'It has given me new hope'

Do you remember the first conference you attended? Meeting thousands of strangers in a big hall with sweaty hands? This time, ­Conference Matters looks at the conference from the ­viewpoint of the first-time visitor.

Pieter Swart, 26, traded his life on the family farm in South Africa for a study in Leuven and settled in the north of the Netherlands last September, where he started working as a psychiatrist in training at the University Medical Center ­Groningen. “I was a bit afraid of the ­Groningen down-­to-earthiness that people always talk about, but so far I’ve experienced it as very pleasant.

Furthermore, psychiatric care in the Netherlands is very well organised in ­contrast to South Africa, where a backlog in funding leads to inhumane ­situations. Although the Netherlands also has some issues, you can at least do your job here as a psychiatrist.”

Swart doesn’t plan to leave the Netherlands ­anytime soon. “There’s still so much to discover and learn here. I think the Netherlands has a lot to offer me and vice versa.”

In the company of at least 20 close colleagues, he attended his very first conference in April 2024: the three-day Spring Conference of the Netherlands Psychiatric Association (NVvP). 
A whole new world opened up for him when he ­walked into the large hall of MECC Maastricht.

What did you think of your first ­conference?

“It was fantastic. When I got back to work on Monday, I wished I was back at the conference. But at the same time, I realised how much I love my work.”

 

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The conference

The Spring Congress 2024 of the Netherlands Psychiatric Association (NVvP) was held from 10 to 12 April in MECC Maastricht. As in previous years, the conference attracted approximately 2,500 participants, consisting of psychiatrists, GPs training to become specialists (AIOs) and other professionals in the field.

For three days, participants gained much knowledge during lectures, discussions and workshops on current themes, including Green Psychiatry, reviewing the multidisciplinary guideline on depression, precision psychiatry, moral leadership & climate change, and genetic prediction 
& biomarkers in psychiatric disorders.

During the poster sessions in the Expo Foyer, researchers presented their work to peers, and various prizes were awarded for the best lecture and the best scientific articles of the year. Author Arnon Grunberg concluded the lecture series with a speech on literature and psychiatry.

During the party night themed ‘A Night in Paris’, participants could meet up in a more relaxed ­setting on the dance floor or at the bar.

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What did you like about it?

“As it’s often the case with conferences, they serve two purposes. First of all, it’s essential for knowledge exchange: you stay up to date with the latest research and the like. But another important function is the social cohesion ­between colleagues. It’s often mocked, as if ­doctors only go there for a drink, but that’s not true.

I actually enjoyed experiencing both sides. Firstly, it was stimulating to be fully involved in my field again, and secondly, I also found it very valuable to be in contact with colleagues in a ­different way. That really helps a lot. You hear stories from experts who have come through the most difficult situations. That’s so hopeful, especially with tough problems, where you sometimes feel like you’re not making a difference, and then you see that recovery is actually possible.”

Did you also make a lot of new contacts?

“Yes, I did! In fact, I was surprised to primarily make new contacts within my region. Of course, I knew my colleagues, but I also met the colleagues of other colleagues from Friesland and Drenthe. And that quickly gave rise to the idea that I could go to that one person for this problem and learn things that seem promising. It provides a glimpse into each other’s world of experience and what you can do for each other.

In addition, there are also many institutions that advertise and recruit, and then you think, ‘Now I know where I can go if I want to do a specia­lised internship,’ whether it’s forensic psychiatry, 
a consultation team, or whatever. They are options that I didn’t know existed before this ­conference because nobody tells you any of it in person. Hearing someone talk about it makes a big difference.”

Does the conference have additional added value for you because you come from abroad?

“For me, it’s definitely very valuable to understand how psychiatry works here and to get to know people from all over the Netherlands, instead of just my workplace.

As a foreigner, it was very helpful, but I would say it’s essential for every starting psychiatrist. My Dutch colleagues who have just started ­didn’t know much more than I did. And then to be able to sit in on sessions of leading institutions is really inspiring.”

Is there anything that you learnt that you could apply to your work immediately?

“One takeaway was not to forget to involve all network partners in complex issues, for example, with someone who is chronically suicidal and regularly stands by the railroad tracks. I had never considered that we could also actively involve the police and discuss what we should do if this person comes into the picture again.

As a psychiatrist, you cannot provide proper care on your own. We all care about society, so broaden your perspective. Don’t stay on your island.

Do you now have a better idea of what you ultimately want to achieve in your career?

“I don’t know yet. That’s also the wondrous thing about a conference like this; I felt like a child in a sweet shop. I want to try everything. An internship at a TBS clinic, for example, seems quite interesting to me now.”

Do you have any tips for people going to a conference for the first time?

“Take a proper look at what suits you. You will be spoilt for choice because there’s so much. For example, I went with colleagues to a scientific session, which they got a lot out of, but I got less out of it. However, I was enthusiastic about practical workshops. Be sure to choose something that stimulates you. You are no longer at school so it’s not a test or an obligation. You can just enjoy yourself. You chose this subject for a reason. Let yourself be inspired again.”

 

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Maastricht

“Maastricht feels a bit like being abroad, especially if you come from Groningen,” says Pieter Swart. “Unfortunately, I was so busy with the conference and everything around it that I hardly saw the city itself. But everything was really well organised. For example, with my conference badge I could travel for free on public transport. And I had made use of the special AIO package, with which you could register as a doctor in training at a reduced rate and get a hotel room. Really great.

MECC Maastricht was also very suitable. I was especially impressed by how well everything was organised, despite there being thousands of people for three days. They really managed that well. And the programme was top-notch.”

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