Dear Colleagues,
The 2005 business meeting of the Working Group on Interventional Cardiology (Working Group 10 or WG10), which took place during the ESC annual meeting in Stockholm, has been very fruitful. We would like to briefly point out the most significant contributions and developments.
• First, the fellowship programme has been officially launched with the support of our industry partners and the EuroPCR. We have 6 grants available now and hope to offer more next year, underlining our main objectives of identifying and supporting the future generation of interventional specialists.
• Accreditation is a key issue and 15 countries have joined with us at a special meeting dedicated to this subject.
• Collaboration with the EuroPCR is increasingly rewarding. The WG is an active participant in the EuroPCR and this educational course has become our official meeting. The EuroIntervention journal was launched this year with great success (more than 40000 distributed) and is the official journal of the WG10. Partnerships are underway and evolving.
• The Euro Heart survey on PCI is a fantastic tool for clinical research and we intend to consecrate our energies to it.
• Communication is always critical and the WG 10 Web Site will become a monthly meeting place for information concerning our activities.
Here are the details of the major points discussed during this business meeting:
1. ACCREDITATION
Working Group 10 has set as a priority the definition of a specific Subspecialty Training Process in Interventional Cardiology. The Vice-Chairman, C. Di Mario, and the nucleus member responsible for education, G. Di Sciascio, are coordinating this task.
A Core Curriculum and Syllabus are in advanced preparation (see shared documents under Accreditation) and will be submitted in January 2005 to the Working Group Nucleus, and then in May 2005 to the Presidents of the National Societies of Interventional Cardiology.
We encourage you to look at the web site for application forms, or contact us to have all these documents mailed to you as soon as they are finalised.
http://services.escardio.org/emailing/Stockholm2005TrainingDiMario.ppt
2. TRAINING / RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP OF THE WORKING GROUP “INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY” OF THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF CARDIOLOGY
For the first time Working Group 10 along with its partners and sponsors has organized a comprehensive training program (or research grants where appropriate) for young cardiology fellows interested in interventional cardiology, whether for clinical or experimental research programs. The full details, including the rules and application forms, can be obtained from the WG10 web page.
Candidates below 36 years of age fulfilling the criteria described on the WG10 web pages are invited to send their applications to the ESC.
This extensive program was made possible thanks to the unrestricted educational / research grants by the following partners:
• Eli Lilly (2 grants)
• Europa Organisation
• Boston Scientific
• Cordis
• Medtronic
Successful candidates will be selected from all applications received in February - March 2006 by the Nucleus of the Working Group on Interventional Cardiology (and by two ad-hoc members to be nominated by the EuroPCR for the EUROPA-ESC training grant).
http://www.escardio.org/bodies/WG/wg10/Aims_and_activities/activities/InterventionalCardioGrants.htm
3. COLLABORATION WITH EUROPCR
ESC Working Group 10 has chosen the EuroPCR as its official meeting, and therefore actively collaborates with the EuroPCR. Jean Marco, member of the nucleus of the ESC Working Group on Interventional Cardiology presented the collaboration with the EuroPCR during the Business Meeting in Stockholm. The ESC Working Group on Interventional Cardiology has been officially invited to participate in the EuroPCR for three years now. Practically speaking, this year two sessions are being organised by the ESC Working Group 10 in the spirit of education that is the EuroPCR.
4. INTERNATIONAL LDD&R 2006, GENEVA SWITZERLAND
This meeting is organised in collaboration with the Working Group 10 and is considered a scientific meeting of the Working Group, hosted by Edoardo Camenzind of Geneva. It brings together basic scientists specialised in cardiovascular research and interventional cardiologists. It is seen as a unique opportunity to openly- and controversially- discuss burning topics and new developments. Young scientists and interventional cardiologists are especially invited to attend and to send abstracts. The Working Group will offer a poster prize during this meeting.
http://www.escardio.org/bodies/WG/wg10/Meetings/
5. ESC WORKING GROUP 10 AND EUROINTERVENTION
The journal EuroIntervention represents the official journal of our Working Group. Patrick Serruys presented the main objectives of the Journal, underlining the commitment of the Working Group to participate in the principal activities of the journal. The “Working Group 10 column” reflects the presence of the Working Group, several members of the Working Group 10 belong to the scientific committee, and a representative of the Working group participates to the editorial meetings.
6. ESC WORKING GROUP 10 WEBSITE
Communication is critical and the Web Site of Working Group 10 will be our monthly meeting place. We have recently opened this specific site in order to provide information concerning our activities, hot topics, or forums. The website editor is Andreas Baumbach and you are invited to make suggestions for reports, editorials, case studies. Join us at our website at:
http://www.escardio.org/bodies/WG/wg10/
7. EURO HEART SURVEY ON PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION
The Euro Heart Survey on PCI has begun well despite the summer months. As you can see from the updates by Valerie Laforest, the number of patients is steadily increasing so that we can expect to complete the Survey within the projected time frame by the end of January 2006. The PCI registry will continue. However, there is a clear need for more investment by European centres in order to enhance the Euro Heart Survey on PCI.
