IPNA-ESPN Junior Master Class — A Decade of Successful Continuing Education and Training in Pediatric Nephrology

Pediatric Nephrology (04/04/23) Teixeira, Ana; Topaloglu, Rezan; Cochat, Pierre; et al.

The International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA)-European Society for Pediatric Nephrology (ESPN) Junior Master Class has educated 1,073 participants from 77 countries across five continents over the last decade. The three-year course encompasses the full pediatric nephrology curriculum in 50 lectures, with ESPN managing the course's scientific and local organization. The authors observe that nine pediatric nephrology continuing education and training sessions have been delivered since 2014, connecting colleagues from middle- and low-resourced nations via high-standard pediatric nephrology training facilities across Europe and worldwide. In all, 184 learners from 43 countries have finished the course and completed the IPNA-ESPN Master in Pediatric Nephrology Program. On a scale of 0-10, the course's structure, the quality of its speakers and the quality of its content earned scores greater than 9 from participants. The course drew more attendees from different countries after 2020, with pandemic-driven virtual and hybrid sessions and the potential for live-streaming and recording lectures distributed for long-term use. "The IPNA-ESPN Junior Master Class program has provided a major improvement in pediatric nephrology training activities, enabling students to develop better knowledge, attitudes and clinical skills than they likely would not have gained through their training programs alone," the authors conclude. "The evident friendly cooperation between groups of nephrologists from different countries, working together to deliver this education, provides a remarkable example to the young pediatric nephrologists who will be caring for patients and families for some time."

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