Mise à l’honneur - Présentation du young ESTRO (yESTRO)

First of all, who are you and how do you define yourself ?

We are the yESTRO committee of ESTRO, the European Society of Radiation Oncology. Our aim is to ensure and increase the relevance of ESTRO for young or early career radiation oncology professionals. yESTRO has 12 committee members from various countries in Europe, representing the four major disciplines, RTTs, radiation oncologists, physicists and biologists.

What do you stand for ?

In 2022 we realized that as a committee we were doing a lot, but lacked focus. Therefore we developed a strategy. We would like to achieve that all young European Radiation Oncology professionals feel at home in ESTRO, and that young members are being prepared to lead ESTRO and the profession into the 2030’s.

“Feeling at home” refers to that young Radiation Oncology professionals know what ESTRO can do for them and what they can do for ESTRO and feel comfortable contributing.

“Are being prepared to lead” underlines the importance of young professionals for the future of ESTRO and the profession and highlights the need for professional programs for leadership development.

“yESTRO” is pronounced “yes-tro” and ymembers include members:

> Below 40 years of age; or

> Having less than 10 years’ post-training experience in radiation oncology (e.g. finishing professional training or a PhD); or

> Presenting individual circumstances that justify a theoretical deduction to their age and/or the number of years post-training (e.g., career breaks or professional transition) to below 40 years of age or less than 10 year's post–training experience

How do you achieve these objectives in practical terms ?

Our strategy has three focus areas. The first focus area is Connection. To facilitate connection between young members other ESTRO members and the ESTRO society. Our second focus area is professional and personal development. With a focus on mentorship, leadership development and mental health. Our third focus area is to detect and improve. Detect and improve has led to e.g. the ESTRO mentoring program, a professional well being workshop and various studies into burnout and diversity, equity and inclusion. 1.5 years ago we launched the Opinion Panel, a group of 200+ young members, that help us to detect what needs to be improved. We would welcome you to join by answering 3 to 4 times per year a 10 minute survey! More info can be found on our website. Currently the detect and improve focus area focuses on the workforce shortages within the European radiation oncology community.

There is so much positive energy in the group that activities for yESTRO do not really feel as work.

How do you organize your busy personal schedule (face-to-face meetings, videoconferences, etc.)?

We meet twice per year face to face. Once during the annual conference and once in the fall in Brussels. In between we have a one hour meeting on a monthly basis.  There is so much positive energy in the group that activities for yESTRO do not really feel as work. Every initiative is primarily led by two members, which works really well. So the work is well spread over the 12 members.

What projects are you looking forward to in 2023 ?

Personally I really look forward to the annual conference, the young dinner and the third edition of the mentoring program (applications will open beginning of 2024). The first young diner was organized by Morten Horsholt Kristensen (before he joined yESTRO) in Copenhagen, on behalf of the young Danish society. That was such a big success that we copied the formula and organized in Vienna last year with help of the young Austrian society. It was great atmosphere full of positive energy and lots of interaction between people that did not know each other previously. So I am looking very much forward to the Glasgow edition in 2024. Also the fact that now in total 32 ymembers have joined the ESTRO mentoring program and that the program is very well rated by both mentees and mentors, feels very rewarding to me. I look forward to the next edition already. The call for applications will open beginning of 2024.

Can you tell us more about the results of one of your surveys ?

One of our surveys had the aim to establish a benchmark for diversity, equity and inclusion in the radiation oncology fi eld in Europe. Compared to the reference population in the USA, Europe scored relatively low. We did not understand the underlying causes and therefore we embarked on a qualitative study with interviews to figure out what was going on. We identified that low “diversity, equity and inclusion” situations often occur in a setting that is more focused on competition than togetherness, that is more task oriented than people oriented and more focused on efficiency than on self-development. That was a big an eye opener for me personally. For more information see the Publications section on our website: https://www.estro.org/About/ESTROOrganisation-Structure/Committees/YoungCommittee

How can I become a member of young ESTRO ?

At the time when I joined the yESTRO committee, people were asked to join. A couple of years ago we changed the procedure. When there are vacancies in the committee, we now launch an open call with written applications and interviews. Naturally it takes a bit more time, but it has increased the diversity and energy in the committee tremendously. Now also other ESTRO committees and Councils are following a similar procedure.

Thank you very much for your contribution.

One of our surveys had the aim to establish a benchmark for diversity

Pr Steven PETIT
Medical physicist and Assistant Professor
at Erasmus MC Cancer Institute in Rotterdam, The Netherlands