Learning with the Experts - Liverpool Neuro ID Fellowship 2019
Learning with the Experts - Liverpool
Neuro ID Fellowship 2019
Sofia Valdoleiros is a Portuguese medical resident in Infectious Diseases and from
January until March 2019, caried out a clinical and academical internship in
Neurology, with a primary focus in Neurological Infection, with the Liverpool
Brain Infections Group (LBIG), under Professor Solomon, also with Dr. Benedict
Michael and Dr. Christine Burness.
The academical module took place at the Institute of Infection and
Global Health (IGH), where I was so well received and involved in the
activities by everyone. Along with the academical work I developed, I got to
participate in the Liverpool Brain Infections Group meetings, which included
the discussion of major research projects, such as Enceph-UK, and UK-ChiMES, major
programmes on adult and paediatric encephalitis. I even heard from Professor
Solomon himself on “How to write a winning grant”! I was given the opportunity
to attend international meetings of ground-breaking multicentre projects, such
as Brain Infections Global and ZikaPLAN, and what an honour it was to be able
to take part in these meetings and actually meet world leaders in Neurological
Infectious Diseases research!
Exciting activities seem to be always happening, such as these meetings
or Neuroscience Day or open
discussions about neuroscience research. I was sad my internship ended before
some other events took place, such as the Big
Infection Day or the Neurological
Infectious Diseases Course, but these sure were “replaced” by other
activities, such as the e-learning Neuro ID
Course or teaching sessions with Dr. Benedict Michael, who invested a lot
of time in discussing fascinating Neuro ID cases with me.
The clinical module took place at the Walton Centre and the Royal
Liverpool University Hospital. As a renowned neurosciences medical centre, at
the Walton Centre it is possible to attend experts’ subspecialty Neurology
Clinics, observe inpatients with neuro-infection and attend stimulating
meetings, from Grand Rounds to Lectures from Neurology experts and teaching
sessions, and MDT meetings such as Spinal Infection, Infection Control or
Neuroradiology. At the Royal, I accompanied Dr. Burness, a Neurology consultant
with a special interest in Neurological Infection, in observing referrals from
the ID wards, and attended the Neuro ID Clinic, an innovative approach bringing
together a Neurology consultant (specialized in Neurological Infection –
Professor Solomon, Dr. Michael and Dr. Burness) and an ID consultant (Dr.
Defres) in a multidisciplinary view of the patient. I was also given the
opportunity to attend the Encephalitis MDT monthly meeting at the National
Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London. I am so grateful for the
opportunity to learn from these Neuro ID experts’ experience and for their
valuable insights. It will certainly change my approach of the neuro infected
patient in Portugal.
Overall, the major point I highlight is the amount of opportunities (to
learn, to participate in) I was given in only 3 months. With so much and so
interesting and versatile things to do, these 3 months just completely flew by.
Thank you so much to everyone!
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