In 2027 young Radiation Oncology professionals feel at home in ESTRO, and are being prepared to lead ESTRO and the profession into the 2030’s.
That is the Vision of the yESTRO Committee.

“Feeling at home” means for us that young members know what ESTRO can do for them. And that young members know what they can do for ESTRO and feel comfortable contributing.
“Are being prepared to lead” underlines the importance of young members for the future of ESTRO. In addition, it stresses the need for professional programs for leadership development (like the mentorship program).

If you would like to know more about how we aim to reach our vision, watch the video above, recorded at ESTRO 2023 in Vienna.

yESTRO represents the young radiotherapy community within Europe, and consists of members from four specialities (clinicians, physicists, biologists and RTTs). The committee has the responsibility to ensure that the voices of the next generation of researchers and practitioners are heard, regarding the future of ESTRO as an interdisciplinary organisation. The aims of yESTRO are to secure a high level of relevance of ESTRO for young members in the field of radiation oncology in terms of educational, scientific and professional issues. 

• Provides a networking platform for young professionals
• Is responsible for the annual congress young track
• Collaborates with the National Societies and supports the creation of young groups at national level
• Has observers in the ESTRO standing committees
• Engages in educational activities
• Organises the mentoring programme
• Manages the Opinion Panel
• Connects young professionals in Radiation Oncology through the yESTRO LinkedIn group

Chair: Steven Petit, Medical Physicist, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute (NL) 

Azadeh Abravan, Medical Physicist, University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust (UK) 

Jenny Bertholet, Medical Physicist, Insel Gruppe (CH) 

Dylan Callens, RTT, UZ Leuven (BE) 

Jolien Heukelom, Radiation Oncologist, The Netherlands Cancer Institute (NL) 

Morten Horsholt Kristensen, Radiation Oncologist, University of Aarhus (DK) 

Pierre Montay-Gruel, Biologist, University of Antwerp (BE) 

Daan Nevens, Radiation Oncologist, UZA (BE) 

Rachel Brooks-Pearson, RTT, Northern Centre for Cancer Care, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UK) 

Daniel Portik, Radiation Oncologist, EORTC (BE)  

Bartłomiej Tomasik, Radiation Oncologist, Medical University of Gdańsk (PL) 

Amanda Webster, RTT, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UK) 

Past Chairs: 

Pierfrancesco Franco, Radiation Oncologist, University of Turin Hospital (IT)

Find out about the articles of the Young ESTRO Corner

Are you a young professional working, training, or studying in Radiation Oncology? Would you like to be able to share your opinion, help us better represent you, contribute to taskforces or simply just take your first step within the ESTRO community?

Here is your chance!

ESTRO is delighted to announce that we have established an opinion panel for our young members. We are looking for Radiotherapy professionals up to 39 years of age or within 10 years from finishing their training/Phd, who are ESTRO members or are motivated to contribute to ESTRO initiatives. Panellists would be expected to complete the opinion panel questionnaire every 2 months. Panellists would also be agreeing to their information being shared with ESTRO committees, task forces, and initiatives.

ESTRO strives for a diverse cohort of panellists in terms of gender, professional background, and geographical location, and we look forward to hearing from you!
 

Sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SP2R97H

2024

• Professional development through mentoring: Final evaluation of the pilot mentoring programme of the European society of radiotherapy and oncology

2023

• Qualitative Study on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Within Radiation Oncology in Europe - ScienceDirect

2022

• An impact model to understand and improve work-life balance in early-career researchers in radiation oncology
• Establishing a benchmark of diversity, equity, inclusion and workforce engagement in radiation oncology in Europe - An ESTRO collaborative project.

2021

• Alexithymia and professional quality of life in radiation oncology: The moderator effect of the professional profile.

2020

• Conducting research in Radiation Oncology remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic: Coping with isolation.
• Professional quality of life and burnout amongst radiation oncologists: The impact of alexithymia and empathy.
• Professional quality of life and burnout among medical physicists working in radiation oncology: The role of alexithymia and empathy.
• The role of alexithymia and empathy on radiation therapists' professional quality of life.
• In response to Chaturvedi: Professional quality of life, burnout and alexithymia - PubMed (nih.gov)
• In response to Leung - PubMed (nih.gov) 

2018

• Learning radiation oncology in Europe: Results of the ESTRO multidisciplinary survey.

Following the continuous success of previous editions, the ESTRO mentoring programme will continue with a 4^th edition starting at ESTRO 2025 in Vienna.

The 3^rd edition matched 20 young, active professionals with ESTRO mentors with the goal of advancing their personal and professional goals! Do you want to be a part of the next generation of motivated radiation oncology professionals?

Then sign up for the program that will continue with its new edition at ESTRO 2025 in Vienna.

Please find more information here.

Application

You can apply by filling the online motivation form here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CQX6ZNG  

Quotes from a mentor and mentee:

“It brought me into a wider contact with ESTRO, making me much more confident to approach new positions.”

“Overall, it has been hugely rewarding and enjoyable, and has given me confidence and the skills to use when mentoring people within my own institution.”

“The program was like a safe net, which acts like a trampoline, too.”

Here you can find two lectures on the importance of mentoring by Dave Fuller and Kari Tanderup, recorded for the first edition of the ESTRO mentoring programme.

 

What we strive for?  
yESTRO committee strives for a radiation oncology community where all professionals and patients are included and have fair and equitable opportunities. We welcome and support individuals regardless of their ethnicity, sex, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, beliefs, nationality, socioeconomic experience, character (ie: different roles, character type) and any other form of diversity.  

How do we behave?
yESTRO committee adheres to the principles of justice, equality, and DEI. We pledge to: 

• Show respect, kindness, and non-judgment towards colleagues and patients 

• Demonstrate empathy 

• Be thoughtful in wording and actions 

• Listen to and appreciate diverse views 

• Maintain an openness to new ideas and perspectives 

• Identify and address the lack of DEI in daily life situations  

• Aim to make to make positive changes, especially in group settings 

What actions do we want to take? 
yESTRO committee commits to the following actions: 

• Project an inclusive and positive image  

• Identify and challenge biases 

• Welcome feedback from all communities  

• Respect and protect confidentiality 

• Pursue DEI education as a constant goal 

What have we achieved so far? 

• DEI session during young track during ESTRO meetings 

• DEI statement 

• DEI studies (https://www.redjournal.org/article/S0360-3016(23)00151-7/fulltext) 

If you want to give us remarks or suggestions related to this DEI statement, please contact us: young@estro.org