Over the past months, we have asked experts from EFIC to tell us more about the #EFIC2019 Congress. Watch their interviews and find out more about the #EFIC2019 Refresher Courses and how allied professionals can benefit from attending the congress.

Register for #EFIC2019

Abstracts are the lifeblood of any scientific meeting. Presenting your work via a poster or oral presentation can often be a first step for a researcher in their academic career. The more abstracts submitted to a congress, the stronger the grassroots of the scientific community and the more fertile the research environment.

1,100 submitted abstracts for #EFIC2019

We are therefore delighted to have received over 1,100 abstracts so far for ‘Pain in Europe XI, Bringing the future to the present’. This is an increase of over 25% on 2017, the year of our last congress. We would like to thank every EFIC Councillor and volunteer who helped promote the congress ahead of the abstract deadline, and look forward to seeing the results of this increase in Valencia in September.

What happens next?

The abstracts will now be reviewed by the Scientific Programme Committee and our Working Group on Grants and Prizes. Professor Barbara Przewlocka will lead a process in identifying prizes to be distributed at the congress itself. We thank once again Versus Arthritis, a UK registered charity, who have partnered with us to provide funding for the prizes. As a reminder, prizes are available for best abstract in four categories; 1) Pain Syndromes, 2) Basics in Pain, 3) Diagnosis and Measurement in Pain, and 4) Pain Therapies. In addition, four prizes are available for presenters under the age of 35 from each of these categories.

We hope the research presented in Valencia leads towards breakthroughs that transform the lives of people living with pain.

The deadline for submitting your abstract is getting closer and closer: You only have until February 28, 2019 to submit your abstract to #EFIC2019! But why should you submit an abstract at all? Good question. We put together a list of five reasons why you definitely should not miss this opportunity.

1. Make a difference.

By sharing your work, you increase the knowledge of professionals in the fields of pain research and pain medicine attending the conference, thus making a difference in the lives of patients and healthcare professionals in the field of pain medicine. This way, you can also have your say on the Congress program, guided by the theme: “Bringing the Future to the Present”.

2. Advance your career.

Become well-known in the field by increasing exposure for your latest findings. Submitting an abstract and holding a talk has many advantages for your scientific career: You get to improve your presentation skills and showcase your hard work at an amazing conference with your peers. Furthermore, you have the chance to advance your career by receiving useful feedback from specialists and researchers.

3. Take it from local to global.

Take the next step from local research towards international collaboration. At #EFIC2019, there will be guided poster walks during main poster sessions where chairs will lead a group of interested people around pre-selected posters, giving presenters a few minutes to present and answer questions. This is a great opportunity to hear what other people are working on, identify potential collaborators, and keep up-to-date.

4. Expand your international network.

By discussing your findings with other leading experts from around the world you get to expand your international network. This is your chance to disseminate your research ideas and advertise yourself. Discussions following a talk can lead to future collaborations, and giving the right talk at the right time can lead to many exciting opportunities.

5. Be awarded.

Become one of the recipients of the Best Abstract Award awarded with the generous co-financing of Versus Arthritis for presenting an outstanding abstract. Winners will receive a cash prize and free registration and costs at the following EFIC congress. This is also a great addition to your resume helping you stand out among other potential job candidates.

Are you ready? Then let’s go! We cannot wait to find out more about your work and research.

As a large international congress focusing on all types of pain and their treatment, #EFIC2019 is made up of events such as lectures, workshops and poster presentations. They are the source of new scientific and clinical developments, state-of-the-art research as well as inspiring discussions. Another highly motivating and enjoyable aspect of the Congress?  The prizes and awards which are handed out during the Congress. As in previous years, in Valencia we plan to highlight the many talented and dedicated professionals working in pain.

Best Abstract Prizes
The European Pain Federation EFIC awards those who present their work at the congress via posters and oral presentations. Prizes will be awarded for the best abstracts amongst our four main congress topics; 1) Pain Syndromes, 2) Basics in Pain, 3) Diagnosis and Measurement in Pain, and 4) Pain Therapies. To win, authors have to provide a high level of presented research likely to make the biggest impact on their field. The winners of this category will be announced during the #EFIC2019 Closing Ceremony. Winners will receive a cash prize and free registration and costs at the following EFIC congress.

The EFIC-Grünenthal-Grant (E-G-G)
The EFIC-GRÜNENTHAL GRANT (E-G-G) is an important project for EFIC. The competition is held every two years, and the winners are selected by the EFIC Research Committee. During the #EFIC2019 opening ceremony, the winners of the EFIC-Grünenthal-Grant will be announced. We also take the time to present scientific achievements of the winners of previous editions of the E-G-G. The session is entitled “New Findings in Clinical Pain Research” and takes place during the congress. Here, we hope the audience is inspired and encouraged to follow previous winners and apply for an E-G-G themselves. You can find more information on the Grant here.

EJP Award
Finally, EFIC will also provide awards for the best papers published in the European Journal of Pain (EJP) in the previous two years. There are two awards; one for the best basic and translational research paper, and one for the best clinical research paper. The winners are shortlisted by the EJP editorial board from the previous two calendar years, and the winners are chosen by the Research Committee. Winners will receive a cash prize and free registration and costs at the following EFIC congress.

Want to be one of the #EFIC2019 award winners?
 If you now feel inspired to share your research, don’t hesitate: Submit your abstract to #EFIC2019 right away! This is your chance to present your work in front of your peers and mentors, and as this year’s motto is “Bringing the Future to the Present”, we are very excited about your work and research.  The deadline (Thursday, 28 February 2019) is approaching fast! Find out more here or view the list of possible abstract topics here.

While these prizes are definitely a great honour and being recognized amongst your peers is always a wonderful experience, let’s not forget the biggest reward available to everyone attending #EFIC2019: The opportunity to acquire a vast amount of new information and new ideas that enrich your scientific work and to connect with mentors and peers from all over the world.

Barbara Przewlocka
Chair of Research Committee Working Group on Grants and Prizes