Leuven University Hospital

Address: Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven

Country: Belgium

Website: www.uzleuven.be

Responsible person/tutor for the fellowship

Name: Ann Smeets

Position: Prof.

E-mail: ann.smeets@uzleuven.be

Key contact

Contact name: Anke Vanderwaeren

Position: Secretariaat Oncologische heelkunde

E-mail: secretariat.oncologischeheelkunde@uzleuven.be

Description

Description of the training programme: 

• The training programme tries to cover all important aspects: surgery, consultations, multidisciplinary team meetings and education.
• The fellow will do breast surgery a full day once or twice a week and check the patients before and after the operation until discharge from the hospital.
• The consultations exist first of all of preoperative consultations, multidisciplinary with the colleagues of oncology and radiotherapy. Furthermore, there are follow-up consultations and consultations concerning wound care.
• The fellow will also present some cases in the multidisciplinary team meetings, which take place once a week.
• Time is provided to participate in the departments of pathology, radiology, radiotherapy and oncology.

Position held by the fellow during the traineeship: A position between resident and consultant

The training consist of: As far as the department of Surgical Oncology is concerned, there is 1 fellow who follow approximately the training programme described above and 1 fellow who combines breast cancer surgery together with general surgical oncology. The department of Gynaecological Oncology also has 1 fellow for breast surgery.

Legal requirements: The fellow must have a degree as surgeon or gynaecologist recognized in Belgium and must speak Dutch or English

Maximum number of fellows in the Unit: 2

Optimal duration of the fellowship: Between 1 – 2 years

Open to both national and international candidates, a basis knowledge of Dutch is required

Ideal candidate: Clinical fellow who has a degree as surgeon or gynaecologist and speaks Dutch or English

Supervision

The fellow will participate in:

• Operations with the tutor: YES
• Outpatient clinics with the tutor: YES
• The hospital continuing medical education programme: YES

Education

Continuing medical education in the Unit: YES

MDT

Frequency: Weekly

Research facilities 

Participation to research activities in the hospital: YES

Bibliography

Accessible library: YES

Accommodation

Available accomodation: The University Residential Area Groot Begijnhof of the KU Leuven

Distance from the Institute/Center: 3 km

Public transport: YES

Internet facilities: YES

Financial support

Financial support: YES

Amount of the financial support: The amount of the financial support depends of the contract. There is no separate amount for meals or accommodation

Information about the Institution/Department

Name: part of Surgical Oncology and part of Gynaecological Oncology

Head of Department: Coordinator Breast Unit: Prof. Dr. H. Wildiers

                                         Head of Surgical Oncology: Prof. Dr. Hompes 

                                         Head of Gynaecological Oncology: Prof. Dr. Deven

Number of Senior Consultants: 2 in Surgical Oncology & 4 in Gynaecological Oncology

Number of Consultants: 1 in Surgical Oncology & 1 in Gynaecological Oncology

Number of Residents: 1 in Surgical Oncology & 2 in Gynaecological Oncology specific for Breast Unit

Number of beds: 16 in Breast Unit

Number of wards: 1 specific ward for patients who undergo breast surgery

Number of operation rooms: in total 6 operation rooms for breast surgery/week (breast reconstructions preformed by plastic surgeons included)

Number of operations per day: approximately 4/day

Number of operations per year: 750 new diagnoses of breast cancer a yer

Percentage of surgical oncology in the department per year: 100 % (Breast Unit)

Breast cancer operations per week/per year: approximately 24/week

BRESO programme director: Ann Smeets