The Executive Committee, together with the Educational Committee and the ECNP Networks, has developed the ECNP Courses to broaden the range of its educational activities for both clinical and non-clinical scientists. As part of this endeavour, interested individuals can enroll in an innovative two-year course, comprising colloquia, live e-learnings, directed reading and report submission, leading to recognition by ECNP of achieving specialist expertise in ADHD. This course has been developed by the ECNP Network ADHD across the Lifespan and the ECNP Educational Committee and it will be presented as a first pilot. No registration fee is charged for the pilot courses (full course and e-learning only). In return ECNP will request participants to give feedback on the course at set times during the two years. This feedback will be used for potential development of similar courses.
Who can participate
This course is designed to be suitable for two main constituencies:
- Clinicians working in mental health services (such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, mental health pharmacists, and general practitioners with a focus on mental health) who wish to extend their expertise in ADHD
- Scientists with an interest in preclinical and translational mechanistic research into the aetiology of ADHD
Possession of a relevant undergraduate degree is essential, and possession of a relevant postgraduate degree or similar completed professional qualification is desirable.
The course and all related communication will be in English.
How to participate
There are two ways to follow the course:
- Selected for the complete course including two in-person colloquia
A limited group of participants is selected by a review committee on the basis of their career potential. For these selected participants the course takes two years and consists of a series of directed readings, participation in 20 live e-learnings (participate in 15 to finish the course), an assessment and two in-person colloquia on the Friday afternoon/evening before the 36th ECNP Congress in Barcelona and the 37th ECNP Congress in Milan. There is no registration fee for this pilot course. In return, participants agree to provide feedback several times during the course to enable ECNP to evaluate the pilot.
Registration for the 36th ECNP Congress Barcelona 2023 (purchased via the congress website) and the 37th ECNP Congress Milan 2024 is mandatory. Travel and hotel accommodation is at own cost of the participant. Writing an assessment after the full course is required. Attendance will be recorded.
It is no longer possible to apply for the whole two-year course. The deadline was 3 May 2023.
- Join the live e-learnings only
Interested individuals can join the e-learning sessions. Participants can follow the live e-learnings per block of five sessions, but will not be invited to the in-person colloquia or asked to submit a written assessment. They have access to the directed reading material.
There is no registration fee for the pilot course. In return, participants agree to provide feedback after the live e-learnings to enable ECNP to evaluate the pilot.
Registration for the e-learnings
It was possible to register for live e-learnings up to two days before the start of a module.
The complete two-year course consists of:
- Directed reading
Participants should read two or three key papers linked to each key topic, and reflect upon 2-3 learning points for each paper, in advance of attending live e-learnings in which they would discuss their responses with their peers and the faculty. A link to pdf versions of all key papers will be provided, and data will be collected on when papers are downloaded.
- Live e-learnings
ECNP will host a series of one hour-long live e-learnings on key-topics presented by international top-experts on ADHD; participants are expected to attend at least 15 live e-learnings. Each e-learning will have a moderator in addition to the expert speaker. E-learnings will include questions-and-answers for discussion, in the manner of an Educational Update Sessions.
The e-learning sessions are grouped in blocks of five sessions; after a block on the basics of ADHD, blocks will alternate on more clinical and more aetiological/mechanistic oriented sessions.
When
All e-learnings take place on a Thursday from 16.00-17.00 CET (Central European Time)/CEST (Central European Summer Time).
Module 1: ADHD — the basics
Moderator: Toni Ramos-Quiroga
8 June 2023 |
Definition and epidemiology, symptoms across the lifespan, and history |
Steve Faraone, USA |
22 June 2023 |
Comorbidity with other mental and somatic conditions |
Sarah Kittel-Schneider, Germany |
6 July 2023 |
Diagnostic procedures, children and adults |
Samuele Cortese, United Kingdom and Sandra Kooij, The Netherlands |
14 September 2023 |
Cognitive involvement in ADHD |
Jonna Kuntsi, United Kingdom |
28 September 2023 |
Balancing the picture of ADHD: strengths in ADHD |
Martine Hoogman, The Netherlands |
Module 2: Aetiology: risk and protective factors, mechanistic research
Moderator: Edna Grünblatt
16 November 2023 |
The brain in ADHD |
Oliver Grimm, Germany |
30 November 2023 |
Genetic risk and protection |
Barbara Franke, The Netherlands |
14 December 2023 |
Environmental risk and protective factors |
Tobias Banaschewski, Germany |
11 January 2024 |
Epigenetics of ADHD |
Bru Cormand, Spain |
25 January 2024 |
Using animal models to investigate ADHD etiology |
Will Norton, United Kingdom |
Module 3: Treatment and prevention in ADHD
Moderator: Samuele Cortese
8 February 2024 |
Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment in children |
Samuele Cortese, United Kingdom |
22 February 2024 |
Lifestyle medicine: Nutritional treatment approaches, physical activity |
Silke Matura, Germany |
7 March 2024 |
E-Health approaches – present and future |
Alexandra Philipsen, Germany |
28 March 2024 |
Development of novel therapeutics for ADHD |
Jan Haavik, Norway |
11 April 2024 |
Prevention |
Jan Buitelaar, The Netherlands |
Module 4: Novel approaches to ADHD
Moderator: Alejandro Arias Vasquez
25 April 2024 |
The gut-brain axis in ADHD and immunopsychiatry |
Alejandro Arias Vasquez, The Netherlands |
23 May 2024 |
iPSC models of ADHD |
Edna Gruenblatt, Switzerland |
6 June 2024 |
Biomarkers for ADHD – present and future |
Jan Buitelaar, The Netherlands |
20 June 2024 |
Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment in adults |
Toni Ramos-Quiroga, Spain |
4 July 2024 |
Assessment and management of ADHD in autism presentations |
Nicoletta Adamo, United Kingdom |
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Assessment (only for participants selected for the full course)
Selected participants are required to submit a 3,000-word report, focused on either evidence-based management of three patients (for healthcare professionals) or on scientific work relating to ADHD (scientists). Reports will be assessed by two markers (drawn from the ADHD Network and the Educational Committee) who will agree whether or not the report meets pre-specified standards.
- Colloquium (only for participants selected for the full course)
The colloquium provides participants a face to face meeting, organised on Friday 6 October 2023 from 15.00-20.00 (CET) in Barcelona, prior to the 36th ECNP Congress. Led by experts in the field of ADHD from the ECNP Network ADHD across the Lifespan, timely topics will be discussed related to the concept of ADHD in healthcare and society, presentations from people with lived experience, and dive into current practice and future developments in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of ADHD across the lifespan. The programme will have two 2-hour sessions and includes a dinner for networking. The second colloquium will take place on the Friday before the 37th ECNP Congress in Milan.
- Certificate of completion (only for participants selected for the full course)
Based on evidence of accessing key-papers, participation in at least 15 e-learnings, participation at the colloquia, and the submission of a satisfactory report, a certificate of achieving specialist expertise in ADHD will be awarded.
How to apply for the full two-year course
It is no longer possible to apply for the full two-year course. The deadline was 3 May 2023..
During the application process, applicants were asked to upload the following:
A motivation letter (250-1,000 words) to explain, in the applicant’s own words, why they would like to attend, is mandatory.
All texts and documents needed to be in English.