ESMO conference, Lugano, 6 July 2007

Francesco Atzori

ESMO fellowship Recipient 2006-07

Medical Oncology Department

Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain

The importance of international experience. An ESMO fellowship recipient view

Topics for discussion...

• Why do we need a fellowship? Goals

• Post-residency Fellowship: the Process

• Achievements and future aims

Applying for a fellowship : Why?

•At least 10 years of training to be qualified to take care of patients with cancer.

•The training is arduous...

•How to put into practice our acquisitions?

Residency/fellowship training program:

Applying for a fellowship : Why?

Goals of post-residency training:

• Develop a knowledge “niche” for future academic growth

• Improve skills in chosen research area (translational,

basic science, etc.)

• Design of clinical trials with novel agents and treatments

• Experience in publishing results in scientific journals

Applying for a fellowship : Why?

Goals of post-residency training:

• Develop a knowledge “niche” for future academic growth

• Improve skills in chosen research area (translational,

basic science, etc.)

• Design of clinical trials with novel agents and treatments

• Experience in publishing results in scientific journals

Applying for a fellowship : Why?

Goals of post-residency training:

• Develop a knowledge “niche” for future academic growth

• Improve skills in chosen research area (translational,

basic science, etc.)

• Design of clinical trials with novel agents and treatments

• Experience in publishing results in scientific journals

Applying for a fellowship : Why?

Goals of post-residency training:

• Develop a knowledge “niche” for future academic growth

• Improve skills in chosen research area (translational,

basic science, etc.)

• Design of clinical trials with novel agents and treatments

• Experience in publishing results in scientific journals

Applying for a fellowship : Why?

Goals of post-residency training:

• Develop a knowledge “niche” for future academic growth

• Improve skills in chosen research area (translational,

basic science, etc.)

• Design of clinical trials with novel agents and treatments

• Experience in publishing results in scientific journals

Develop a successful academic career!

Applying for a fellowship: the process

• What are the new and important areas of research in oncology in the years to come?– Talk to people– Attend conferences– Read, read, read.

• Ok, I know the important areas. What am I interested in? Get more information

• Do I have the potential skills to be successful in the chosen area?

• Look for a program (Hospital) and Mentor that is an expert in your area of interest and start the application process

Steps

•The mentor should train/guide the mentee to become an independent investigator.

•Some of the desired features of a mentor:

•Senior faculty member •Expert/Teacher/Leader •Role model •Guide •Coach •Moral supporter •Takes pride in the achievements of his/her mentee, as if they were his/her own

“Choosing a Mentor is critical ”

Applying for a fellowship: the process

Applying for a fellowship: the process

• Apply….and get accepted • Obtaining funding for your fellowship

– Not essential but important because:• It is more likely to be accepted if one comes with

financial support• It is important for career development purposes:

– It is your first “grant”

– It helps you in developing a focused project (you have to think in detail what you will do and put it in writing!)

– It shows a capacity to secure your own financial support

– Your mentor can assist. It is your first “joint project”

Steps (cont’d)

Applying for a fellowship: the process

How to obtain a grant?

• Apply for it (Nobody will call to volunteer a grant for you)• Several Funding Sources:

– ESMO Fellowships– ASCO Young Investigator Award– ASCO Career Development Award– AACR– NIH: K Award– American Cancer Society – Susan G. Komen Fellowship– National Societies – Institutional Grants– National Cancer Leagues– etc.…

Lorenzo de' Medici

Apply for a fellowship: the process...the European choice

The aim of the ESMO Fellowship program is to provide 1-year scholarships to young oncologists for pre-clinical and/or clinical training in an outstanding European laboratory or clinical facility.

Goal

Making the highest quality of oncology research available throughout Europe.

Benefits

•Collaborating with first-class European institutions

•Receiving support necessary to develop specific research projects

•Improving career development

www.esmo.org

Fellowship’s Objectives:A personal view

• Translational research activities• Educational activities for daily clinical

practice • How to run clinical trials • Networking • How to make a public scientific

presentation• How to write and evaluate scientific

publications

Example: my own fellowship timeline

Limited clinical trial experience!!!

Clinical trials exposure

Month 2

Clinical duties

Example: my own fellowship timeline

Month 3 Month 6

Initial exposure to clinical research !!!

Clinical trials exposure

Month 2

Clinical duties

resposibilities in clinical trials

Example: my own fellowship timeline

Month 3 Month 6

Responsabilities in running clinical trials!!!

Clinical trials exposure

Month 2

Clinical duties

responsibilities in clinical trials

Month 9 Month 12

Upon completing the fellowship…

•Evaluate the skills and knowledge you have acquired

•Look at all opportunities

•Speak to your mentor

Acknowledgements

Marta Parera

Esther Casado

Eduardo Vilar

Jose M. Del Campo

Enriqueta Felip

ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology)

Mentors

Prof. José Baselga

Dr Josep Tabernero

ColleaguesPatricia Gomez

Javier Cortes

Meritxell Bellet

Ben Markman

Serena Di Cosimo

Jaume Capdevila

Javier Ramos

Susana Cedres

Claudia Valverde

Emiliano Calvo

Cristina Saura

Teresa Macarulla