EuroPit 2023
Ross Hamblin, UK, EuroPit 2023 fellow
I was fortunate to attend Europit in November 2023 and can confidently say that this is truly an exceptional course for anyone interested in pituitary disorders.
The course is in Annecy, a picturesque Alpine town home to the spectacular lake Annecy and surrounded by mountains. The hotel and course centre, ‘Les Pensières,’ sits immediately next to the lake and is undoubtedly the most beautiful course location I have ever attended! On arrival, the faculty were very welcoming, and it was great to see such a diverse range of delegates and experts brought together from across Europe. Notably, the ratio of course instructors to delegates was similar, providing an excellent learning and networking environment.
The course content was delivered over three days, with leading endocrinologists, pathologists, oncologists, neurosurgeons, and biochemical scientists participating to discuss and share the latest research advances in their field. It was truly inspiring; often, seminal papers that were recently published were presented and discussed by the senior authors themselves. The learning environment was relaxed, with delegates actively encouraged to ask questions and participate, with plenty of opportunities for discussion. All fellows presented an interesting case, giving a chance to discuss and share knowledge learnt from dealing with rare and complex cases and seek expert opinions and feedback. The top three presentations received prizes, one of which included complimentary registration for the next European Congress of Endocrinology meeting.
A large part of the course focuses on building relationships, both internationally between different institutions and across multidisciplinary specialties. Socialising was encouraged and came naturally; all meals were shared between all course members and included an evening dining out together in the town of Annecy (be warned- Annecy is famous for its cheese - your clothes will smell afterwards!). Given frequent interaction between all course members, fellows naturally felt comfortable asking questions, sharing their research experience, and exchanging research ideas. Faculty with a wealth of experience were happy to offer their advice and support.
I strongly encourage clinicians and researchers interested in pituitary disorders to apply to Europit. It is an incredibly unique opportunity to attend a beautiful part of the world, to learn from the world’s best clinicians and researchers, and to network, building connections to help grow your career and provide future opportunities. The 2023 group are regularly in contact on WhatsApp, and I am confident all would share my views about this wonderful course. I am profoundly grateful to the European Society for Endocrinology for awarding me a place to attend the course and to the faculty for awarding me the ESE Europit case presentation prize.
Ross Hamblin, UK, EuroPit 2023 fellow