EULAR SHORT-TERM SCIENTIFIC GRANT – AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY
THE BEGINNING
In 2021, I received the EULAR Scientific training grant for young fellows. I had the pleasure to visit one of the Centers of Excellence in rheumatology. My preferred center of excellence was the Department of Rheumatology at King’s College Hospital, London and the Weston Education Center. It was with great excitement that as part of my visit, I was given the opportunity to engage with a clinical project focusing on the “Prevalence of Interstitial Lung Disease at the Time of Diagnosis of Rheumatic Inflammatory Diseases” under the supervision of Dr. Elena Nikiphorou and Professor James Galloway, passionate professionals at the very core. Dr. Nikiphorou and I crossed paths through EMEUNET. As an active participant in the organization for years, Dr. Nikiphorou has held the position of Chair of EMEUNET. Her enthusiasm is contagious and inspiring; we have built a beautiful friendship that grew into a fruitful collaboration.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KING’S COLLEGE LONDON
- King’s was established in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington.
- King’s alumni include 14 Nobel laureates.
- In December 2024, King’s College London was ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide for sustainability.
For more interesting facts about King’s College London history click here.
THE EXPERIENCE
With great anticipation, I arrived on my first day of the program at Weston Education Center. This is one of the UK’s largest and most successful centres for research and education. Having the opportunity to blend in with the team was a true honour. I particularly enjoyed different clinics held once every two weeks, which, aside from early inflammatory arthritis clinics, included a sarcoidosis clinic held in conjunction with pulmonologists and dermatologists. As a leading centre in sarcoidosis, the discussion and examination of patients with different disease manifestations were extremely interesting. I also attended psoriatic arthritis clinics, antenatal clinics, and clinics on tuberculosis and rheumatic diseases.
Another interesting experience was the regular multidisciplinary team meetings discussing difficult-to-treat cases in rheumatology and biologics, and the lung transplant multidisciplinary meetings.
Every week, a team member delivered interesting lectures focused on their research and the results obtained.
THE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES – a King’s Experience
As you can imagine, London is a great place to visit anytime, not only for research but also for sightseeing – fromiconic landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge to world-renowned galleries and museums, top chefs’ gourmet experiences, and multi-award winning musicals (as the Lion King musical), however, this is another story.
CONCLUSION
It is all about teamwork! Vivid memories and good friendships are what will last. Thank you, King’s College London, for the hospitality during my whole stay!
I am most grateful to Professor James Galloway and Dr. Elena Nikiphorou!
MESSAGE TO YOUNG RHEUMATOLOGY FELLOWS
I would highly recommend the EULAR scientific exchange program to young fellows in rheumatology.
The exchange experience is a great opportunity to interact and collaborate with colleagues, exchange experiences, and gain knowledge from some of the best professionals in the field of rheumatology. Nothing in life is random, and there is always a good reason behind the people who cross our paths.
The environment was highly academic and professional yet warm, humble and friendly. The team encourages and welcomes young people like me from abroad, sharing knowledge and experience.
The experience gained, albeit for a short period of time, remains invaluable and inspiring.
Rositsa Dacheva on behalf of the Newsletter Sub-committe
