Dear colleagues, The ESPN council has decided to launch a new mentoring program. This program aims to support ten young pediatric nephrologists to develop their personal, clinical, and scientific skills. In addition to a connection between a mentor and the mentee, allowing communication and personal exchange on aspects of career planning and networking, the program will bring together young pediatric nephrologists from different European regions for specialized training and seminars. There will be a waiver for registration fees for mentees who will thus have full access to ESPN's annual meeting. ESPN will partly support mentees' traveling and accommodation to the annual meeting and to a dedicated mentoring program spring meeting. The first class is planned to be initiated at ESPN’s meeting in Amsterdam and to last until ESPN’s annual meeting 2023.
Selection process: The mentoring program is set up to include ten mentees per class. Candidates must be ESPN members and should be under 35 years of age. Candidates do not need to have finished their full training in pediatric nephrology by the time of application. ESPN also invites pediatricians during their training in pediatric nephrology and doctors-in-training with a special interest in pediatric nephrology as demonstrated by previous activities to apply. Candidates are asked to
submit their application to here with a 2-page Curriculum Vitae (incl. a list of up to five publications if available) and a letter describing the personal motivation and goals for participation. Besides, a letter of recommendation by a pediatric nephrologist and a letter by the head of the department confirming that every effort will be taken to allow participation of the applicant at ESPN annual meeting and at a 2-day mentoring program spring meeting in case of selection, are required.
The closing date for applications is May 15th, 2021. Late applications will not be considered. Applications will be evaluated and selected by a committee through a standardized process. The conscious recognition and promotion of gender parity are taken into account in this selection process. The evaluation will be final, and there will be no option for appeals. Selected mentees will be informed via e-mail, will be announced during the ESPN General Assembly at ESPN 2021 in Amsterdam, and their names will be posted on the ESPN website.
