Nobel Peace Prize laureate and previous Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, once said “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.”
Through frontline education provided by an expert faculty, EUREP continues to enrich the capabilities of young urologists, encourage innovation and help the advancement of the field.
This year, two new faculty members, Prof. Sascha Ahyai (DE) of the University Medical Center Göttingen and Prof. Gilles Karsenty (FR) of Aix-Marseille Université, have joined the ranks of the programme’s esteemed mentors.
Prof. Karsenty was one of four mentors in the Functional Urology panel. His responsibilities involved raising the residents’ interests on the importance of evaluation and terminology in functional urology and on the management of neurogenic bladder.
Through daily lectures on the diagnosis, medical and surgical therapies of benign prostatic enlargement, Prof. Ahyai shared his valuable insights with the residents during Module 2 “Prostate cancer and male voiding LUTS”.
The two new expert mentors also shared their most memorable and rewarding moments. Prof. Ahyai stated, “It was the time spent together as a group during and after the lectures. I appreciate the lively interactions with the residents, and the camaraderie among fellow faculty members and programme organisers.”
For Prof. Karsenty, there were many noteworthy moments, which included the reaction he received after his first presentation. “I remember my students applauding. Then as I looked over to my colleagues, I could see that they were truly interested in what I had to say and were satisfied with the way I gave the lecture. I enjoyed the many informal talks I’ve had with the residents. They asked a lot of intelligent questions which showed their interest for functional urology. They also gave me good feedback.” He added, “What was also memorable was when well-known faculty members welcomed me during the wine and cheese dinner.”
Profs. Ahyai and Karsenty did not join the EUREP faculty to only teach but to learn as well. “To continuously work on becoming a better mentor year after year is one of my main objectives,” said Ahyai.
Enhancing his presentations is a goal for Prof. Karsenty. “I would like to make my lectures more interactive with more visual aids such as video demonstrations, for instance.” He added, “I would also like to encourage more French urologists in training to apply for EUREP, and to take the European Board of Urology (EBU) exams.” Prof. Karsenty will suggest to his academic colleagues to promote the programme more and to recognise the EBU Fellowship within their national board of urology.
“I’m truly impressed with the EUREP programme and I feel so proud to be part of it,” he added. “The dedication and effort for education are exactly what motivates me.”
“My overall impressions of the programme is nothing but positive. I believe it needs to continue what it does for so many young and promising residents: to educate and to inspire,” said Prof. Ahyai.
