Annual Meeting Reports and Testimonials

I am extremely grateful to have been chosen as a recipient of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) Medical Student bursary to attend the BSG Live 23’ Conference.  

I thoroughly enjoyed attending and gained both knowledge about gastrointestinal conditions and an understanding about a career in gastroenterology. The masterclass talks were the perfect opportunity for me to implement the knowledge I had gained as part of my intercalated BSc in Medical Sciences exploring the current treatment and emerging therapeutics for different gastrointestinal conditions. Every talk I attended I took something away from it, be that academic knowledge about new innovations or how to talk to patients about different (intimate) issues.  

In addition, the conference was a good place to network. I was able to meet the NI Trainee Rep (Lisa, ST8) and Rebecca (ST7) at the conference who I have asked to help me to secure a 5-week placement at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast as part of my fourth-year medical elective next year. Amazing!  

The undergraduate talk was somewhat useful; however, some of the internal medicine trainees did take up most of the time asking their own questions. I would suggest maybe asking medical students to submit questions prior to the session to take away the pressure of asking questions in person, which some people may be hesitant to do. Nevertheless, it was great to put names to faces. I have contacted one of the doctors about pursuing some research within the field to start building up my specialty application. Furthermore, our small group from Belfast were able to meet other medics from Leeds and Sheffield interested in the field and spent time with each other in the evening exploring the city.  

My highlight of the conference was the live endoscopy which followed endoscopists tackling challenging cases at King’s in London. In my third year of medical school, I was attached to the gastroenterology ward for seven weeks, during that time I was able to attend several endoscopy sessions, both gastroscopies and colonoscopies, which provided me with some context when watching the live session. The live cases were very well organised, and the chairs enabled us to follow (with a few google searches in between for acronyms used throughout the discussion) with their excellent commentary.  

Ultimately, the conference was an excellent place to learn about the current landscape of research within the field of gastroenterology and demonstrated what a collaborative and supportive group gastroenterologists are. I already had a strong interest in pursuing internal medicine training; however, attending the conference has further encouraged me to explore a career in gastroenterology. I hope to attend the conference again next year in Birmingham and thank you for the opportunity to attend this year!

4th year medical student following Intercalated BSc 

I attended the BSG LIVE event in Liverpool with a bursary provided by the BSG.  

This was the first conference I have attended, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  

As students it can be very difficult to have the funds to attend an event like this, I am extremely thankful that a bursary was available to students to attend the conference.  

The application process was extremely accessible and easy to fill out. There was great information and updates on the website and emails. The BSG app was very user friendly and made the whole conference easy to navigate. The Spendesk App for bursary refund was very easy to use and it was helpful that I received my refund before the conference and so quickly. This was very much appreciated by myself and my peers.  

From the conference I have learnt many things about Gastroenterology, but also the skills and qualities demonstrated by various speakers which I’ll need to develop as a future doctor. Even though I have limited knowledge of Gastroenterology compared to the speakers at the conference, I was still able to follow most of the speaker’s presentations and discuss with my peers afterwards. The conference highlighted that Gastroenterology is a huge speciality with various opportunities and sub-specialities and links to many other specialities. I really enjoyed the various talks on how conditions can affect other organs such as renal impairment and cirrhosis, Parkinson’s and the gut and GORD and respiratory disease.  

All speakers had useful slides and explained things in a way I could understand as a medical student. All the speakers had great communication skills and confidence within themselves and their knowledge which was extremely inspiring to me. Their presentations were interactive, and case led which kept me engaged for hours of presentations. Next year I am Vice President of the Internal Medical Society at Queen’s University. We run Peer2Peer teaching events and from the conference I would like to incorporate Case based learning into these sessions as I know how interesting, engaging and educational it can be for the audience, as demonstrated at the BSG live.  

The BSG live conference gave me a great opportunity to make contacts. This was extremely accessible during the “Ask Me Anything” session. This was a great session for medical students and was extremely valuable to hear from doctors in different stages of training. I would highly recommend this session to be continued in future BSG live conferences, not only for students but for doctors in all stages of training; to make contacts, ask questions and find comfort and support amongst other doctors in their speciality. It’s also a great way for medical students to get involved in research and electives in hospitals all over the UK.    

I attended the BSG live as I enjoyed my gastroenterology placement and enjoyed learning the content. It is definitely a speciality I will consider in the future. However, even if I do not pursue a career within this speciality, I have witnessed many skills and qualities from doctors at the conference that are invaluable in any speciality.  

3rd Year Undergraduate Medical Student 

I attended BSG live in Liverpool this year and I thoroughly enjoyed it and would strongly encourage other medical students to attend next year and years to come!  

There was a fantastic range of talks, lectures, and seminars over the three days. Even though I read the timetable for the conference I was unsure of what to expect. I was a bit apprehensive that the knowledge would be too advanced, but it was so rewarding to listen to discussions and not only be able to follow them but understand all the concepts and come away knowing that I had learnt something new. I particularly enjoyed presentations about swallowed foreign objects, Parkinson’s and the gut, and liver cirrhosis and renal function. Everything I listened to was all so relevant to my studies over the past 3 years at medical school and put new recent research into practice which was so refreshing.  

The students were also invited to chat to some doctors on the BSG committee panel, and I really appreciated this opportunity. I spoke to members about their journey through medical school and how to put myself in the best position for training programmes after graduation. This was probably one of the most beneficial events of the conference.  

In our free time we browsed the exhibition stands which had lots of information about new Crohn’s and colitis drugs, probiotics and more. We also availed of a back massage, lunch and some frozen yogurt which we very much enjoyed! In the evenings we also got to go and explore Liverpool. The conference was a great way of seeing a new city and picking up new knowledge. It was a great end to the academic year, and I would be interested in attending next year.  

3rd Year Medical Student

The BSG LIVE 2023 Travel Bursary awarded to me, afforded me the fantastic opportunity to attend the full meeting this year and develop as a presenter, researcher and clinician.  During the meeting I had the opportunity to present research results from my clinical fellowship in both oral and poster presentation format, generating discussion and critical appraisal from colleagues within the field alongside personally developing presentation skills.  

Through attendance at the whole meeting, I benefited from access to up-to-date information on research, clinical trials, clinical practice and advances in gastroenterology both UK and worldwide.  The range of professionals at the meeting allowed me to connect with other healthcare professionals, researchers and experts in the field, sharing ideas and generating potential future collaborations and professional opportunities.  New technologies and innovations in our field were showcased fantastically across the four days, deepening my understanding of the future of gastroenterology in the UK.  Finally, as a senior trainee close to transition to consultant, the sessions on mentorship, job planning and even retirement were invaluable in understanding the change in role and assistance available. 

I’d like to express my immense gratitude to the BSG for supporting my personal and professional development in this meeting and beyond through the financial support allowing attendance.   

SCREDS Clinical Lecturer in Gastroenterology 

I would like to express my immense gratitude for the bursary to attend the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) Annual Meeting held in Liverpool this year.  

Attending the BSG Annual Meeting was a wonderful experience that exceeded all expectations.  

Firstly, I am thrilled to have had the privilege of presenting my research abstract at the meeting. The platform not only allowed me to share my work but also offered a unique opportunity to receive constructive feedback and engage in insightful discussions with fellow researchers, clinicians and experts in the field.  

One of the most valuable parts of the meeting was the wealth of perspectives and knowledge shared by expert gastroenterologists and hepatologists not only from the United Kingdom but from around the world. The diverse range of sessions, from lectures to interactive workshops, facilitated an in-depth exploration of cutting-edge advancements, novel techniques and evidence-based practices. The emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration and integration of the latest technologies has provided me with innovative insights that I am eager to incorporate into my practice.  

One of the highlights of the conference was the many panel discussions on emerging trends and challenges in gastroenterology. Topics such as personalised treatment approaches with the breadth of new biologic agents available for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or the role of artificial intelligence in endoscopy and diagnostics were particularly enlightening. These discussions encouraged me to critically evaluate my current practices and develop them further to adapt to the evolving landscape of medicine today.  

A session I particularly enjoyed was “Challenges in the Management of Nausea and Vomiting” held on day two. This session provided a fresh insight into complex cases of nausea and vomiting, with insightful talks on diagnostic challenges by Dr. Asma Fikree, as well as therapeutic and nutritional challenges by Dr. Peter Paine. The session sparked a healthy debate on the current management practices and emphasised the importance of basics such as a good history taking when making a diagnosis. 

The meeting also gave me a wonderful opportunity to network as I was able to connect with peers and experts who share my interest in gastroenterology. Engaging in discussions fostered meaningful connections and boosted my enthusiasm for further pursuing impactful research.  

Thank you once again for your generous support. I look forward to applying the invaluable insights gained from the meeting to my clinical work and am eager to attend again next year. 

I would like to express my immense gratitude for the bursary to attend the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) Annual Meeting held in Liverpool this year.  

Research and Education Fellow 

As a student I found this an incredibly interesting conference and was exposed to new aspects of gastroenterology. 

I really enjoyed the state-of-the-art lectures on coeliac disease, which provided insightful presentations about aspects of coeliac disease which are often overlooked in undergraduate medical education. I found the talks on extra-articular manifestations and refractory coeliac disease particularly useful.  

I have an interest in Neuro gastroenterology, so enjoyed the variety of sessions regarding this – the free paper session was incredibly interesting and allowed me an opportunity to hear newly emerging research in the field, with the presentation on the ATLANTIS study being particularly engaging. I also enjoyed the dysmotility and iatrogenesis talk, which was excellently structured around an interesting clinical case, prompting lots of discussion and useful learning points. Everyone involved had obviously put a huge amount of work into organising this session, which was reflected in the quality of the talk.  

I really enjoyed attending the live endoscopy sessions and found the section regarding endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty fascinating. As a student I have had limited exposure to endoscopy, so being exposed to such a skilled procedure, whilst being talked through what was happening by experts, was a brilliant opportunity! 

I was also fortunate to present my own research as a poster during one of the lunchtime poster exhibitions. It was a wonderful opportunity to discuss my work with a huge variety of people and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that BSG provided.  

On the final day, I found the session regarding workforce retention and avoiding burnout really insightful. The content of the session felt very different to the more research-focused sessions I had attended earlier in the week, but the content was no less valuable! Burnout is increasingly recognised as an issue, even amongst undergraduates, so the discussion regarding ways to manage this at both an individual and organisational level was really interesting, whilst the discussion around working flexibly highlighted to me that there are opportunities to have ‘different’ working patterns when I qualify, something I hadn’t really considered previously. 

The resources that the BSG team put together for undergraduates were really helpful with navigating the conference and I had the opportunity to meet medical students from around the UK with an interest in gastroenterology. I found this really valuable and am very grateful for the work of the BSG team to help make the experience of attending as a medical student so welcoming!  

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed attending BSG Live 2023 and feel I have gained a huge amount for the experience. I would like to express my thanks to the BSG for providing travel bursaries, without which I would not have been able to attend.  

Medical Student 

Participating in the BSG 2023 conference yielded several valuable experiences.

I had the privilege of presenting my research on endoscopic suturing in the main auditorium. This experience not only allowed me to share my work but also receive insightful feedback from experts in the field.  

The endoscopy village provided hands-on training in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) using animal models. This practical training enhanced my skills and confidence in this specialized technique. 

 A significant learning point was gaining insights into the management of chronic nausea. This knowledge will prove invaluable in enhancing my diagnostic and treatment approaches. 

The conference facilitated connections with industry professionals interested in supporting the implementation of endoscopic suturing in my next workplace. This collaboration holds the promise of advancing medical tools and techniques. 

Among the enjoyable aspects of the conference, Meeting colleagues from different regions of the country, both new and old acquaintances, provided a platform for engaging discussions and knowledge exchange. These interactions fostered a sense of camaraderie within the gastroenterology community. 

Learning about new interventional endoscopic procedures for managing reflux, achalasia, and bariatric concerns was particularly fascinating. These insights broaden the scope of treatment options I can consider in my practice. 

The BSG 2023 conference equipped me with practical learnings that can be directly applied to my daily work, The hands-on ESD training will significantly enhance my endoscopic submucosal dissection skills, enabling me to offer advanced procedures to my patients in the future.  

The insights into chronic nausea management will enhance my ability to diagnose and treat patients with this condition, thereby improving patient care outcomes. 

The industry connections established will play a pivotal role in introducing endoscopic suturing to the next medical institution I work with, ultimately benefiting patient care. 

My participation in BSG 2023 was an enriching experience that broadened my knowledge, honed my skills, and fostered valuable connections within the gastroenterology community. The conference’s insights and networking opportunities will undoubtedly contribute to my growth as a medical professional and positively impact patient care in the future. 

 Endoscopy Research Fellow 

I was granted a BSG Education Travel Bursary to support my attendance at BSG Live 2023. The conference was a wonderful experience. I attended several talks by skilled presenters who provided new perspectives on improving clinical services, the latest developments in technology, and promising laboratory research.

I was also invited to give a talk sharing a service development project which was received warmly, stimulating good discussion about varieties in practice across different sites. Of course, the best part of all was meeting all the other attendees and getting a much-needed opportunity to moan and laugh. I plan on sharing the experience with my colleagues upon returning and endeavour to incorporate the highlights into our everyday practice.

Clinical Research Fellow 

I am hugely grateful to the BSG for supporting my attendance at BSG LIVE 2023 through a travel award. I enjoyed a wealth of educational content – in the plenary session on Monday 19th, I found Dr Chris Lamb’s Sir Francis Avery Jones Lecture provided inspiration regarding how to build an academic career, with great examples of how collaboration can ensure national representation and maximise outcomes for IBD patients. Dr Jess Dyson’s talk on the latest updates for the management of PBC was especially useful for me moving into my ST6 year and looking to gain competencies in hepatology. She gave case examples from her own practice of the use of obetocholic acid and bezafibrate, as well as considerations for the management of intractable itch in this patient cohort.  

In the IBD sessions, I enjoyed presentations on the latest clinical and safety data on the small molecules emerging onto the IBD market, as well as thoughtful considerations from international experts on the placement of these novel agents in our therapeutic pathways. There were clear learning points from the sessions on the surgical management of Crohn’s disease, and the optimal management of acute severe colitis, on the importance of multidisciplinary team working, highlighting especially the importance of expert dietetic involvement and a good relationship with surgical colleagues. Rachel Sawyer, an IBD patient advocate, spoke movingly about her experience of living with the complications of Crohn’s disease and made me consider how to broach the subject of sex and intimacy with IBD patients. 

I was able to present my PhD research on the impact of Crohn’s associated genetic polymorphism on immune cell behaviour and was pleased to have fruitful discussions with national colleagues and explore avenues for potential future collaboration. Of course, one of the most enjoyable parts of the conference was the chance to network and build relationships – as well as catching up with peers from the BSG Trainees’ Section, I met trainees working in IBD research from different regions and hope to build on these connections at future BSG events. 

IBD Research Fellow

I would like to thank the BSG team for selecting me for this travel bursary award to attend BSG live conference 2023. 

For me, the most valuable thing about attending this year’s annual BSG conference was me presenting my research findings and the opportunity of a lively discussion and feedback. This was such a good and rewarding experience for me.  

What I enjoyed the most was the chance to see friends and colleagues and talk to them, and the opportunity to engage with the industry during breaks and exhibition time.  

This was also a good learning experience and I hope to bring back some tips and tricks to help me during my day-to-day practice, especially from the “endoscopy and surgery at crossroads” session which was very educational and practical.  

Gastroenterology Registrar (ST7) 

As a winner of the undergraduate bursary to attend this year’s BSG LIVE event, I was delighted by the opportunity to attend such a large conference and extremely impressed with the quality of the event. Despite only being able to attend for two days, I was able to learn a vast amount in such a short time, attending lectures on hepatology, IBD, endoscopy, and many more.  

The masterclasses on the first day allowed us to gain an insight into the different areas of gastroenterology and the research being conducted in different subspecialties. It was interesting to learn what current clinical trials were being conducted and how this may shape the practice of the speciality in the future, e.g., new monoclonal antibodies for UC.  

Having the freedom to choose what lectures to attend on the second day was great, allowing delegates to access a wide range of high-quality talks in many very specialised areas. My personal favourite experience of the event was the exhibition hall – we had the opportunity to talk to different companies and better understand how they are working to improve patient experiences in gastroenterology. All the stalls were extremely helpful and willing to talk to medical students, explaining processes such as FIT testing and endoscopy at a level accessible to students. The frozen yoghurt stand was a bonus too!  

I’m very grateful for the opportunity to attend such an exciting conference and can’t thank the undergraduate team enough for being so helpful. It was a pleasure to attend, and I can’t wait to get involved in more BSG events in the future! 

4th Year Medical Student 

I felt BSG 2023 was a fantastic meeting, and I am grateful to the BSG and Galapagos for the travel bursary.  

I was fortunate enough to have had an abstract accepted for oral presentation, for research I carried out as part of my PhD a few years ago. However, this was also the first BSG I have attended since the pandemic and as a registrar. I previously attended a number of years ago when I was more junior with a poster, however returning this year felt more significant as I felt being more experienced allowed me to appreciate a wider variety of sessions.  

The week started with the masterclass, which was hugely informative and covered a wide range of topics from the whole curriculum. My personal highlights were the opening talk on renal dysfunction in cirrhosis covering recent changes in terminology and evidence-based management as well as the fitting pre-lunch session on endoscopic removal of foreign bodies.  

My second day I was hugely inspired by the morning talk with updates on “Hot GI Trials” – hearing about all the world class research being conducted around the country and what to look out for in upcoming guidelines and new evidence, makes me hopeful for a possible future in academia.  

I also attended the plenary session and was pleased to see the BSG taking an active role in addressing the issue of sustainability both at an individual level as well as institutional.  

Wednesday was a busy day indeed – starting bright and early with the 7am fun run – the sun was shining as we looped down along the river, and done in time for the Sheila Sherlock symposium – a hugely valuable session covering frailty and sarcopenia in liver disease, role of ITU and of course the SS lecture on the very current topic of acute on chronic liver failure.  

The afternoon was time for my talk in NGM free papers – and I felt this went well with some good questions and the whole session generated plenty of discussion about treatments for DGBI and the emerging role and impact of opiates on our patients.  

That evening was the BSG party – a great opportunity to get to know fellow delegates around the country and have an opportunity to relax!  

On the final day I started with the trainee’s symposium – although not overly well attended at 9 am the selection of speakers reflected the wide range of interests the trainees have – looking at the impact of minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland, eating disorders and GI dysmotility and the challenges we are all too familiar with as well as the role of PPI in research.  

My time at the conference ended with a lunchtime session on the BSG mentoring scheme, something I am looking further into participation in for future.  

On the train home I reflected on the huge amount of sessions I was not able to make due to not having a time turner of my own (!), and glad that they are now all recorded and will be available for our online viewing (I guess that’s one thing that we can perhaps thank covid for?) in a few weeks’ time.  

I was grateful to be able to catch up with colleagues from my previous jobs and meet many new and future colleagues and look forward to many more successful BSG meetings in my career. 

Gastroenterology ST4 Trainee 

BSG is an excellent platform to grow my professional network, meet friends and colleagues across the country and, most importantly, the educational value it brings. BSG was particularly important this year as I was nominated for the Alistair McIntyre and the Trainee out of the Program awards. It was a massive opportunity for me to be able to present my project in front of experts in the field of gastroenterology, and getting their feedback is invaluable. Obviously, winning those awards made it more special.

All the sessions were very high quality, showcasing the high standard of British gastroenterology. The program encompassed a broad spectrum of topics, including IBD, endoscopy, hepatology, nutrition, therapeutic interventions etc. It gives young physicians and researchers an excellent opportunity to meet the leading experts in the field, share their research ideas and collaborate. The collaboration is not only limited nationally, but it could reach beyond the boundary. As BSG also hosted international speakers, I had the opportunity to meet some of the international speakers. I could share my research ideas with them and have their valuable advice, which will help me deliver my project.

Along all the sessions, I liked the IBD session and the live endoscopy session the most. My personal biases may have played a role in selecting the sessions; otherwise, all the sessions were exceptionally high quality. Another particular session I want to mention is the mindfulness session and how to tackle burnout. It is commendable for BSG to develop this sort of session to help prevent burnout among gastroenterologists.

BSG Live 2023 was pivotal in advancing knowledge and enhancing professional development in gastroenterology. The seminar facilitated the dissemination of cutting-edge research and best practices by providing a platform for researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals to connect, collaborate, and share their expertise. The event also facilitated networking opportunities, enabling participants to establish new professional connections and nurture existing ones.

Clinical Research Fellow in IBD

It was fantastic to secure the BSG Travel Bursary to enable me to attend BSG Live this year. 

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the opening day Masterclass sessions, but it only meant I arrived on Tuesday even more keen to experience everything BSG LIVE ‘23 had to offer. I started by attending the Trainees symposium, before heading to the plenary to hear my supervisor, Professor Brian Saunders, give a truly inspiring talk for Sir Arthur Hurst lecture. Lunchtime, as with each day, was spent looking at the E-poster presentations. It was great to see the work of other trainees from around the country. In the afternoon I attended the Appropriate Endoscopy Symposium where it was really interesting to hear the latest on post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer, post-endoscopy UGI cancer and colon capsules. 

Wednesday morning was standing room only for the Controversies in portal hypertension session, with some heated but always friendly debates on varices, Dani’s stents and TIPS. Wednesday lunchtime was time for my own E-poster presentation, and it was really encouraging to engage with a wide range of interested delegates. For the afternoon, I settled into a seat for some engaging live endoscopy. Wednesday evening was The BSG Night, a well-attended social event where it was great fun to meet other trainees and start to make connections in the world of gastroenterology. 

On Thursday morning it was really interesting to hear about the progress in endosocopy training, most notably the success of the new endoscopy academies for junior trainees. Finally, there was just time before catching the train in the afternoon to attend the Meet the Experts, with engaging sessions on polypectomy and managing complications. 

BSG Live ‘23 was a truly engaging 3 days meeting people, hearing the latest developments and presenting my own. I am extremely grateful to BSG and the travel bursary for allowing me to attend. 

Endoscopy Fellow 

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the conference. 

On Monday I attended the Masterclasses that took place in Hall 1A. I initially thought I may not understand the presentations taking place, however the doctors providing the talks presented in a very clear and understandable manner. I found these discussions extremely insightful into many different aspects of gastroenterology and has reinforced my interest in this varied specialty.  

I found the undergrad Q&A session to be one of the most beneficial sessions I attended. As a student, the pathway ahead to becoming a doctor can seem daunting but was reassured by each of the doctors hosting the session. We had the chance to speak to the F1 and F3 representatives after about medical school and training which was very helpful. Throughout the week I also had the chance to explore the exhibition hall, where I learned about new pharmaceutical drugs as well as getting some delicious lunch! I found the interactive/walk-through bowel very educational as different pathologies of the bowel could be identified clearly. 

One of my favourite seminars/ sessions I attended was ‘The challenges of GI involvement in non-GI disease’, as I was never aware of the role GI played in the lungs, GORD and Parkinson’s disease. As a future doctor, I feel that this talk will help me to assess and examine a patient thoroughly and not just associate one potential condition with one system.  

In the future, I hope to return to BSG Live to enhance my gastroenterology knowledge and experience the conference again. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly!  

I thank BSG for widening access to conferences like this through the bursary, as I feel that I have greatly benefited from the week which would not have been possible without your support. 

Undergraduate Medical Student

I am very grateful to the BSG and Galapagos for the bursary that allowed me to attend BSG Live 23. The generous support has allowed me to develop both my clinical and research interests further. 

The masterclasses this year were exceptional! The speakers were clearly experts and each session taught me something new. This I hope to be able to take into my daily practice. 

I would also like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to present an oral presentation during the week. Honing my presentation skills was useful, but more importantly I received feedback, was asked questions (giving me new avenues to consider) and had the opportunity to collaborate too. 

In addition to the educational aspect, the BSG LIVE’23 program was well-rounded and I had the opportunity to socialise too. After the last few years, it was lovely to have the chance to see old friends and make new ones too. This also allowed for further networking opportunities which I hope to be able to work on over the coming year before the next BSG Live. 

Furthermore, the bursary allowed me to support my colleagues with their poster presentations. As a senior author on some of the presenting work, seeing my colleagues flourish was particularly rewarding and I hope enabled mutual growth. It deepened my understanding of leading research projects and underscored the importance of collaboration. 

The BSG has organised a fantastic event that I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to attend with the support of BSG and Galapagos. 

Clinical Research Fellow 

I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to attend such an informative and enjoyable conference. I found many of the talks and workshops useful and many aspects were relevant to my current level of knowledge and training.  

Day one was filled with a wide range of short talks incorporated into a number of masterclasses. These were great to listen to as they provided an overview of important topics in the field of gastroenterology. One talk I found particularly interesting was about foreign body removal. It highlighted the dangerous foreign bodies to look out for such as lithium coin cell batteries and magnets. Many of the talks were about current research in the field of gastroenterology which were summarised by various professionals. It was useful to see what areas were the focus of research at the moment and what routes there are for research in the future. 

We had the opportunity to ask questions of doctors at various stages of gastroenterology training and at consultancy level. I found this session very useful as I was able to map out how to progress from a foundation doctor to an internal medicine trainee or straight through gastroenterology training. Everyone was very engaging, and it was unexpected but a privilege to meet Dr Kumar. I wish to thank Dr Philip Smith, Dr Yazan Haddadin, Dr Alex Hong and Dr Tamara Glaister for being so welcoming and approachable throughout the conference. I also want to thank Nikki Husbands for organising us passing on information about different things at the conference. I think at the next conference a short talk on a career in gastroenterology would be useful before having the question time. 

There were many industry sessions available during the conference. I attended one by Lilly entitled Ulcerative Colitis: Bridging the gap between research and patient care. They highlighted that bowel urgency is an important symptom that patients would like to discuss and improve with their healthcare professional. I believe it is important to have conversations with patients and gain their views on their condition, so I found this talk very inspiring and relevant to medical practice today. The panel were very knowledgeable and the open discussion between them was interesting. 

Live endoscopy was an exciting and very interactive session. The panel was composed of healthcare professionals from different backgrounds. The panel asked very relevant questions that made me think and I loved the way professionals were able to challenge and discuss important aspects of healthcare. 

I also appreciated the opportunity to network with healthcare professionals and talk to individuals representing companies from the healthcare industry. I was able to discuss ground-breaking medications on the current market and understand that aspect of healthcare.  

I now have a greater understanding of gastroenterology as a specialty and what a possible career could look like. I very much enjoyed my first time attending the BSG conference and look forward to attending again in the future.  

4th Year Medical Student 

I express my sincere gratitude to the organizing committee for the highly successful BSG live conference held in Liverpool. I would like to express my utmost admiration for the exceptional organization and the comprehensive range of topics covered, all of which were clinically relevant and provided valuable updates on the latest research in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology. 

One of the conference highlights was the masterclass held on the first day, which explored a diverse array of important subjects directly applicable to everyday clinical practice. Throughout the subsequent days, I had the privilege of attending various lectures, thanks to the convenience of a well-designed conference app that facilitated the identification of sessions aligned with my interests. Additionally, this conference afforded me the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and friends in person, fostering meaningful discussions and idea exchange during the poster gallery sessions, which opened doors for potential future collaborations. 

Presenting my work, selected for two invited speaker positions, an oral presentation, and two poster presentations, brought me great satisfaction. Attending lectures delivered by international experts on endoscopy and IBD provided valuable insights from different perspectives. Particularly, the final day dedicated to exploring the applications of artificial intelligence in gastroenterology was both enjoyable and enlightening. 

In conclusion, this conference has provided me with numerous key takeaways that will undoubtedly enhance my day-to-day clinical practice. It has also offered valuable insights into the ongoing research within the field of gastroenterology and hepatology. Once again, I am sincerely grateful to the organizing committee for delivering such a rewarding educational event. 

Clinical Research Fellow

I was very pleased to receive an educational bursary to attend this year’s BSG conference in Liverpool. My main reason for attending was to present a poster and to obtain the latest updates for Gastroenterology.  

The sessions that I found most stimulating were the lectures from the Plenary session focusing on climate change and AI innovations well as the sessions on IBD treatment in 2023 and acute severe ulcerative colitis. The inflammatory bowel disease updates will most definitely inform my current practice as a fellow in this sub-speciality at a tertiary hospital. In addition, the latest efficacy and safety data for small molecule therapy and the guide for de-escalation of therapy will be particularly valuable for making decisions in this setting.  

During the poster rounds, I received constructive feedback which will be useful during the process of writing the manuscript.  

The 3 Endo-village sessions (upper GI bleed and polypectomy stations) that I attended were enjoyable as short but intense one-to-one sessions with Consultants from other centres who could offer different tips for training in endoscopy techniques. 

Overall, I am very grateful for the funding assistance from the BSG and Galapagos to attend this years conference which is always educational, informative and enjoyable.  

IBD Research Fellow 

BSG Live 2023 was an opportunity for me to be exposed to the depth and breadth of research being conducted in the field of gastroenterology, from luminal to liver. As an academic trainee, BSG Live gave me an opportunity to meet face-to-face with existing research collaborators and establish new connections with centres both across the UK and Europe. Having recently been elected Trainee Representative on the BSG Neurogastroenterology and Motility (NGM) Section, I was able to engage in face-to-face discussions with committee members on strategies to increase awareness of NGM in the undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula. We were also able to plan the NGM section’s approach to the upcoming BSG Campus in November 2023.

I particularly enjoyed the session on dysmotility, iatrogenesis and nutrition. This was an opportunity to gain an insight into the management of disorders of gut-brain interaction from the perspective of consultant gastroenterologists (from various subspecialties: NGM and nutrition) and clinical psychologists. I was reminded about the significance of recognising eating disorders in NGM, including the differences between the various types of eating disorders, as well as the NHS referral system and management pathway. Concerning the NGM free papers session, I was perhaps most intrigued by the results of the ATLANTIS study: an NIHR HTA-funded randomised, placebo-controlled, superiority trial of low-dose amitriptyline for adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in primary care. The outcomes of this trial (data unpublished and not peer-reviewed at the time this reflective piece was written) will certainly allow me to make better informed treatment decisions when managing IBS in future. I was also able to (momentarily) stray away from NGM and attended the Sheila Sherlock Lecture delivered by Rajiv Jalan. This lecture provided me with an overview of acute-on-chronic liver failure, from the time it was first recognised in 2002 to the modern-day, including promising therapies for its management in the form of DIALIVE and TAK-242.

Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable conference which has enhanced both my clinical and academic knowledge. I am grateful to the BSG Education Committee for providing me with the funding to attend BSG Live 2023 and hope other trainees in future can avail themselves of this opportunity for professional development.

NIHR ST1 Academic Clinical Fellow in Gastroenterology