by Jean-Marc Léger
In the past year, the EFNS TEC has continued working with the same leader- and membership. The Committee consists of the following members:
Jean-Marc Léger – Chairman;
Members: Thomas Berger (e-learning); Pavel Kalvach (responsible for Spring School and DD programme); Detlef Kömpf (Secretary General; responsible for Regional Teaching Courses); Balthasar Schaap (EFNA); Edina Varga (EAYNT); László Vécsei (Member of the Liaison committee; responsible for Fellowship; European Board Examination); Observers: Erich Schmutzhard (responsible for TF Africa and relevant RTCs); Vitalie Lisnic
All educational activities 2014 are already announced as EFNS/ENS educational activities, since the 2013 activities were already paid from the ENS accounts. The TEC as well as the Transition Task Force will suggest to the future EAN Board to keep all educational activities and therefore all activities listed below should become EAN Educational Activities.
1. Reports sub-committees and activities
All educational activities are promoted on flyers, in Neuropenews, on the EFNS website, in special mailings, literature tables at other congresses, mailings to European neurological departments, on Facebook and Twitter
1.1. Spring School – https://www.eanpages.org/?p=3785
1.2. CME sub-committee – Annual report from Subcommittee on CME
1.3. D-D programme – https://www.eanpages.org/?p=3092
1.4. E-learning sub-committee – Annual Report from Subcommittee on E-Learning
1.5. Fellowship Programme – http://www.efns.org/Fellowship-Programme.283.0.html
Fellowship applicants 2013:
45 (40 eligible) applications have been received.
Scientific: 35 (32 eligible)
Educational: 10 (only 8 eligible)
27 applicants came from Western countries / 13 from Eastern countries.
Result:
In 2012 the number of fellowships was reduced by the Management Committee, because of financial reasons. Due to the excellence of applications received the MC decided to raise the number again and to give 6 scientific fellowships, selected among 40 proposals, and 2.5 educational fellowships, selected among 10 proposals.
Since 2011 the reviewers receive the applications via the EFNS website group-pages as pdf files. This turned out to be a good way of making the reviews.
For the time being there is a good competition going on.
As in the previous year applicants have been asked how they learned about the EFNS fellowship (more than one answer possible!): 13 – from the Head of Department; 8 – Flyer; 5 – Newsletter; 30 – Website; 10 – Congress; 4 – other/friends
The 2014 fellowships will be announced as before: 5 scientific and 3 educational fellowships.
Like for the other educational grants a flyer “Fellowship programme 2014” has been printed and will be distributed at congresses at which EFNS does have a booth; and it was sent to all neurological university departments. EFNS Head Office is already receiving first applications / requests for the fellowship 2014. Deadline for application will be December 31, 2013.
A questionnaire “How was the EFNS fellowship helpful for your future career?” was sent out to all previous fellowship participants. The outcome was very positive and was published in Neuropenews, March 2013: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=2890
The participants’ final reports are also published in Neuropenews.
1.6. Regional Teaching Courses
The RTCs are announced in the “Educational activities Flyer”.
The number of applications for RTCs is increasing. It was decided that from 2012 on, only two RTCs per year will be organised.
In 2013 two RTCs were organised, one in Odessa, Ukraine and one in Ohrid, FYRO Macedonia.
For 2014 two applications have been received: Baku, Azerbaijan and Sofia, Bulgaria.
For 2015 also two applications (Lviv, Ukraine & Surgut, Russia) have been received.
Two cities have shown interest in organising RTCs: Tbilisi, Georgia and Podgorica, Montenegro.
Erich Schmutzhard is taking care of the EFNS agenda for the Africa Task Force and related teaching courses with the help of E. Sipido. This year’s 5th RTC in Sub-Saharan Africa was organised in Dakar, Senegal. One Africa RTC costs about €50K. For the 2013 RTC, financial contributions have been received from the following scientific organisations: EFNS, WFN, IBRO, MDS, WSO. The AAN sent a Speaker, for whom they covered the costs of his participation in the RTC. J. Ferro (ENS) was invited and spoke at this course.
Plans for 2014: The following countries were invited to host the 6th RTC: Mozambique and Zambia. Negotiations are underway. The following topics, chosen by the participants to the 5th RTC, will be addressed: Infectious diseases and Nerve and muscle diseases. Further information will be provided as soon as possible.
The final reports, incl. pictures, of all RTCs are published in Neuropenews and on the www.efns.org.
1.7. Teaching course sub-committee (TCC)
In light of the foundation of EAN and since there is no EFNS congress in 2013, it was decided in 2012 that the TCC will not exist anymore. Jean-March Léger, former chair of the TCC became a member of the CPC Istanbul 2014 and Berlin 2015 and is – together with Hannah Cock – in charge of the TCs at the upcoming congresses. In 2013 it was suggested that they should form a small working group taking care of the TCs.
TCs in Istanbul 2014: Altogether 25 TCs will be organised; they will be Saturday – Tuesday in the afternoon; 3 Practical sessions and 3 Interactive sessions will be organised.
TCs in Berlin 2015: Requests for proposals have been sent out and proposals are coming in
2. European Board of Neurology Examination (EBNE)
The 2012 board examination was held during the EFNS congress in Stockholm.
The 2013 board examination was held during the ENS Meeting in June in Barcelona. The report on the 5th board examination was published in Neuropenews, July 2013 (https://www.eanpages.org/?p=3865)
The number of applications is increasing every year. From 2014 on, it will be held during the EFNS/ENS Joint Congress and EAN Congress, respectively.
Questions for the board examination are received from the EFNS Panels/ Sub-committees and also from the eBrain question bank.
3. Co-operation with other organisations
3.1. EFNA (European Federation of Neurological Associations)
At the WCN in Vienna, a Patient Awareness Day will be organised.
For the Istanbul 2014 congress – as at previous congresses – the EFNA Awareness session is planned (Saturday afternoon). Balthasar Schaap, representing EFNA, is a member of the TEC.
3.2. EAYNT (European Association of Young Neurologists and Trainees)
EAYNT will again have a booth in the exhibition area within the EFNS booth, where experienced neurologists will meet with members of EAYNT.
An EAYNT session is planned to be held in Istanbul 2014.
Edina Timea Varga, the representative of EAYNT, is a member of the TEC. EAYNT is informed on EFNS educational activities on a regular basis. EFNS is helping with the promotion of EAYNT activities.
3.3. ENS
EFNS TEC is liaising with the ENS in order to plan upcoming activities of the European Academy of Neurology. Educational activities are announced on ENS as well as on EFNS website as common activities.
4. Publications related to the TEC
* Struhal W et al. Three important steps to European neurology harmonisation: core curriculum, visitation programme, European board examination. EJoN, 20, e101-e104
* Macerollo A, Sellner J. New article on activities in the interest of junior neurologist in 2013. Neuropenews April 2013. Miscellaneous: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=3121
* Macerollo A et al. The European Association of Young Neurologists and Trainees in 2013: striking a blow for European junior neurologists. European Journal of Neurology, 20, e54-58
* Bisdorff A. European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME) UEMS – New Developments. Neuropenews March 2013. Forum: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=2970
* Lenzi GL. Interview with Balthasar Schaap. Neuropenews February 2013. Interviews: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=2435
* Sztriha L et al. E-learning preferences of European junior neurologists – an EAYNT survey. Front. Neur. 3: 167. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2012.00167
* Lisnic V. EFNS 2012: Profile of Teaching Course participants. Neuropenews November 2012. News from EFNS&ENS: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=2024
* Mellgren SI, Grisold W. 4th European Board examination in neurology. Neuropenews November 2012. Miscellaneous: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=2081
* Varga TE. Activities of young neurologists (EAYNT) at the 16th EFNS Congress. Neuropenews November 2012. Miscellaneous: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=2041
* Bisdorff A. UEMS Section/Board of neurology and the neurological scientific societies in Europe. Neuropenews September 2012. Miscellaneous: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=1713
* Varga TE. EAYNT Report – EFNS RTC Novosibirsk. Neuropenews September 2012. News from the EFNS&ENS: https://www.eanpages.org/?p=1818
As suggested by the TEC, Forum Articles – that are published in the journal online only – related to educational activities are announced in Neuropenews together with the abstract or a shortened version of such articles.
5. Budget
The budget is included within the report of the treasurer which contains the Committee budgets.
The TEC will meet during the WCN in Vienna, September 2013 to discuss the plans for the future of all activities and subcommittees, especially related to the future EAN.
August 2013
Jean-Marc Léger works at the Groupe Hospitalier de la Pitié Salpêtrière, Department of Neuromuscular Pathology in Paris, France
