EURETINA is delighted to continue for a third year of its Mentorship Programme for Retina Specialists, currently in its second year. This Mentorship Programme is designed to support the professional development of promising retina specialists.

About the Mentorship

Up to 6 mentees will be awarded each year through a members’ application process. The programme will include career development skills courses and networking opportunities, as well as personal one-to-one sessions between mentor and mentees. All meetings will be face to face where possible and mentee travel expenses, as well as Euretina Congress fees during the term of the programme, will be covered by the Society.

Mentors will be leading names in the field of retina, to include Euretina Board Members. Candidates can suggest preferred mentors from the list during the application process, although it is not guaranteed that this suggestion will be accepted by the awards committee. The Mentorship Programme will be led and evaluated by Prof Anat Loewenstein and Prof Ramin Tadayoni.

Panel of Mentors

Mentorship Schedule

The Euretina Mentorship programme is designed as a one-year programme to run from the time of the annual Euretina Congress to the following year’s meeting. 

The mentor and mentee will maintain contact during the twelve-month period of the programme. They will also aim to meet in person at least three times, including at both Euretina annual congresses, at the beginning and end of the programme and if possible, at the Euretina Winter Meeting. Career development skills courses and networking opportunities will also be included around the main Euretina meeting times.

Programme for Mentor/Mentee Collaboration

Mentor/Mentee One-to-one Sessions:

Mentors and mentees will, where possible, meet face-to-face to discuss ongoing networking and research project activities. First meeting between mentors and mentees will take place at the Euretina Congress (Amsterdam 2023), with a signing-off meeting the following year. Cadence of any additional meetings and all interim communications will be agreed directly between each pair of mentor and mentee to suit throughout the year.

During these meetings the mentorship pairs will endeavour to:

• Develop a set of clear goals and terms for their mentorship collaboration
• Be encouraged to create networking opportunities and meetings for the mentee
• Help develop a research or professional development project

Networking and Training Courses: 

At each of the two Euretina Congresses mentees will be invited to attend a Mentorship course. This course will engage a panel of experts to train mentees on valuable career skills, including for example: how to write research funding application, fundraising advice, and communications skills training.

Mentees will attend this course with peers from the current year’s programme, as well as with mentorship mentees from the previous or following year’s programme, to offer additional networking opportunities. Appropriate social programmes will help with networking between mentees. Mentees will also be given the opportunity to discuss and share experiences and progress of research during these meetings and will be required to formally present their findings to the group.

Application process for Mentees

Criteria for applicants:

• Current membership of EURETINA at time of application
• Ophthalmologist during fellowship (or equivalent) or finished maximum in the past 5 years
• Retina training or predominantly managing retinal diseases

Online application must include:

• Short (200 world max) biography of applicant and current position, including all information to identify application criteria mentioned above.
• Complete long version CV including educations, publications, and achievements
• Motivation letter of applicant as to how they would benefit from the mentorship
• Two letters of reference from members of EURETINA

Timeline

January, 2023

• Applications Open

April 10, 2023 Midnight (CEST) –.

• Deadline for applications

May, 2023

• Mentees announced

October 5-8, 2023

• Programme begins during Euretina Congress