The start of the EURETINA Congress this year marks the beginning of the fifth year of the EURETINA Mentorship Programme. Created to support young retina specialists eager to strengthen their skills, acquire new competencies, and build a strong network within the international community, the programme seeks to foster not only academic and scientific development but also personal growth by highlighting the importance of emotional intelligence, teamwork, and the ability to recognise one’s strengths and weaknesses in order to become better professionals and individuals, says Dr Patricia Udaondo who has taken over the leadership role for the programme this year.

“My own career got started on a positive path thanks to my participation in a mentorship programme directed by Professor Anat Loewenstein, current President of EURETINA, and Professor Gabriel Coscas. Through that experience I gained not only essential learning opportunities but also friendships and scientific collaborations that remain strong to this day,” she said.

“The EURETINA Mentorship Programme was originally envisioned and promoted by Prof. Loewenstein together with Prof. Ramin Tadayoni, whom we sadly lost last year so suddenly. Ramin participated in the same mentorship programme with me, and it is a matter of pride to say that, thanks to that first mentorship experience, both Anat and Ramin became my close friends and true role models.”

“I would like to emphasise that the mentorship programme benefits not only the mentees but also the mentors. Thanks to them, past mentees keep our enthusiasm alive, continue to learn, and remain motivated and committed to pay it forward to acting as mentors for new mentees.”

The latest initiative

Since its inception in 2021/22, the mentorship programme has continued to grow and evolve. Staying true to that course, the 2025/26 edition of the programme is introducing the EURETINA Mentorship Alumni Group as a new initiative. 

“At its core, the mentorship programme embodies the combination of academic excellence, personal development, and community building. This vision, laid down by the founders, is what we continue to cultivate in each new edition,” Dr Udaondo said.

Based on a desire to expand and enhance the programme, the Euretina Mentorship Alumni Group was established to foster a strong and prestigious community of past mentees that could extend the benefits of the mentorship beyond the initial 12-month period. The plan is for this network to provide an opportunity for professional development and engagement with peers as they advance in their careers.

“The EURETINA Mentorship Alumni Group aims to strengthen long-term connections among mentees of each 12-month cohort and across different years,” Dr Udaondo said. 

“This new initiative will provide the tools for past participants to meet at least once a year during the EURETINA Congress. It will be a unique space to exchange projects and share information, experiences, and personal motivations. We hope that from these meetings, great initiatives will emerge to help participants continue to grow—because that is, ultimately, the true purpose of mentorship.”

Instead of bringing together just the incoming and outgoing cohort of mentees and their mentors at the annual Congress, this year all past mentees have been invited to join the inaugural gathering of the EURETINA Mentorship Alumni. The session will have talks from two past mentees and opportunities to network, and there will be time for continued discussion and socialisation at an off-site dinner.

Calling all prospective mentees

Applications for the 2026/27 mentorship programme will begin to be accepted in the first quarter of 2026. While the number of submitted applications has increased steadily over the years, Dr Udaondo says interested individuals should not feel daunted by the growing competition or give up if they are not selected for the next mentee group. 

“If you feel motivated to be part of this project, I warmly invite you to apply again in the future,” she said.

Sharing their research

The 2024/25 group of mentees will present the papers they developed under the guidance of their mentors at a Speakers’ Corner session on Friday, 5 September at 10:45 to 11:45 CEST. Dr Udaondo is moderating the session. The presenters and the titles of their papers are:

• Miss Johanna Colijn (Rotterdam, Netherlands) Beneath the Surface: OCT Insights into Pre-Atrophic Choroid Changes in early AMD
• Dr. Abraham Olvera-Barrios (London, United Kingdom) Incidence of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy in pregnancy: A population-based study in a diverse cohort
• Dr. Carla Danese (Paris, France) FLIO in myopic eyes
• Dr. Carmen Antía Rodríguez-Fernández (Vigo, Spain) Biologic Switching Strategies for Anti-TNFα-Refractory Non-Infectious Uveitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Dr. med. David Merle (London, United Kingdom) Fibrogliosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a new mechanistic perspective
• MD Hung-da Chou (Taoyuan, Taiwan) Oncology VR and Establishing an Ocular Oncology Centre in Asia