Help Young Professionals Broaden Their Horizons
Jacopo Garlasco - Researcher at the University of Verona and member of the EPI-Net team - tells us how young professionals can broaden their horizons through networking, and how Ecraid can play a key role in this.
“As young professionals, we are used to working in our hospitals and not so much to networking. Let alone networking at a European level. It was a real revelation when I started in the EPI-Net team in Verona and got in touch with Ecraid. Until then, I had only done projects at a regional or at most a national level. Through Ecraid, I gained access to a European network, which has become a never-ending source of things to discover. Especially on how clinical research works, for example."
"In 2024, I helped Ecraid with organising the Young Investigator Workshop at ESCMID Global in Barcelona. It was a great experience, working with an international team of five people and moderating the workshop. Although the goal of the workshop was to share knowledge, it was very much focused on networking, highlighting the critical importance for young investigators to build an international network. Such connections provide valuable access to new contacts, fresh insights, and collaborative project opportunities.
Having worked in the public health field - where such events and networks for early-career professionals are common - I’ve seen how essential it is for young professionals to build a wider, international network.
Not only does this broaden their perspectives and foster personal growth, it also contributes to advancing clinical research.
There is a clear gap that needs to be filled. I think Ecraid has the potential to take the lead in filling this gap. Young people now communicate through social media networks. It would be a good first step for Ecraid to create such a platform and facilitate more live events. That can also partly be done bottom-up. The involvement of young professionals like myself enhances the feeling of a community. Participating in events and a community will help young professionals broaden their horizons."