Speakers will present a range of medical topics, sharing their expertise and introducing new insights on current medical issues in a format inspired by ‘TED talks’. These ISCOMS Medical Talks (IMEDs) will be held in three parallel sessions, each featuring two speakers. During the presentations, audience interaction with the speakers is encouraged.

Are you interested in learning how to write the perfect abstract or deliver an outstanding oral presentation? These masterclasses focus on enhancing research skills and will be led by experienced professionals from the UMCG. During the research day, two rounds of interconnected masterclasses will be offered, organised into a cohesive track to ensure an optimal learning experience.

The ISCOMS Elective offers two parallel sessions: a sustainable lecture, and a patient lecture. These sessions will cover a wide array of topics, designed to engage and inspire active participation. Each session encourages interactive discussions, allowing participants to explore diverse perspectives and deepen their understanding of the subject matter.

Salome Scholtens, PhD

You are all biomedical students with an affinity for research, but have you considered doing a PhD? This may be a tough decision. Maybe you already made up your mind and you are aiming for a PhD, but it could very well be that you struggle to decide because other career choices are luring as well. Perhaps you are hesitant, because of the many stories you heard about how stressful it is to be a PhD student. Or you simply don’t know what a PhD trajectory really entails and therefore you find it difficult to decide on whether to go for it or not. During this interactive masterclass, students will learn about a PhD trajectory and take time to think about a possible future as a PhD student. We will guide you through some exercises to help you in finding out whether a PhD is something for you.

Marit Westerterp, PhD

How can I make the most of my scientific career and gain international experience, visibility, and orientation? What can I learn from going abroad for an internship or as part of my PhD research? And which grants are available for this purpose? This and more will be discussed during this masterclass with Marit Westerterp, PhD, Associate Professor at the UMCG, who has previously performed research at Roche in Basel, Switzerland, and at Columbia University in New York, USA. She will be joined by Orpheas Losifidis, PhD student at the UMCG, who has a medical background and has previously performed research at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, UK.

Ton Lisman, MD, PhD 

Sjoukje van der Werf,  MSc

The introduction is an essential part of your research article. It is the first thing that readers will see, and it needs to be engaging, informative and well-written.

In this workshop, we will discuss key elements of an effective introduction, share practical tips and address questions such as:

• When do you start writing the introduction?
• How do you start?
• How can scientific resources and AI help you efficiently find and summarise literature?
• How do you motivate the relevance of your specific research question in the introduction?
• Academic writing: structure and storytelling

Mostafa el Moumni, MD, PhD

In 90 minutes, an overview of statistical techniques will be given. Together with the participants several questions will be answered including:

• What is the link between probability theory and statistics?
• Why is it important to use descriptive statistics?
• What is a statistical test? Why should we abandon null-hypothesis significance testing (NHST)?
• How to interpret effect sizes, confidence intervals and meta-analytic thinking?

The emphasis will not be on formulas and mathematics, but on understanding the logic behind the statistical tools to avoid biased conclusions. Prior to this masterclass participants will be asked to do a small homework assignment, so they are prepared for the masterclass.

Janette Burgess, MD, PhD

You have completed your experimental protocols, analysed the data and interpreted the results and written them down.  Now you need to describe your findings in the context of the literature – how hard can that be? Well actually writing the discussion is often the hardest component of the manuscript to craft. What should you include and what not?  How do you deal with conflicting data? How much can you speculate about the implications of your findings?

This interactive workshop aims to give you tools to help with crafting a compelling discussion that frames your new knowledge in the context of the state of the art in your field.

Lisan Assen

During this workshop, students will explore the principles of scientific storytelling and reflect on their own communication style. Through practical examples and interactive exercises, we will guide you in shaping compelling narratives around your research, helping you communicate your ideas with clarity, confidence, and impact. Particular attention will be paid to how strong storytelling can strengthen grant proposals and funding applications, highlighting how to clearly articulate the relevance, feasibility, and societal value of your research to potential funders.

JJ Schuringa, MD, PhD

Your abstract is often the first piece of writing your audience will read—and if it is not compelling, it may be the only one. Whether you are submitting a manuscript, applying for a grant, or hoping to present at a conference, your abstract is your entry ticket. Some might think that an abstract is a summary of data, but it is not. In this interactive workshop, we will explore the do’s and don’ts of effective abstract writing and learn how to craft abstracts that capture attention and open doors.

t.b.a.