ILAE-CEADESEUREPA

2nd Baltic Sea Summer School on Epilepsy (BSSSE)

Tune, Denmark, August 31 - September 4, 2008

The new educational initiative - "Baltic Sea Summer School on Epilepsy" (BSSSE) was started in 2007 to take place once a year in different countries around the Baltic Sea. It is a clinically- oriented course, focused on comprehensive aspects of diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. The open and informal atmosphere of the BSSSE allows easy communication between speakers and trainees. The first BSSSE has been successfully organized in close cooperation with the Lithuanian ILAE Chapter in the tranquil resort town of Druskininkai. The second one is planned in Denmark close to Copenhagen with the Danish Epilepsy Society as our hosts.

Target audience: The BSSSE is addressed to junior medical doctors (age up to 45 years) with a special clinical or scientific interest in epilepsy, primarily from the Baltic Sea region. Candidates from other countries in restricted number are also accepted. Other professionals working in the field of epilepsy are also encouraged to apply; they will be considered exceptionally. To ensure optimal exchange and interaction, the attendance is restricted to 40 students.

Program

The 2nd BSSSE will again have a faculty of prominent epileptologists from the countries around the Baltic Sea. The course is focused on comprehensive aspects of diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. A variety of issues of adult and pediatric epileptology will be covered.

Preliminary topics: Therapeutic AED monitoring, epileptic channelopathies, genetics, neuroimaging (fMRI, PET), clinical and differential diagnosis, reflex epilepsies, idiopathic localization-related epilepsies.

The didactic format promotes the combination of lectures and interactive group work. Case orientated learning is emphasized. Didactic cases provided by tutors and case reports prepared by participants will be discussed in depth in small groups. Alternatively to case reports, participants are invited to present their own research to stimulating discussions in a tutored peer group.

Learning objectives

The participants will receive up-to-date information and expert opinion on several main aspects of clinical epileptology, in order to improve their competence and skills in the diagnostic work-up, decision-making and management of pediatric and adult epilepsies. Presenting their own cases or research findings will improve their competence and confidence in lecturing and teaching.

At the end of the course, participants should have improved their skills in differential diagnostics; they should be able to

- make the right choice of AED and intelligent use of therapeutic AED monitoring;
- understand what contributions to diagnostics, research and nosology can be expected from methodological developments of neuroimaging;
- give adequate genetic advice to patients and their families;
- identify trigger mechanisms of seizures and appreciate their contribution to the understanding of ictogenesis;
- fully understand the significance of the idiopathic localization-related epilepsies and of epileptic channelopathies.

The didactic methods are elaborated in cooperation with EUREPA.

The BSSSE will be given in English.

The 2nd BSSSE will take place in Tune, Denmark (close to Copenhagen), from August 31 to September 4, 2008.

Co-Organizers:  The BSSSE is an initiative of the three Skandinavian Chapters of the ILAE and organized with the support of the European Epilepsy Academy (EUREPA).
 
Local organizers:  Danish Epilepsy Society
Organizing Committee:  Peter Wolf, Milda Endziniene, Jesper Gyllenborg, Peter Uldall, Ulrich Stephani
Programm Committee:  Peter Wolf, Ruta Mameniskiene, Jakob Christensen 
Duration: The 2nd BSSSE is planned for 3,5 working days (Monday - Thursday morning). Arrival on August 31, Sunday, departure to Copenhagen on September 4, Thursday afternoon, with optional overnight stay in Copenhagen until Friday, September 5. Transport from and to airport will be arranged by the organizers.
 
Location: The venue will be the Kursuscenter in Tune, situated in the countryside just off Copenhagen. Accommodation for tutors and participants and well-equipped rooms for the whole-day work will be available.
 
Bursaries:  A number of bursaries will be available from different sources, including the CEA*, UCB Nordic, P&J Wolf Foundation. Applicants are encouraged to apply. The bursary covers the registration fee.

* Kindly note that the CEA gives only one bursary per person per year.

Please also contact your national ILAE chapter for further information and local bursary possibilities.
 
Registration fee:           800 EUR
                                      The fee includes accommodation (in twin room), full board, transfer
                                      airport-hotel-airport, and access to all educational activities (lectures,
                                      tutorials, case discussions, vide-sessions) including handouts.

                                      Some single room accomodations are availabe for an additional charge
                                      of € 82 to be paid by the participant, and need to be requested in
                                      advance.

Application

Each candidate for the 2nd BSSSE is required to submit:

  1. Application form (need for bursary can be indicated on it. Age limit for application and for bursaries is 40 years)
  2. A case report from student's clinical practice with patients with epilepsy / or a report on personal scientific research
  3. Curriculum vitae (CV) on 2 pages max. and list of publications
  4. Letter of intent
  5. Recommendations : reference letter from the ILAE Chapter or the Head of the Department, statement of current activities etc.

Deadline for application to the 2nd BSSSE is June 1, 2008.

Presentations by the students will be organized in the small-group sessions. Sessions will be coordinated and evaluated by tutors. Each evaluator will be asked to assess the quality of case reported.

A video case report is not mandatory but it is welcome and encouraged to submit.

Case reports provided by students are expected to be:

  • specific and with some difficulties / problems in clinical semiology, diagnostics, classification and therapeutic strategy and possibly showing some unusual clinical features
  • it is recommended that case report includes questions addressed to audience for the discussion, and concluding student's answers, explanations and ideas to be presented after comments of a group

Reports on personal scientific results may be provided instead of case reports.

All reports will be evaluated by the Organizing Committee members. Its presentation will be organized in the small-group sessions.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CASE REPORT SUBMISSION

  • The report should be prepared as Power Point presentation, in English.
  • The first slide: title, applicant's name, the institution, city and country
  • The number of slides must be adapted to the length of presentation which is planned to be 25 minutes (including discussion)
  • It is recommended to use the font size and number of lines, adapted to the easy reading from the audience. Standard abbreviations may be used.
  • The case presentation should be informative, containing:
    1. introduction
    2. case report
    3. conclusion
    Drug Products should be identified by their non-proprietary names only
  • Video-sequence(s) EEG fragments, neuroimaging scans etc, if available should be included in the presentation
  • The reports on personal scientific research should include:
    1. introduction
    2. aims
    3. methods
    4. results
    5. discussion
    6. conclusions
  • Authors are responsible for the linguistic accuracy and ethical standards
  • All presentations will be reviewed by the Organizing Committee
  • CD with case reports prepared as PPT presentation, or adapted in a PDF format should be sent by post-mail to Ruta Mameniskiene as soon as possible.

Certification:
Participants who successfully take part in the program will receive a CERTIFICATE.

The BSSSE is accredited by EUREPA and integrated in the European Certification in Epileptology.

The 2nd Baltic Sea Summer School on Epilepsy will apply for accreditation by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME).

  • A detailed educational programme will soon be available.
  • Please follow the website for updates

Information available:

http://www.epilepsy-academy.org (EUREPA) ;
http://www.epilepsy.org, www.ilae.org (ILAE)

Petra Novotny, EUREPA, petra@epilepsy-academy.org,
Ruta Mameniskiene, ruta.mameniskiene@yahoo.com,
or
contact your national ILAE chapter (see www.ilae.org for addresses)

Important dates and addresses

2nd Baltic Sea Summer School on Epilepsy, August 31 - September 4, 2008, Tune, Denmark

Application deadline is June 1, 2008.

Please also contact your national ILAE chapter for further information and local bursary possibilities.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application as soon as possible.

  • All files required for the application (Application form, CV, list of publications, letter of intent, reference letter) should be sent by e-mail to Petra Novotny, Eurepa, petra@epilepsy-academy.org

  • CD with case reports prepared as PPT presentation, or adapted in a PDF format must be sent by post-mail or email to Ruta Mameniskiene, Dept. of Neurology, Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Clinics, Santariskiu 2, Vilnius, LT - 08661 Lithuania, ruta.mameniskiene@yahoo.com

  • Registration fee should only be paid after the participant receives an approval letter from the Organizing Committee. 

Payment of the registration fee is desirable until July 15, 2008.

Use application form

See powerpoint presentation on BSSSE 1 and BSSSE 2

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