Dear EAN Members, dear colleagues, dear friends,
It is my great honour to introduce myself to you as the new Chair of the Resident and Research Fellow Section (RRFS) of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN). I took on this role during the EAN Congress in Geneva, and I could not be more excited to begin this journey with more than 2000 (and growing!) RRFS Members. Despite our size, the RRFS feels almost like a big family, and I am always looking forward to seeing everyone at the annual congress and other RRFS events.
My name is Katarzyna Krzywicka, and I am currently a third-year neurology resident at the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands. I was born and grew up in Warsaw, Poland. I completed my medical degree at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, and a Master’s degree in Clinical Sciences, Experimental Medicine, at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. During my studies, I completed research internships at, among others, the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and the Institut Pasteur in Paris. Upon my return to the Netherlands, I began working in the neurology department at the Medical Center Leeuwarden, where I discovered my interest in vascular neurology, and it has remained my focus ever since. In 2024, I completed my PhD on cerebral venous thrombosis at the University of Amsterdam. Before taking on the role of Chair, I served as the RRFS Representative to the Scientific Committee, as well as Treasurer and Secretary of the RRFS Office – always with great pleasure.
This is the second year that the RRFS Chair serves as a full member of the EAN Board, giving early career neurologists the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. This reflects both the EAN’s trust in us and the importance it places on the junior neurological community, particularly given the rising burden of neurological disease. Early career neurologists are crucial to shaping the future of neurological care, and it is important that they remain motivated and engaged. We are therefore grateful to the EAN Board, who have welcomed us with great faith, continue to amplify our voice, and remain highly supportive of our initiatives.
The RRFS is very proud of the initiatives led by its members and representatives. This past year, we launched the Junior Reviewer Training Programme, an excellent training opportunity whose successful completion leads to funding for a publication in the European Journal of Neurology. We also launched and completed a number of surveys, including ones focusing on migration among RRFS members, and on medical education and fundoscopy skills among residents. In Bucharest, we came together for the RRFS Annual Meeting to share experiences and brainstorm new ideas for RRFS sessions. And we were delighted to see the project on gaps in access to endovascular thrombectomy result in a fantastic publication and the start of a fruitful collaboration with the European Stroke Organisation (Mujanovic et al., ESJ 2026).
None of this would have been possible without the efforts of previous generations of RRFS contributors. This is why we were so pleased to host the 10-year RRFS anniversary meeting during the congress, honouring our esteemed colleagues who founded the RRFS and gave it its current form – Antonella Macerollo, Anna Sauerbier, Vanessa Carvalho, Luca Cuffaro, Giacomo Sferruzza, Nina Vashchenko, and others.
That same spirit lives on in the RRFS Office today, and I feel lucky to work alongside such a dedicated team. Alicia Gonzalez Martinez continues to impress me with her professionalism and dedication, and leaves behind a fantastic legacy as RRFS Chair. Alice Accorroni is a true RRFS veteran who knows all the ins and outs of the EAN, and whose extensive international experience is wonderful to draw on. Antonio Malvaso is as ambitious as he is fun to be around. And Alexander Balcerac, our new Treasurer, is already bringing fresh ideas and energy to the role.
For the year ahead, I would like to focus on fostering diversity and well-being within the RRFS. The RRFS is about creating opportunities, sharing experiences, and building an international neurological network, and it is important that it reflects the full European neurological landscape. There is still work to do in raising awareness and increasing engagement in underrepresented regions – especially Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Scandinavia. I would like to see more people from these regions successfully applying for EAN Schools and Fellowships and becoming involved in Panels and Committees.
At the same time, in a world so focused on efficiency and productivity, I believe it is essential that the RRFS also prioritises the mental health of early career neurologists and helps them maintain their sense of purpose. Previous RRFS work has shown that almost 75% of RRFS members experience a dysfunctional phenotype within the burnout spectrum (Di Liberto et al, Neurology Education 2022). The number of night shifts per month, work-related fatigue, and low professional satisfaction were identified as key contributing factors. It is therefore important that we address this issue – whether through creative initiatives like NeuroArt, or through the work of the Neurologists’ Wellbeing Task Force. Together, I am confident that we can build an RRFS that is not only stronger and more diverse, but one where every early career neurologist feels supported, valued, and inspired to shape the future of our field.
Yours sincerely,
Katarzyna Krzywicka
Resident & Research Fellow Section Chair
