Early career in epilepsy in Greece

Early-career professionals in epilepsy face unique challenges that can impact their professional growth and capacity to provide high-quality care. This study explores the demographic and professional characteristics, access to resources, barriers, and training needs of young professionals in epilepsy in Greece, to identify key areas for support and improvement.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among early-career professionals in epilepsy in Greece, including neurologists, pediatricians, residents, nurses, and allied health professionals. Participants completed a structured questionnaire addressing demographics, professional experiences, training needs, and perceived challenges. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and results were visualized through graphs and tables.

The survey included 58 participants, the majority being female (74.1 %) and aged 30-35 years (56.9 %). Most participants were employed in public or university hospitals (81.04 %), with 49.12 % reporting no specialized training in epilepsy but expressing a strong intention to pursue it. Financial constraints (41.4 %) and work-related challenges (31.0 %) were the primary barriers to attending educational activities. Key training priorities included clinical neurophysiology (71.9 %), neuroimaging (68.4 %), and genetics (66.7 %). Preferences for conference topics focused on hands-on EEG (81 %) and neuroimaging (77.6 %) courses, followed by pharmacological management (67.2 %), diagnostic approaches (63.8 %), epilepsy surgery (63.8 %), and precision medicine (55.2 %).

The findings highlight the barriers and training needs among early-career epilepsy professionals in Greece. Addressing these challenges through targeted educational initiatives, mentorship programs, and financial support mechanisms could foster professional development and enhance the quality of epilepsy care. These results also provide a foundation for the establishment of initiatives such as the Young Epilepsy Section in Greece to support the next generation of epilepsy specialists.