The 2nd Girona Conference on Research by Residents and Young Talents - Mutual Médica Foundation brought together more than 200 people at the Girona Conference Centre this morning. This is the second edition of an event that aims to promote research activity among health professionals who are completing their residency, and is organised by the Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) together with the teaching units of the hospitals in the Girona Health Region with specialised training, and with the Girona Health and Medical Sciences Association (the Academy).
Specifically, the teaching units of the Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital, the Institute of Health Care and Primary Care of the IAS-ICS Girona have been involved. This year, the teaching units of the Baix Empordà Integrated Health Services, the Empordà Health Foundation - through the Glòria Compte Research Institute - and the Maresme and La Selva Health Corporation have also joined in, bringing together their respective residents. The conference was sponsored by the Mutual Médica Foundation and the Girona Health and Medical Sciences Association. Girona City Council and the Girona Auditorium and Conference Centre collaborated with the conference.
How to do research and why it is important
The programme of the conference aimed to give a voice to young healthcare professionals who, in addition to their clinical activity, also carry out research. In the case of residents, they carry out research as part of their specialised training.
Attendees were able to learn first-hand about the importance of combining clinical activity with research at the conference given by Dr. Antoni Codina-Cazador, a researcher emeritus at IDIBGI who was head of the General and Digestive Surgery Department at the Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona for 22 years.
The IDIBGI researcher and oncologist at the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Eduard Teixidor, offered another perspective, explaining his experience of the first steps in research, as a beneficiary of a Rio Hortega grant from the Carlos III Health Institute.
The winners of the Gironí Talent Grant, promoted by the IDIBGI, the DipSalut and the Girona College of Doctors, for which healthcare personnel can apply once they have completed their residency, also presented their research projects. The two women were Helena Pla, an oncologist at ICO Girona, and Helena Resta, a cardiologist at the Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona.
The event was attended by the Mayor of Girona, Marta Madrenas, the president of DipSalut, Maria Puig, and the president of the Mutual Médica Foundation, Dr. Alejandro Andreu.
Awards for Oral Communications and Scientific Posters
More than 80 papers were presented at the conference, highlighting the research activity of the residents. The best papers were presented as Oral Communications in the programme, and the rest were presented as scientific posters during the conference.
At the conference, prizes were awarded for the best scientific work carried out by the residents, sponsored by the Mutual Médica Foundation. The winning papers in the Oral Communication category were: "Utility of electronic phenotype tracking in population screening for under-diagnosed or minority diseases. Second Chance Project", presented by Ana Inés Méndez, Internal Medicine resident at the Hospital Sant Jaume de Calella - Corporación de Salud del Maresme y la Selva; "NCCT markers as predictors of haematoma expansion", presented by Carla Vera, resident at the Neurology Department of the Hospital Dr. Josep Trueta de Gerona; and "The use of electronic phenotype tracking in population screening for underdiagnosed or minority diseases. Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona; and "Effectiveness of an educational intervention in Primary Care to improve metabolic control of Diabetes melliltus type 2 in the Muslim population of Baix Empordà", presented by Judit Romero, resident in Primary Care Nursing at the Baix Empordà Integrated Health Services.
The best scientific posters were awarded to Kawtar El Korchy, resident in Family Medicine at the Baix Empordà Integrated Health Services, for the poster entitled "Analysis of the association between high HDL values and mortality"; Meritxell Lladó, resident in the Intensive Care Medicine Department at the Hospital Dr. Josep Trueta in Girona, for the poster entitled "Utilidad del lactato a líquido de cerebrospinal fluid como biomarcador de infecciones bacterianas del sistema nervioso central". Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona for the poster entitled "Usefulness of cerebrospinal fluid lactate as a biomarker of bacterial infections of the central nervous system"; and Xabier Larrea, resident of the Pharmacy Department of the Dr. Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona for the poster entitled "Monitoring of plasma concentrations of voriconazole in critically ill patients with pulmonary aspergillosis associated with COVID-19".
In addition, in this edition the "Young Talents" category has been added to the programme by the Academy, healthcare professionals who have already completed their residency period or who have yet to begin, and who have been able to present oral communications and posters. These works will be eligible for the Academy's awards, which will be presented at the Closing Conference of the Girona Medical and Health Sciences Association (the Academy) to be held on 2 June 2023.
