The course programme addresses the constant technical challenges of Assisted Reproduction based on scientific evidence, and puts an emphasis on patient care
Pompeu Fabra University-BSM and the Eugin Group have teamed up to launch the Master in Assisted Human Reproduction Technologies, which will start in Barcelona on October 14. This master’s degree – aimed at recent graduates in Medicine, Biology or other Health Sciences, as well as working professionals – will have classes taught at the BSM headquarters by internationally renowned experts from all over the world and with clinical internships in Spain, Italy, United States, Denmark, Sweden and Brazil.
The Master in Assisted Human Reproduction Technologies is designed to provide students with the resources and skills needed to meet the challenges posed by the rapid changes currently occurring in the field of assisted reproduction in which the demand for professionals is growing every year. Through this training, they will be ready to work in assisted reproduction clinics, whether as doctors or embryologists.
Taught in English and spread over 9 months (the first edition ends in July 2020), the master’s degree from the Pompeu Fabra University-BSM and Eugin is structured on three basic pillars. On the one hand, there is its international approach and commitment to evidence-based medicine. In addition to the more classical subjects of reproductive medicine and clinical embryology, its creators wanted to place special emphasis on patient-centred clinical care, on deepening the psychology and psychopathology of infertility, the challenges of artificial intelligence, stem cell therapies, education as well as the impact of new digital media on the patient.
“Assisted reproduction is currently experiencing a huge technological revolution, both technologically and in terms of focus,” says Dr. Rita Vassena, co-director of the Master programme and the Eugin Group’s Scientific Director. “This new paradigm requires a radical change in the training received by the medical professionals who will attend to patients tomorrow.
“It was necessary to give a twist to the existing academic programmes. The Eugin group’s global dimension has allowed us to conceive an international academic programme, adapted and updated at every level, ”adds Vassena. “We want to ensure that students who receive this training find their place in the labour market within such an exciting area of medicine, and we are sure that by obtaining the Master degree, they will take a step in the right direction,” she concludes.
Thanks to the collaboration of the Eugin Group, the Master in Assisted Human Reproduction Technologies will provide students with the opportunity to obtain a privileged experience with the presence of first-rate teachers. The lessons will be taught by a staff of internationally-acclaimed professionals and opinion leaders in the field of Assisted Reproduction, such as Prof. Antonio La Marca (Italy), one of the world’s experts in the study of ovarian reserve, Prof. Matts Brännström (Sweden), the doctor who developed the pioneering uterus transplant technique, or Dr. Denny Sakkas (United States), a renowned researcher and expert in the metabolism of human embryos, among others.
Students will do four-month internships in the Eugin group’s European clinics, as well as in the United States and Latin America. There they will be able to train in laboratory techniques and processes such as handling gametes and embryos, vitrification and warming, as well as in the clinical treatment of infertile patients, to name just a few.
“Beyond the existing technology, the aim is to provide students with the necessary tools to advance assisted reproduction as a scientific discipline,” says Francesc Calafell, senior professor at Pompeu Fabra University and co-director of the master programme. “In addition to technicians, we seek to train scientists,” he concludes.
