The Euretina Mentorship Programme welcomed its third group of mentees at the Euretina Congress in Amsterdam in October, 2023. Reflecting on his experience as one of the six Year 3 mentees, Dr Lasse Jørgensen Cehofski said it was a privilege to be selected. He noted that he has already gained significant benefits from the programme and anticipates it will have a long-lasting positive impact on his career. 

 

Dr Cehofski is a Clinical Associate Professor at Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark with a primary research interest in medical retina, particularly in the treatment of retinal vascular disease and uveitis. Professor Martin S Zinkernagel, Bern, Switzerland, was Dr Cehofski’s mentor for the yearlong programme. 

Dr Cehofski shared that the mentorship programme has been instrumental in advancing his research interests and career trajectory. 

“Having finished my training, I reached a pivotal point in my career where I was transitioning from a junior to a senior researcher – a phase that can be challenging to navigate. The valuable advice and guidance I received from Prof Zinkernagel was one of the most impactful benefits of my participation as a programme mentee,” he said.

As another advantage, the opportunity to collaborate on projects with Prof Zinkernagel and colleagues significantly elevated the quality of the research that Dr Cehofski was undertaking.

He explained, “Professor Zinkernagel introduced me to his dedicated team of researchers. We each have areas of unique expertise, and combining our strengths has allowed us to produce robust research and stronger grant applications. By working together, we already secured a collaborative  research grant and completed a manuscript that has been submitted for publication.”
Having Prof Zinkernagel as his mentor also gave Dr Cehofski a respected individual to turn to for personal advice on a career opportunity.

“Recently I was invited to join the Editorial Board of an ophthalmology journal, but I was uncertain about accepting due to concerns about the time commitment. I felt fortunate to discuss this opportunity with Prof Zinkernagel who encouraged me to accept the invitation, giving me confidence to proceed with that decision,” Dr Cehofski said.

Beyond the direct relationship with Prof Zinkernagel, Dr Cehofski said he also found great value in the programme’s meetings that brought together all mentors and mentees. 

“It has been a fantastic and enriching experience getting to know all the Year 3 mentees and to meet in person the mentors who represent true leaders in our subspecialty. I gained a lot from our conversations, learning how the mentors advanced in their careers and rose to the top. The environment for these small group meetings was extremely comfortable, and it was reassuring and enlightening to hear about and discuss the challenges that other mentees are facing and to learn that the mentors struggled with similar issues early in their careers,” Dr Cehofski said.

“Hearing about the experiences of the mentors and the first-hand advice they shared has unmeasured value. It is simply something that you cannot acquire through online searching.” 

 

Looking ahead

Being a participant in the mentorship programme does not just reap short-term benefits, said Dr Cehofski. Instead, he sees it as a long-term investment in his career’s future growth and development. 

“Through the mentorship programme I established relationships with an international group of retina specialists. Although the programme year is ending, I plan to keep collaborating with the people I have met and expect that these professional connections will allow me to expand my network further,” he said. 

“Although there are personal rewards from being part of an international network of retina specialists, importantly, the ultimate benefit of such collaboration is the advancement of research, which in turn leads to better patient care. Therefore, I would say to anyone who is interested in the Mentorship Programme, “Apply”. It is a wonderful opportunity and a privilege to be part of it.”

 

For further information on the mentorship programme, please keep an eye on this page, on the Euretina website.