by Luca Cuffaro, RRFS Secretary General
On 21 June 2021, the virtual general assembly of the EAN’s Resident and Research Fellow Section (RRFS) took place during the 7th annual congress. The assembly received broad participation from RRFS members who were interested in gaining insight into the annual report as well as the new Treasurer elections.
The Chair, Dr. Vanessa Carvalho, provided an update on the number of RRFS members and new RRFS Committee Representatives, and an overview of the countries represented within the National Representative Network (NRN); moreover, she highlighted the creation of the Student Task Force, the last scientific publications made within the RRFS section, and the ongoing video interviews within the new RRFS section of the European Journal of Neurology. Finally, she presented the current projects, including the surveys being prepared about dementia, pain, neurosonology and sleep in education, the ongoing survey on big data sharing, and the newly launched mentorship programme.
The Secretary, Dr. Luca Cuffaro, provided an overview of the RRFS sessions during the conference. He pointed out the RRFS Special Session 2021 entitled “Ph.D. and Neurology training – when, why and how”, which was much appreciated by the audience, and to all RRFS activities, such as the “Coffee with you” and Scientific Theatre sessions. Finally, he described the “Why neurology?” contest, organised together with the Student Task Force.
The Treasurer, Dr. Nina Vashchenko, illustrated all the educational opportunities to RRFS members, such as the Autumn School, Spring School and the new Science Schools, clinical and research fellowship, and the RRFS-EAN grants; she highlighted that the RRFS Office had nothing to disclose about financials due to the absence of expenses during 2020. Dr. Alice Accorroni from Geneva, Switzerland was announced as the new RRFS Treasurer.
Finally, the RRFS Office thanked Dr. Giovanni Di Liberto, who will step down as Past-Chair, for all his work as an office member during the past four years.
The next General Assembly will take place in Vienna, during the next EAN Congress in 2022.
