42 Trainees from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East are sponsored by their respective national societies to attend the 6-night residential summer school, which takes place in different destinations across Europe. This year, it was held for the 3rd and last year in a grand, prestigious performing arts centre Akoesticum in the rural town of Ede in the Netherlands. It was clear from the moment that the 42 participants from 17 countries arrived that it would be a highly interactive, worthwhile and stimulating week of lectures, workshops and practical activities dedicated to all aspects of general internal medicine. Central theme was Internal medicine in harmony, in which the following topics were included:
- Sonography for the internist
- Patient safety
- Multidisciplinary work in harmony
- Clinical reasoning
- Basic problems in Internal Medicine
- Patient care in a virtual world
There were clinical lectures, interactive case presentations, and a practical ultrasound workshop. 28 speakers were invited. Additionally, participants from each country were tasked with presenting an interesting clinical case. There was also a strong emphasis on the emerging global issues affecting all internists –for example, ageing populations, antibiotic resistance, physician burnout, patient safety and resource allocation in the global recession. There were sessions on cognitive reasoning, cognitive bias and errors in decision making. According to the participants the curriculum was full but very manageable by virtue of the varied timetable of workshops, lectures, interactive sessions and group sessions, as well as the very relaxing comfortable surroundings and refreshments.
There was a trip to Amsterdam for a hiking and boat tour, and a splendid cycle ride through the Dutch countryside to see a large collection of Van Gogh paintings in the Kröller-Müller Museum. Besides, saxophone lessons, given to the whole group in the beginning of the week, resulted in a coherent melody, played by all and within one hour. The social cohesion within the group was better than ever, still visible in a very active WhatsApp group.
For an impression of the last ESIM, please look at the video made by one of the participants. We thank all participants of the ESIM in the last 3 years.
Organizing committee ESIM 2019:
Director: Prof Rijk Gans
Co-directors: Dr Hein Muller, Dr Jan Willem Elte
YI: Annika Berends
ESIM Secretariat: Erik Sickmann