAPS-RC meetings;
  2. Complete and widen our databases!
  3. Create a dedicated web-page, offering free access to a European-wide PRS residents’ forum, our updated databases of Clinical and Research Centers available for fellowships or for collaborations, grants, educational opportunities, meetings and exchange programs, resources for EBOPRAS exam;
  4. Establish dedicated exchange programs in European centers of excellence in PRS;
  5. Establish dedicated educational activities in PRS.

WHO ARE WE?

The JWG is a project conceived and founded by two PRS residents, Giorgio Giatsidis (University of Padova, Italy) and Stefan Hacker (University of Vienna, Austria) during multiple gatherings at EURAPS and EURAPSRC
Meetings where they perceived the need for a more structured and effective collaborative group of European residents.

Soon after founding the JWG the team was strengthen inviting some colleagues to join in a temporary “Steering Committee” that would sustain the JWG in the really early basis and until widening participation: Nikolaos Arkoulis University of Edinburgh, Scotland), Alvaro Cabello (University of Navarra, Spain), Quentin Frew (St. Andrews Burns and Plastics Unit, UK), Caroline Szpalski (Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium), Thomas Colson (University of Marseille, France) and Thilo Schenck (TU Munich, Germany) were the firsts to join while others have been later integrated.

2. Get involved!

We are very excited to be part of this great adventure and we are looking forward to work together on this new project. We really need your help to successfully reach all these goals and we are definitely looking for your contribution! The JWG is an informal, dynamic and friendly collaborative group open to active participation of every interested resident (sorry for that, strictly residents only!).

There are a lot of ways you could be part of the JWG:

“I just want to keep updated on what is going on through the newsletter and the web-site!”
No problem! Be sure we have your contact (e-mail address) or provide us an updated one!

“I would like my colleagues and peers to get to know the JWG!”
Good idea! The more we are the more we can do together! Share this newsletter, spread the word and tell them to provide us their contact (e-mail address) to join the mailing list!

“My country is not involved enough in the JWG: what can I do?!”
We are hard-working to reach all residents in all European countries but it has been difficult to get a list of contacts in some countries. We would absolutely appreciate you help in getting involved and retrieving direct lists of contacts in particular in these countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom.
Be one of our precious on-field delegates and collaborators! Collect contacts of your regional or national colleagues and provide them to us so we can get them involved!

“My Department/Lab has not be contacted yet to join the JWG European Database: can I add it?”
Absolutely! Many centers are still missing and we need your help to get every center involved. Ask your Chief (or ask him/her to delegate you!) to request us the form to be completed with all details!

“I am enthusiast to actively contribute to the JWG: is there a place for me?”
Great! The JWG is open to everybody! If you have time, passion and desire to commit to working on the activities JWG doors are open and we are looking forward to warmly welcome you! There is a lot of work and doing it together is much more fun! Write us an e-mail and introduce yourself!

“How and when can I get to know personally other members of the JWG?”
Our official gathering and get together spot is during the EURAPS/EURAPS-RC meetings every year! You will have the opportunity to meet many colleagues from all over Europe in the context of an amazing scientific meeting. Plan to be there! Eventually, there will be other opportunities to meet!

“I am not European but I like the JWG: can I join anyway?”
Sorry, the JWG is officially for European residents only! Nevertheless we are looking forward to keeping contacts with colleagues of non-European countries! Write us to be one of our contacts for your country! Also, don’t miss the chance to join us at EURAPS/EURAPS-RC meetings every year!

3. Hurry to submit your abstract to the 3rd EURAPS-RC meeting!

The EURAPS Research Council Meeting is one of the ultimate stage for reporting your cutting edge research in PRS every year in front of one of the most prominent scientific audience you could imagine. Main goal of the conference is to encourage and promote high quality research in plastic surgery in Europe and outside Europe. If you are a resident, a student, a PhD, a post-doc or a consultant with passion for experimental and clinical research this is definitely the place to be for reporting your work and sharing your knowledge by engaging in high-quality and yet friendly discussions.

This year the 3rd Annual European Association of Plastic Surgeons (EURAPS) Research Council Meeting will be held in May 28-29, 2014 in the beautiful setting of Lacco Ameno, Isle of Ischia, ITALY (local host: Dr. Benedetto Longo).

Good reasons for not missing the meeting and/or for submitting your abstracts:

  1. One of the really most important scientific meetings in PRS in Europe and outside Europe!
  2. Get the opportunity to show your research to an eminent and prestigious faculty!
  3. Take advantage of the high-quality and yet friendly atmosphere to discuss your outcomes, to get precious advice and to establish potential partnerships or collaborations!
  4. Get to know about other PRS Research Centers and check for exchange/fellowship opportunities!
  5. “Kill two birds with one stone!”: join both the EURAPS-RC and the EURAPS meetings one after the other!

We invite you to take part to this stimulating unique event by submitting abstracts for oral presentation. Three abstract categories exist: clinical application, regenerative medicine and other topics of basic science research. Abstract must be submitted before March 1st, 2014: hurry up!! Click here to submit your abstract! Abstract submission and registration process can be also completed by downloading from Apple Store the App for iOS devices entitled “EURAPS”. Please click here to download the App.

Early Registration within March 1st, 2014 will be 150 € for research fellows, residents in training, EURAPS or AAPS members, and 200 € for non member participants. (Info: http://research-council.euraps.org/meetings )

4. Join us at the 25th EURAPS-3rd EURAPS-RC meetings in Ischia!

EURAPS and EURAPS-RC Meetings are well-recognized for being among the really firsts and most relevant meetings in PRS worldwide: if PRS is your passion there is no really need to give more reasons for being there. This year, the 25th EURAPS meeting will take place in Lacco Ameno-Ischia, Italy from May 29th to May 31st. Dr. Fabio Santanelli, Secretary General-Elect of EURAPS, will be our local host. The preliminary program is already available on the meeting website (http://www.euraps.org/meetings).

We want to remind you that the deadline for “early bird” fee registration is February 28th. Click here to register!!

Also, the special reason to join the meetings this year is that it will be the setting also for the first official JWG gathering! Attending residents will informally get together, get to know each other, discuss and share their views on the JWG and future projects!

In addition, we are planning some special surprises not to be missed (if you are a sailor you should let us know!)!

5. Contact us!

To provide us your contact, get involved in our work or just keep in touch with us write us an e-mail at:

euraps.jwg@gmail.com

And also follow us on Twitter (tweet here!), join us on facebook (page and group) or add us on instagram!

THE JWG DOES NOT EXIST WITHOUT YOU..THAT’S WHY WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOON!

Something more about us..

Giorgio Giatsidis is a resident at the University of Padova (Italy, Head: Prof. Bassetto). He is currently a post-doctoral research fellow at Harvard Medical School-Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, USA): his research is focused on wound healing, regenerative medicine, fat grafting and tissue engineering.

Stefan Hacker is currently a resident at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Medial University of Vienna/ Vienna General Hospital (Austria). He is also enrolled as a PhD student at his university with a scientific focus on wound healing, regeneration as well as immunological changes after burn injuries.

Nikolaos Arkoulis is a Plastic Surgery trainee in the UK. In 2013, he received his Master’s Degree in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery from Barts and the London Medical School. Nikolaos is also a doctoral research fellow at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), exploring hydrogel-guided adipogenesis from perivascular stem cells for injectable soft tissue augmentation.

Alvaro Cabello is at the third year of Plastic Surgery residency in the University Clinic of Navarra (Spain). He moved in January 2014 to the Burn Unit of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (honorary fellowship) for three months.

Quentin Frew graduated in Bristol UK obtaining his MBChB medical degree, he has also a degree in Immunology at Bristol BSc (Hons). He is just finishing his PhD in Burns at St. Andrews Burns and Plastics Unit based in Chelmsford (UK).

Caroline Szpalski is currently a fourth year plastic surgery resident at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium). After a research doctoral fellowship in the NYU Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Laboratory, she received her PhD degree from the ULB (Wound healing and impaired wound healing mechanisms involved in aged and obese patients and animals).

Thomas Colson has been doing his residency in Plastic Surgery with Dr. Magalon, Dr. Casanova, Dr. Bardot and Dr. Legré in Marseille (France) for three years. He is interested in reconstructive surgery, as well as aesthetic surgery and he is working on the transsexual surgery for his PhD.

Thilo Schenck is working at the Department for Plastic Surgery at the TU Munich (Germany). Special Interests are peripheral nerve repair, tissue engineering and organizing the “Munich Microsurgery Course”.