The joint meeting of the Irish Endocrine Society and the Society for Endocrinology took place on 14–15 October 2024 in Belfast. Here, two attendees share their perspectives on the conference.

RACHEL CROWLEY
Consultant Endocrinologist, St Vincent’s University Hospital and School of Medicine, University College Dublin

I had contributed to the programme planning, so I was nervous coming to the meeting, hoping it had all come together in an appealing format for the members of both societies. I was really pleased, as I soon saw great talks and interaction with speakers. I must give a particular shout-out to Caroline Gorvin for her work in the bone session (which was attended, with great feedback, by colleagues without a background or interest in bone).

I thought there was huge engagement with patient groups and network representatives between presentations. I enjoyed presenting in the hypothalamic disease session myself, and we followed it up with detailed case discussions. I was delighted with the prize winners, particularly seeing Julie Martin-Grace being awarded the O’Donovan Medal for work in rare endocrine disease.

One of the best parts about going to these events is meeting with old friends and colleagues, and we had a wonderful dinner at Belfast City Hall. This was followed by a disco – fortunately I had brought my runners with me, for the walk back to my hotel, so I shed my heels and had a great time on the dance floor!

The meeting was a good showcase for the members of both societies, to see what was happening in the other group. Some of us who hold dual membership felt very valued in the competition for numbers at the morning AGMs! There was also a lot of networking between members, with trainee fellowships, grant applications and even a friendly rugby match scheduled at the meeting.

I am looking forward to the SfE BES conference in Harrogate and the Irish Endocrine Society meeting in Portlaoise in 2025.

 

ALANNA SILKE
Endocrinology Registrar, St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin

This was the first time I had attended an endocrinology conference and, coincidently, my first time in Belfast. Upon arrival, I noticed how the conference spread over a very large area. However, once I got my bearings, I appreciated the organised nature of the layout. Going through the various posters and getting a flavour of what my peers are researching was thought-provoking and gave me good inspiration for future poster designs.

The number of talks on offer was almost overwhelming, and I did have to make some tough choices about what to attend. Particular stand outs included the ‘How Do I…?’ series of talks on diabetes, which covered many common issues that crop up in both inpatient and outpatient settings. It was pitched at a very approachable level, and I felt more confident after attending. I also found the sessions on clinical case studies in Cushing’s syndrome really interesting. The panel of experts and consultants in the audience had a lot of insight to give.

It was a pleasure to discuss the talks with other registrars who, like me, are at the beginning of their careers. I found this helpful, as we often took away different learning points due to the variety of our experiences. Talking with the trainees in the NHS system was a good opportunity created by the joint nature of this meeting.

 

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