Early-career cardiologists and researchers face a complex landscape: they must navigate the increasing clinical complexity of cardiovascular disease, stay abreast of rapid scientific developments and manage the pressures of clinical, academic and personal responsibilities. Recognising the need for greater support, collaboration and knowledge sharing among young professionals in the field, the EAS Young Fellows launched AtheroTalk – a podcast created by and for early-career healthcare professionals and researchers.
In this Q&A, the EAS Young Fellows discuss the challenges of entering the field of cardiovascular medicine, the inspiration behind AtheroTalk, and their vision for the future.
1. What challenges do early-career physicians/researchers face in the field of cardiovascular medicine?
The main challenges that early-career physicians/researchers face are managing the clinical complexity of diverse and acute conditions, staying updated with rapidly evolving knowledge and handling high workloads that risk burnout. Balancing clinical duties with academic expectations and research, navigating subspecialisation choices, and managing regulatory burdens add to the pressure.
They must address health inequities, meet patients’ very high expectations, and collaborate effectively within interdisciplinary teams (requiring them to understand not only cardiovascular medicine, but also all other medical fields) while often stepping into leadership roles early. Additionally, achieving procedural competence, certification and building professional networks requires strategic planning, excellent time management and strong mentorship to support their development and well-being.
One other important yet often neglected challenge is that women and underrepresented minorities in the field may face additional hurdles, such as bias, fewer networking opportunities and challenges in achieving work-life harmony. The demanding nature of cardiovascular medicine can lead to neglect of personal health, relationships and mental well-being if not managed carefully.
2. What inspired the creation of AtheroTalk, and how do you envision it supporting healthcare professionals, researchers and others interested in cardiovascular health?
The main inspiration for creating AtheroTalk stemmed from the EAS Young Fellows Programme. This is a programme started in 2019 and operated by EAS which supports a selected group of young scientists from across the world through education, networking, and mentorship over two years. As the programme progressed, we were encouraged to develop new initiatives to stay actively engaged with the society – this is where the AtheroTalk Podcast was born. An initial idea for creating a podcast was launched by one of the current leading members, Azin Kheirkhah, and it was followed by a group discussion that created the proposal submitted to EAS. It is the networking among young fellows and the umbrella of EAS that really makes AtheroTalk possible. We would also like to express our deep appreciation for Mateusz Szwachta and Peter Sjöö from the EAS Office and Prof. Evangelos Liberopoulos, whose support and encouragement have been instrumental in executing the podcast and pushing it forward.
This podcast is different in the sense that it emerges from a young (early-career) community of physicians, clinical, translational and basic researchers. This multidisciplinary team allows us to address a wide range of topics that may be of interest to the whole audience, even beyond our specialty. With each team member based in a different country, we have the unique opportunity to record episodes from various parts of the world, bringing diverse perspectives together in one podcast and also targeting country-specific issues.
We hope that AtheroTalk becomes the go-to podcast for those interested in cardiovascular health, offering an informal yet insightful way to stay updated. By featuring discussions on key research papers, we provide listeners with an opportunity to hear directly from the authors about the challenges they faced, the significance of their findings, and how their work fits into the broader scientific landscape. This approach allows healthcare professionals, researchers, and others in the field to save time while staying informed about cutting-edge developments. Additionally, we aim to introduce our audience to researchers they may not have heard of before, broadening their knowledge of the field and potentially helping them build new professional connections. By spotlighting a diverse range of experts, we hope to facilitate networking opportunities and inspire collaborations that might not have happened otherwise.
Furthermore, as early-career researchers, we are aware of the needs and preferences on research topics, professional development and other important areas to better serve this community. The team is open-minded and the whole mission of the podcast is still evolving and is ready to further evolve reflecting the new needs and challenges that will arise in the future.
3. What future topics or themes are you most excited to explore on the podcast, and how do you see AtheroTalk evolving over the next year?
This is a challenging yet essential question to address. As newcomers to the podcasting field, we are still on the learning curve, with 14 episodes published so far. We are continuously refining our approach to best engage our audience while keeping our content relevant and compelling.
One of our key strategies is to feature interviews with renowned experts in the cardiovascular field. These episodes have received great feedback from our listeners, who appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the people behind the science, which is something that is not always visible in publications or conference talks.
To keep our content fresh and engaging, we are excited to introduce new formats. One of our upcoming initiatives includes short episodes covering recent groundbreaking publications. Additionally, we would like to include educational episodes and some episodes where we can highlight key skills important for early-career scientists. While we are supported by the European Atherosclerosis Society, our goal is to reach a global audience, with a particular focus on listeners in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. And of course, we have plenty of other exciting ideas but we’ll keep those under wraps for now to surprise our listeners! To expand our reach, we are exploring collaborations with professional societies, academic institutions and advocacy organisations to co-host episodes.
At the recent 2025 EAS Congress in Glasgow, we were thrilled to host a live episode on one of the EAS stages. It was a fantastic opportunity for our listeners to join in, ask questions, and be part of the recording. We enjoyed meeting many of you there and appreciated the chance to continue bringing valuable insights to our growing audience worldwide. The recording of this special session is available as Episode 14 of our podcast. Lastly, if you know an expert in the field you’d love to hear from in future episodes, feel free to send us an email to office@eas-society.org.
4. What advice would you give to other early-career physicians who are looking to make their mark in the field of cardiovascular health, whether through education, research or initiatives like AtheroTalk?
We advise early-career physicians to embrace a spirit of curiosity and a lifelong commitment to learning. Whether your passion lies in education, research, or clinical practice, discovering a niche that excites you will help sustain motivation through challenges and obstacles. Engage with the broader community, attend conferences and seek mentorship. It is crucial to understand that collaboration is key! The cardiovascular field is inherently multidisciplinary, and openness to partnerships across specialties can lead to new and unexpected opportunities. As Prof. Paul Ridker says in episode 5, “Be willing to change direction!”
For those interested in initiatives like AtheroTalk, we encourage you to start small, build your network and connect with like-minded people who share your passion. We were fortunate to have this opportunity through the EAS Young Fellows Programme, which provided us with an incredible experience. Over the course of a few years, we had the privilege of participating in a wonderful programme that allowed us to connect with colleagues from different countries and specialties, as well as learn from some of the best mentors in the field. Although we came from different backgrounds, we were united by the same goals and dreams, inspiring and motivating each other along the way. We truly hope that this connection will remain a lasting part of our lives.
Don’t be afraid to take risks, experiment with new ideas, and, most importantly, always keep the patient and their health at the centre of everything you do.
5. How does the AtheroTalk podcast highlight the importance of cross-talk between basic and clinical research and foster this critical exchange?
The AtheroTalk podcast emphasises the importance of cross-talk between basic and clinical research by featuring a team that includes both clinicians and basic/clinical scientists – during the podcast’s script preparation, every member of the team has the opportunity to contribute and “change the course” of the upcoming episode. This mix and cooperation underscores the critical (and sometimes missing) exchange between these fields. To further foster this cross-talk, we invite guests who, while clinically trained, are also actively involved in basic or translational research.
We focus on how basic research can be translated into clinical practice (i.e. how to overcome the so-called “valley of death” where a lot of great basic research ideas are lost and never translated into clinical practice) by asking our guests about the practical applications of their findings. We also seek expert opinions on knowledge gaps and potential benefits for patients. For example, in our discussion with Prof. Anne Tybjærg-Hansen, we explored how genetic epidemiology findings could be applied in clinical settings. Similarly, during our conversation with Dr. Mate Kiss about his award-winning work on Complement Factor H (CFH) in atherosclerosis, we delved into the potential for developing inhibitors that selectively target CFH in the haematopoietic compartment.
Through such conversations, we aim to bridge the gap between research and patient care and foster cooperation among individual researchers.
Listen now:
Disclosures: This content was provided by the EAS Young Fellows in collaboration with touchCARDIO. No fees or funding are associated with this short article.
Citation: AtheroTalk: Supporting the next generation of cardiovascular leaders – a Q&A with the EAS Young Fellows. touchCARDIO.com. 9 June 2025.
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