III Bioinformatics Conference in Aragon, on February 14
10 February, 2025
The 3rd Conference on Research and Innovation Updates begins at the Miguel Servet University Hospital
12 February, 2025
With the aim of strengthening the medical team of the Pediatric Oncology Unit of Aragon, as well as connecting the clinical part with the research of the disease, Aspanoa and the IIS Aragón have been co-financing a scholarship for five years that has allowed the hiring, at different times, of three doctors: Yurena Aguilar, Alba Fernández and Ana Sangrós
This is a scholarship of two years duration what is co-financed equally between the Aragon Health Research Institute (IIS Aragon) and Aspanoa. Each entity provides 30.000 euros per year, which allows the hiring of this fifth doctor. A professional who not only directly attends to patients, but also serves as a link between the Pediatric Oncology Unit and the Aragon Health Research Institute.
After completing this scholarship, Dr. Aguilar obtained an interim position in the Pediatric Oncology Unit. Alba Fernández completed her scholarship in March 2024, and then continued in the Unit covering maternity leave, and her contract ends this February. For her part, Dr. Sangrós has just started her scholarship, which will last two years, until the end of 2026. This professional has a degree in Medicine from the University of Zaragoza, completed her residency in Pediatrics at the Children's Hospital and, later, continued to specialize through a three-year program at the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona, which concluded last June.
We have brought together these three professionals to tell us about their experience with this assistance and to give us details of what it has contributed to the Unit over the past five years.
How important is it that Pediatric Oncology has a fifth doctor?
It is essential because the care load is growing progressively. In recent years, the number of patients has increased as well as the complexity of the treatments applied. On the other hand, The number of clinical trials and registries in progress in the unit is gradually growing, which implies an additional workload. Fortunately, this translates into a increased survival and better patient management.
Compared to other paediatric oncology units where you have worked, is the one at Miguel Servet sufficiently equipped in terms of human resources?
Our opinion, especially after working in other centers with a higher volume of patients, is that it is not sufficiently equipped. Other pediatric oncology units with a similar number of patients to ours have more medical staff. In this sense, This scholarship allows for improved staffing, but it should probably be considered that another associate with training in pediatric oncology should form a structural part of the staff.
This scholarship also serves as a connection between the Unit and the research being carried out at the IIS Aragón.
It is very important because there is a growing trend for medical staff to not only focus on the clinical part, which of course is the fundamental one, but also to be in contact with the research staff. Not so much in the experimental front line, but rather to be in contact with researchers in order to be aware of the direction in which new therapies are going and how they are going to be developed. There are other units that have a stronger research component because there are staff who dedicate part of their day exclusively to it. But here the shortage of staff makes it more difficult. Even so, This grant allows us to build networks with researchers, get to know each other and seek synergies to help each other and achieve the best results.
What do you think about the fact that this scholarship is specifically aimed at young professionals?
It's a great opportunity. Although you never finish your training in Pediatric Oncology, because medicine advances and you advance with it, with this scholarship you can better define yourself and continue your training. Day-to-day experience has a very high value, different from the knowledge you acquire through theoretical study. It is key to work with other assistants who have many years of experience in order to learn from them.
What has this scholarship brought to you personally?
It certainly gives you a job stability for two years, which is difficult to achieve in any other way in our Community, especially if, as in our case, you are looking to dedicate yourself to a specialty as specific as this one. It allows you to temporarily continue working and learning at the same time in Pediatric Oncology in Aragon. It is essential that Aspanoa, in addition to all the support it gives to families, also support healthcare and research staff. This part of their work is also very important and improves the care and attention that patients receive in our Community.
Source: Aspanoa
Image: Doctors Ana Sangrós, Yurena Aguilar and Alba Fernández, who have been employed at different times thanks to the Aspanoa scholarship. / Author Asier Alkorta.
