Background

Since 1991, the EJD has had the right to have their own representatives to the UEMS Specialist Sections and European Boards. Since 2007, the EJD is also represented in the Multidisciplinary Joint Committees (MJCs).

Who can be an EJD representative

Nominees for EJD representatives to a UEMS S/B/MJC must be doctors in training in the specialty of the UEMS S/B/MJC it concerns and must be members of an EJD member organization. Doctors who are not members of an EJD member organization cannot apply for EJD UEMS Representatives positions.

Getting started as a EJD Representative

Roughly one month after the nomination of new representatives, the EJD secretariat or the EJD post graduate training (PGT) Committee chairperson (which is also the UEMS liaison officer) will inform the UEMS secretary general. The secretary general of UEMS is thereafter responsible for immediately informing the president and the secretary general of the UEMS Specialist Section (S)/European Board (B)/Multidisciplinary Joint Committees (MJC) it concerns. From experience, we know that many EJD representatives find it difficult to get in contact with the secretary of their respective UEMS S/B/MJC, which in turn makes it difficult to obtain information about the meetings. Therefore, EJD provides an overview with contacts of the UEMS S/B/MJC secretariat for the representatives and provides representative information to the UEMS Secretariat. The EJD does recommend that the representatives make direct contact with the president and /or secretary general in the respective S/B/MJC.

What EJD expects from a Representative

There are two main functions of an EJD representative at a UEMS S/B/MJC:

• to represent EJD’s opinion in the meetings
  • - therefore the representative must not give any official position on issues not previously decided by the EJD Executive Board or General Assembly
• to report back to EJD the tasks and discussion of the representatives section
• To cooperate with EJD on any issues related to UEMS S/B/MJC upon request from PGT chairperson or EJD’s Executive Board.

By studying the agenda, which should be made available before each meeting, the representative will be able to check on the EJD´s website and contact the secretariat or the chairperson of the PGT for  any relevant documents or  policy statements by the EJD. In case an issue arises where EJD have not decided upon a policy yet, the representative should consult with the EJD PGT Committee chairperson.
Fifteen days after each meeting, the representative should send in a written report to the EJD secretariat and PGT Committee Chairperson. The representative should also inform the EJD secretariat of the dates of future meetings in his section/board or MJC, as well as of any changes in their contact information.

The Representative should keep the Vice-Representative informed (and vice-versa) of all the activities going on in the respective section.

Travel assistance to UEMS meetings

Travel/accommodation expenses should usually be covered by the board or the national organisations that endorsed the representatives’ nomination as a candidate and acted as the representatives’ referee. On some rare cases travel expenses are assured by section/board/MJC to which the candidate is nominated to. It is up to the representative to check these possibilities first. If there is no financial support available from  any of these organizations, the Representative/Vice-Representative can apply to the EJD Representatives’ fund.

Rules of Procedure

To optimize this workflow and improve EJD’s work within UEMS S/B/MJC the following rules apply:

1. The EJD representatives to UEMS S/B/MJC will be provided by the EJD after each General Assembly with the necessary information about on-going topics by email. However, it is the responsibility of the representatives to keep themselves updated on EJD policy and they should represent EJD’s opinion in the UEMS S/B/MJC.
2. The EJD representatives are expected to attend the meetings in their respective UEMS S/B/MJC and should send a written report on a prepared EJD template as soon as possible to the EJD PGT Chairperson (pgt@juniordoctors.eu)
3. If the costs for an EJD representative to attend a meeting are not covered fully or partially by the Board, Section or any national organization, the EJD will cover up to 250€ of the travel and/or accommodation costs from the EJD-Representatives’ fund once per year upon request. In order to get financial support, the representative should apply by email, according to the Rules of Procedure, by providing the relevant documentation (including documentation confirming that no other organisation will be paying travel expenses) to the EJD treasurer and PGT Chairperson (pgt@juniordoctors.eu and treasurer@juniordoctors.eu).   The total amount might be increased if made possible by the UEMS .
4. The EJD  Executive Board should stay in close contact with the UEMS to gather information about the dates of future meetings of S/B/MJC and inform the representatives. Also, the PGT Chairperson should provide the representative with contact data.
5. The EJD representative should without delay inform the substitute (if elected) and the EJD PGT Chairperson if he/she is unable to attend a meeting or if he/she wants to resign from their position.
6. The EJD representatives to UEMS S/B/MJC should without delay inform the PGT Chairperson of any changes in their contact information.
7. The EJD representative is required to send reports from the meetings of S/B/MJC within 15 days after a meeting.
8. Representatives that do not fulfil the responsibilities set out in paragraphs 1 to 7 can be dismissed from their position by the EJD plenary. Representatives who do not email a report of activity to the PGT Chairperson should be contacted six weeks prior to an EJD plenary meeting. If no report is received four weeks prior to the EJD plenary meeting, the representative will be contacted to remind them of the consequences of not sending the report. The post will then be declared vacant and nominations can be received for the election of a new EJD representative to the UEMS S/B/MJC in question at the next EJD General Assembly meeting.

At the end of the term

At the end of the elected period, the EJD expects the representative to pass on any relevant information to the successor. Representatives may also ask for a certificate from the EJD, which could be used for curricular purposes.

Help

If problems arise, the representative is always welcome to contact the chairperson of the EJD PGT Committee.