Background: Entering neurosurgical training in the United Kingdom demands extensive prior commitment and achievement, despite little to no exposure to the specialty in medical school. Conferences run by student “neuro-societies” offer a means to bridge this gap. This paper describes one student-led neuro-society’s experience of curating a 1-day national neurosurgical conference supported by our neurosurgical department. Methods: A pre-and post-conference survey was distributed to attendees to ascertain baseline opinions and conference impact using a five-point Likert Scale, and free text questions explored medical students’ opinions of neurosurgery and neurosurgical training. The conference offered four lectures and three workshops; the latter provided practical skills and networking opportunities. There were also 11 posters displayed throughout the day. Results: 47 medical students participated in our study. Post-conference, participants were more likely to understand what a neurosurgical career involves and how to secure training. They also reported increased knowledge about neurosurgery research, electives, audits, and project opportunities. Respondents enjoyed the workshops provided and suggested the inclusion of more female speakers in future. Conclusion: Neurosurgical conferences organized by student neuro-societies successfully address the gap between a lack of neurosurgery exposure and a competitive training selection. These events give medical students an initial understanding of a neurosurgical career through lectures and practical workshops; attendees also gain insight into attaining relevant achievements and have an opportunity to present research. Student neuro-society-organized conferences have the potential to be adopted internationally and used as a tool to educate on a global level and greatly aid medical students who are aspiring neurosurgeons.

Over the years, as our standards and outreach grew, Glasgow Neuro gained support and sponsorship from international companies, including major medical charities, airlines, and corporations, to support the Society's events, of which, the flagship is our annual conference. Over the past decade, we have been able to bring a range of speakers to Scotland who are authorities from across the globe, including the chief of neurosurgery at John Hopkins, Henry Brem, and the previous director of pediatric neurosurgery George Jallo. May other esteemed speakers like the chief of neurosurgery at Harvard, Robert Martuza, Professor Sir Graham Teasdale, Professor Charlie Teo, Professor James Goodrich, Professor Henry Marsh, and pioneer of deep brain stimulation Professor Alim Louis Benabid have also honored the occasion. We never shied away from controversial topics and brought Professor Sergio Canavero, who revealed his ongoing head-transplant research at our 2016 conference. After Allan, the past presidents and www.surgicalneurologyint.com

Importance Despite high incidences of urinary tract infections (UTIs), little is known about how bothersome symptoms are and the effects on women's life and sexual activity, leaving a gap in our understanding of the physical and emotional effects of UTIs on women. Objectives This initial exploratory and descriptive study analyzes women's experiences of UTI and their perceived impact on quality of life. Study Design Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 23 women who had experienced at least 1 UTI, recruited from different settings—primary care, general gynecology clinics, urogynecology clinics, and online via social media. Data were analyzed thematically. Results Three themes described women's experiences of UTI: Women in all groups reported a wide range of physical symptoms and described the financial and psychological effects of UTIs. These effects seemed worse in women recruited via social media who also reported experiencing strong emotions and worries about close family members. Urinary tract infection support groups were considered useful, with women being grateful for consultations with alternative health practitioners and presuming safety of natural products. Conclusions Having a UTI appeared to affect women in a variety of ways, ranging from having different physical symptoms to being psychologically affected by these symptoms, which affected their quality of life in different ways. This research contributes to the growing evidence on how UTIs affect women, specifically further expanding on the impact on women in a range of settings—in the community and different health care settings.