Year Three Student Doctor Imran Farhad was accepted to present at the European Association of Neurological Societies, an international conference that took place in Marseille.
The conference was a chance to listen to prominent keynote speakers in the world of neuroscience and to present your own research to a wide audience.
“The European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) hold annual conferences for neurologists, neurosurgeons and anyone interested in the field to attend and present their research to a panel of experts within the field. It’s often attended by clinicians from all over the world, who have revolutionised surgical techniques or are leading important drug trials for all sorts of vascular neurological conditions.
My presentation was titled ‘The Outcomes following Stereotactic Radiosurgery for High-Grade Brain AVMs’. We’re taught early on in medical school that the leading cause of intracerebral haemorrhages in young adults are due to an abnormal tangle of cerebral arteries and veins in the brain, which is called an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM).
This makes it relevant and significant to people our ages which adds a personal touch to the presentation.
Usually, they’re treated successfully by removal via microsurgery, however for larger AVMs this is much more difficult and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality rates. Stereotactic Radiosurgery is a non-invasive, outpatient method which has been proposed by many as a better treatment method. My presentation essentially explores if this is true.
Getting an oral presentation spot at a conference such as EANS was a great feeling.
The anxiety leading up to it can build up quick as you think about everything that can possibly go wrong, from forgetting your lines to getting grilled by a professor. However, I found that it was the exact opposite. You realise no one is there to negatively judge your work, but instead learn from your research and give helpful feedback. They were all very supportive and helpful.
Seeing things we’ve learnt over the past couple of years get applied to real life situations within hospitals is always a satisfying feeling that I’m looking forward to in Year Three.”
Following the conference, Imran has also received the happy news that his research paper has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Congratulations Imran! If you're a student doctor keen to present your own research, check out the Student Research (link) page of the student intranet for support and guidance.