European Academy for Medicine of Ageing

The format consists of intensive student participation in working groups, giving short presentations and leading discussions, as well as state-of-the-art lectures by experts in the field of geriatrics from all over the world.

The course was established seven years ago by a self-co-opted ad-hoc group of the European Professors of Medical Gerontology (Age & Ageing 1994; 23: 179-81) and is now based in the Institut Kurt Bösch, Sion, Valais, Switzerland. The current executive board members are: Prof R Bernabei (Rome, Italy), Prof B Vellas (Toulouse, France), Prof N Thorsten (Ulm, Germany), Prof J-P Michel (Geneva, Switzerland), Prof H Stähelin (Basel, Switzerland), and Prof C Swine (Yvoir, Belgium) Participants come from all over Europe as well as a few from the USA and Brazil. Thus far there have only been two UK participants.

Work hard, play hard
Having now attended two sessions, I can thoroughly recommend the course. There is a strong academic bias. The working atmosphere is relaxed but the workload is heavy – ‘work hard, play hard’ would sum up the course well. There are excellent opportunities to share experiences between European colleagues, which can provide for a rich source of discussion at times!

Young geriatricians of Europe
At the most recent meeting, the ‘young geriatricians of Europe’ (not chronologically-speaking, but rather, reflecting our training status) was crystallised. A collective of trainees have formed with the idea of promoting collaborative projects on a Europe wide basis. Our initial project is looking at the definition of a dying patient and comparing definitions trans-culturally.

We are devising a database which should record the backgrounds and research interests of individual trainees, allowing us to develop networks. Any members interested in subscribing to the ‘young geriatricians of Europe’ should contact Simon Conroy – spcon@doctors.org.uk

Finally, anyone interested in attending the EAMA should contact the course administrator – Verena Montani - vmontani@vtx.ch. Successful applicants will need to have demonstrated an interest in research and academic medicine as well as having the backing of their national body (i.e. the BGS) and will need to be able to provide funding (currently £1000 per session). Places on the course are awarded on merit.

Simon Conroy
Addenbrookes Hospital

All change at top table
Trainees meeting - October 2003

Our next Trainees meeting will be held during Friday lunchtime of the Autumn BGS meeting in London in October 2003. I hope that many of you will be able to attend. Among the issues to be discussed are those of the SpR training curriculum/assessment; stroke training; working hours/shifts and research. It will also be a very important meeting as we need to vote for a new Trainees’ Committee.

I can hardly believe that it is almost 2 years since I volunteered to be the Chair of the committee and was subsequently voted in! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Chair and I am certain that my colleagues on the rest of the committee feel the same about their posts. I would encourage you to consider standing for one of the following posts in the Autumn:

• Chair – representing trainees on the BGS UK Management Committee (which is concerned with the running of the Society, and determines strategy for influencing UK- wide developments in policy affecting older people’s medical care); BGS Training Committee (which deals with training in geriatric medicine); SAC for Geriatric Medicine (a JCHMT body that discusses issues related to training in geriatric medicine)
• Vice-Chair – representing trainees on the BGS Scientific Committee (which adjudicates abstracts for BGS meetings and promotes the role of research in geriatrics) Joint BGS/RCP Committee
• Second Training Committee Rep – representing trainees, additional to the Chairman on the BGS Training Committee
• Finance Rep – representing trainees on the BGS Finance Committee
• Policy Rep – representing trainees on the BGS Policy Committee
• English Council Reps (2)
• Scottish Council Reps (2)
• Irish Council Rep (1)
• Welsh Council Rep (1)

New constitution
We voted in a new Trainees Constitution (details on the website - www.bgstraining.org.uk) at the Trainees meeting in Aberdeen in April. This allows more flexibility in the above posts and gives details of how the elections will take place in October. The English Council reps are new positions and at present are unfilled. I am aware that there are already probably representatives for the other councils and, if this is the case, we need to formally recognise them, by vote, at the meeting.

So finally, my time as Chair of the Trainees Group has been a satisfying and an invaluable experience, which I’m sure will stand me in good stead in future. I would strongly encourage my colleagues to consider standing for one of the above posts.
If you feel moved to stand for election, or would like to contact me for any further information, please do email me

I look forward to seeing you in October.

Cath Church
Chair, Trainees Group