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EAU18 – Young Academic Urologists: Raising the next generation of key opinion leaders

The Young Academic Urologists (YAU) showcased the achievements of their talented and already-renowned members at a specialty session on Friday. Dr. Michiel Sedelaar (NL) introduced Chairman Prof. Selçuk  Silay (TR) who has not only expertly guided the YAU over the past two years, but is also this year’s Crystal Matula award winner. 

Silay ran through the accomplishments of the group over the six years since its inception. 84% of YAU members are presenting at EAU18, 44.1% have received a local or international scientific award, 37.7% are journal editors or associate editors, 19.4% have presentation or hands-on tutor responsibilities at ESU courses, 50.6% are involved in the EAU Sections, 11.6% are involved in Guidelines panels, four members have won Matula awards, and over 80 PubMed papers have been published (21 in 2017). The group has also contributed to EAU Section and Regional meetings, organised its own specific meetings, and at EAU18 will be running courses on presentation and leadership skills.

Through teamwork and a formula of “enthusiasm + trust + respect”, the YAU is raising the next generation of key opinion leaders, award winners and Association of Academic European Urologists members. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” said Silay, quoting Eleanor Roosevelt. He encouraged EAU members under 40, affiliated to an academic institution, and with at least five publications to their names, to apply to join the group.

 Prof. Chris Chapple (GB), giving the Secretary General’s perspective of the role of YAU within EAU, said the Executive and Board were very keen to include members in all activities, but they should be proactive in getting involved: “Things don’t just happen, they have to be made to be happen. You are at the stage in your careers when you have to make things happen.”

He said members should join the Sections to build expertise, get involved with the Research Foundation, submit to the three EAU journals, work on ESU courses, and contribute to the Guidelines and Patient Information groups. He stressed the importance of networking, evidence-based rather than eminence-based medicine, and embracing the whole field in order to maintain control as a urologist rather than becoming a technician. “At the end of the day, the future is in your hands,” he said, “look on the website for grants, activities, how to get involved, and help the EAU achieve its mission statement.”

Dr. Panagiotis Kallidonis (GR) said it was difficult to compress all of the YAU non-oncology working groups’ achievements over the past 12 months into a ten-minute presentation, but managed to show that the Functional, Men’s Health, Paediatrics, Trauma & Reconstructive, and Endourology-Lithiasis groups all made robust contributions to the peer-reviewed literature, academic meetings, educational courses, and ongoing research. “There is a lot of work being done in these groups. All of these people are going to develop themselves and provide something better for our specialty.”

Dr. Guillaume Ploussard (FR) said that the technology (UroTechnology and Robotics) and oncology (Bladder, Renal and Prostate) working groups had been similarly successful in the same areas, “Last year was very good for these groups. I am sure 2018 will be even better.”

The YAU awards were presented by Prof. Hein Van Poppel (BE).

  • Best paper published in 2017 by the Prostate Cancer YAU group – Dr. Roderick Van den Bergh (NL)
  • Best poster presented at EAU 2018 by the Mens Health YAU group – Dr. Giorgio Ivan Russo (IT)
  • Reviewer of the year from YAU – Dr. Andrea Necchi – collected by Prof. Evangelos Liatsikos (GR) on behalf of winner

Article by Jen Tidman