Department to Department Visit Programme

The ESO Department to Department Visit Programme is a grant of EUR 1,500 offered to up to 10 young physicians and researchers to support a short visit of a week or as a contribution to a longer visit to an European department or laboratory.

The programme aims to provide insight into stroke departments outside the applicant’s home country.

The application period is now closed for 2022 grants.

The short visit may play an important role in the career of young physicians and researchers by establishing contact with people and departments who may provide future research and job opportunities. Awardees are expected to send a report after completion of their visit to be posted on the ESO blog and newsletter, and to acknowledge ESO in scientific work that results from the stay.

2021 Department to Department Visit Programme Grant Awardees

Awardee
Annemijn Algra (The Netherlands)
Elsaid Nada (Egypt)
Maria Fonseca de Melo Bandeira (Belgium)
Mihail Kalnev (Bulgaria)
Ivan Koltsov (Russia)
Máté Kondor (Hungary)
Raffaele Ornello (Italy)
Vassilis Papadopoulos (Greece)
Apoorva Shankaranarayana (India)
Emanuele Spina (Italy)

Host Institution
Oslo University Hospital, Norway
Stroke Unit, Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Modena, Italy
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Lille, France
Department of Neurology at the University of Bern, Switzerland
Department of Neurology at the University of Bern, Switzerland
Segeberger Kliniken, Bad Segeberg, Germany
University of Edinburgh, Scotland
Department of Neurology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Division of Rehabilitation, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
Department of Neurology at the University of Bern, Switzerland

Who Should Apply?

Physicians or researchers up to 40 years of age – with an interest in the field of stroke. Applicants must be ESO members (Junior membership application is available here).

The grant can only be received once.

The host institution has to be located in a European country.

In the selection process, we have a special emphasis on applicants from European low-middle and upper-middle income countries (as defined by the World Bank), interested in improving the stroke pathways and care in their institutions and six grants per year are reserved for this purpose.

How to Apply

The application period is now closed for 2022 visits.
Interested applicants are requested to complete and submit the following documents all together:

ESO Application form
Invitation letter from Head of the Department / Institution where you want to visit (host institution)
Letter of recommendation from the supervisor or Head at your department
Letter of motivation (1/2 page)
English CV ( 1-2 page)
List of publications
Copy of identity card/passport

If you require assistance to establish contact with an institution, please contact Dr. Diana Aguiar de Sousa from the “ESO Young Stroke Physicians and Researchers committee” by e-mail to dianasousa@campus.ul.pt Applications must be submitted to the ESO Secretariat by e-mail to esoinfo@eso-stroke.org by 28 February 2022. For any questions, please write to esoinfo@eso-stroke.org

2020 and 2021 Department to Department Visit Reports

Mihail Kalnev

University Hospital Saint George, Department of Neurosurgery | Plovdiv, Bulgaria

“The ESO Department to Department Visit Programme has one more important benefit for the participants – you can learn about another culture and another beautiful country. In my free time, I was able to explore the spirit of Bern, and together with my colleagues, I had the opportunity to fall in love with the magnificent Alps during our hike.

I am convinced that this program has broadened my knowledge and skills in managing neurovascular pathologies. I will seek to transfer the good practice of the Inselspital Bern to our institution.”

Read Report

Antonio Ciacciarelli

Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome | Rome, Italy

“During my stay at Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, I met new people who have increased my enthusiasm for studying and improving stroke care in all its facets and angles. I was able to discuss with them new insights into clinical practice and stroke research field. For this reason, I want to thank Dr Ángel Chamorro for not hesitating to accept me in his department from the very first moment. Dr Xabier Urra for his availability in guiding me through the entire visit, and all the neurologists (Dr Amaro, Dr Renú, Dr Rodríguez, Dr Santana), the residents and the stroke team for the warm welcome I received. Hope to see you soon and keep collaborating in the future.”

Read Report

Vassilis Papadopoulos

Eginition Hospital | Athens, Greece

“They say that traveling abroad helps one to get a better view of their own country, and that was certainly the case for me. Through this amazing opportunity, made possible by the ESO Department to Department Visit Programme, I was able to be a part of an exceptional stroke team and to closely observe a state-of-the-art stroke care setting. This prompted me to imagine how things could be done differently back home.

It is a fact that pre-Hospital care is still a work in progress in Greece, especially as far as stroke care is concerned. With the help of professor Hanne Christensen, who was in charge of my clinical rotation schedule during my visit in Copenhagen, I was provided the opportunity to spend time with the ambulance staff and to see how a stroke patient in Denmark is treated from point zero.”

Read Report

Awardees and Reports

2021 Awardees

ESO is pleased to announce the 2021 awardees and their hosts:

Annemijn Algra (The Netherlands)
Host Institution: Oslo University Hospital, Norway / date TBC

Nada Elsaid (Egypt)
Host Institution: University Hospital of Modena, Italy / date TBC

Maria Fonseca de Melo Bandeira (Belgium)
Host Institution: CHU Lille, France / 4 October 2021 – 2 October 2022

Mihail Kalnev (Bulgaria)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Switzerland / 1 – 31 October 2021 Read Report

Ivan Koltsov (Russia)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Switzerland / date TBC

Máté Kondor (Hungary)
Host Institution: Segeberger Kliniken, Bad Segeberg, Germany / 9 August – 3 September 2021 Read Report

Raffaele Ornello (Italy)
Host Institution: University of Edinburgh, Scotland / date TBC

Papadopoulos Vassilis (Greece)
Host Institution: Bispebjerg Hospital Copenhagen, Denmark / 14 June – 13 October 2021 Read Report

Apoorva Shankaranarayana (India)
Host Institution: University of Nottingham, United Kingdom / date TBC

Emanuele Spina (Italy)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Switzerland / 18 October – 5 November 2021 Read Report

2020 Awardees

ESO is pleased to announce the 2020 Department to Department Visit Programme Awardees. We wish a fruitful, cooperative visit to all involved.

Awardee: Tatia Aprasidze (Georgia)
Host Institution: University Children’s Hospital, Inselspital, Bern, Switzerland / 1 – 14 July 2021 Read Report

Awardee: Antonio Ciacciarelli (Italy)
Host Institution: Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Spain / 7-22 February 2021 Read Report

Awardee: Gleni Halili (Albania)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 23 -29 August 2021 Read Report

Awardee: Mihai Radu Ionescu (Romania)
Host Institution: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Limoge, France / 29 June – 17 July 2020 Read Report

Awardee: Espen Saxhaug Kristoffersen (Norway)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / dates TBC 2021

Awardee: Lusine Martirosyan (Armenia)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 14-24 December 2021

Awardee: Kateriine Orav (Estonia)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 26 – 30 July 2021 Read Report

Awardee: Marieta Valerieva Peycheva (Bulgaria)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 1 – 10 September 2020 Read Report

Awardee: Aurora Semerano (Italy)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 28 June – 9 July 2021 Read Report

Awardee: Dmitar Vlahović (Serbia)
Host Institution: Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, Norway / dates TBC 2021

2019 Awardees

ESO is pleased to announce the 2019 Department to Department Visit Programme Awardees. We wish a fruitful, cooperative visit to all involved.

Awardee: Angelo Cascio Rizzo (Italy)
Host Institution: Charite University Hospital, Berlin, Germany / 9 – 15 September 2019 Read Report

Awardee: Silvia Chirobocea (Romania)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 5 – 14 August 2019 Read Report

Awardee: Mercedes de Lera Alfonso (Spain)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 1 – 8 September 2019 Read Report

Awardee: Sofiya Khachaturyan (Armenia)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 2 – 6 December 2019 Read Report

Awardee: Inna Lutsenko (Kyrgyzstan)
Host Institution: San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, Department of Neuroscience, Rome, Italy / 27 May – 4 June 2019 Read Report

Awardee: Masiliūnas Rytis (Lithuana)
Host Institution: Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden / 25 March – 5 April 2019 Read Report

Awardee: Sabina Medukhanova (Kazakhstan)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland / 11 – 15 November 2019 Read Report

Awardee: Răzvan Alexandru Radu (Romania)
Host Institution: University Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain / 10 – 23 June 2019 Read Report

Awardee: Valentina Rinnoci (Italy)
Host Institution: Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway / 27 January – 4 February 2020 Read Report

Awardee: Floris H.B.M. Schreuder (The Netherlands)
Host Institution: Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom / 5 – 12 September 2019 Read Report

2018 Awardees

ESO is pleased to announce the 2018 awardees:

Natalia Andrzejewska (Poland)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland Read Report

Mariana Morais Carvalho Dias (Portugal)
Host Institution: Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain Read Report

Csilla Forro (Romania)
Host Institution: National Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Budapest, Hungary Read Report

Julie Haesebaert (France)
Host Institution: Kings’s College, School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences, London, United Kingdom Read Report

Manea Maria Mirabela (Romania)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland Read Report

Giuseppe Reale (Italy)
Host Institution: Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden Read Report

Pasquale Scoppettuolo (Belgium)
Host Institution: Hôpital Roger Salengro, Lille, France Read Report

Susanna Zuurbier (The Netherlands)
Host Institution: Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland Read Report

2017 Awardees

ESO is pleased to announce the 2017 awardees:

Rahim Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
Host Institution: Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany Read Report

Kateryna Antonenko (Ukraine)
Host Institution: University Hospital of Perugia, Stroke Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Perugia, Italy Read Report

Anne-Katrin Giese (German/Harvard)
Host Institution: Ludwig-Maximilians-Univeristy, Munich, Germany Read Report

Dearbhla Kelly (Dublin/Ireland)
Host Institution: University Hospital Lariboisiere, Paris, France Read Report

Patrick Nicholson (Dublin/Ireland)
Host Institution: Inselspital Bern, Neurology Department, Bern, Switzerland Read Report

Alessio Pieroni (Rome/Italy)
Host Institution: Queen Elizabeth University, Stroke Unit, Hospital in Glasgow, United Kingdom