Babinski is the association of neurologists in training in Flanders – the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. Residents from all 4 medical universities are included: Ghent, Leuven, Antwerp and Brussels. Babinski was founded in the summer of 2015. At the first EAN congress in 2015 (Berlin), it became clear from several conversations between residents from Leuven and Ghent that, in addition to the current training programs that are in place at all medical universities, there was a need for teaching sessions aimed at practical issues relevant for residents. This is also the core goal of Babinski: augmenting the education of young neurologists by organising dedicated events. A second goal is to stimulate inter-university contacts, to create a community of neurologists in training.
As Babinski is still a very young organisation, we are still actively building it. The aim is to provide a platform for anyone from within the group of young neurologists to organize symposia, discussions or social events. With Babinski we provide the means to disseminate information throughout the group and to exchange ideas. It is also a framework for communication with other organisations such as the Flemish association of neurologists (VVN – Vlaamse Vereniging voor Neurologie).
Babinski organises several evening symposia each year on various subjects – last year neuro-ophthalmology and antidepressant use were some of the topics. Two afternoon congresses are also organised with the support of the VVN, on the same days as their spring and autumn meetings. The highlight of our first year was an afternoon dedicated to imaging in neurology.
Babinski currently has over 80 members, broadly including all neurologists in training in Flanders, as well as medical students that have been selected to start a neurology residency next year. It is our aim to implement the same membership criteria as the EAN RRFS, which means that certified neurologists that have only recently finished their training (no more than 3 years) can also join. Furthermore, discussions are ongoing within the group to determine which initiatives would also be of interest to our members, such as book sales or hands-on training sessions.
Website: http://babinski.weebly.com
Email: babinski.vzw@gmail.com
