29th Walter Marget Educational Workshop

Introduction

The Walter Marget Workshop (WMW) is a 2-day educational course held annually for trainees in the days leading up to the ESPID Annual Meeting. The workshop honors the memory of Professor Walter Marget (1920–2013), a founding member of ESPID (1983) and a renowned mentor and paediatric infectious diseases clinician from the University Hospitals of Freiburg, Tübingen, and Munich.

WMW 2027 Event Details

• Dates: Monday, 31 May – Tuesday, 1 June 2027

• Location: Berlin, Germany

Why Attend?

This clinically oriented workshop focuses on the diagnosis and management of pediatric infectious diseases. The program features four expert lectures alongside small-group interactive case discussions, allowing for close interaction between trainees and international faculty.

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Participation is limited to 50 pre-selected registered trainees. Applicants are invited to submit an abstract of a clinical case they wish to present. The top 16 cases will be selected for oral presentation, with prizes and certificates awarded for the best talks.

If over-subscribed, places are prioritized based on:

1. Quality of the submitted case abstract

2. Active ESPID members in training

3. First-time WMW attendees

4. Geographic diversity / country representation

5. Trainees under 40 years of age

Registration & Travel Support

• Complimentary Registration: All accepted WMW participants receive waived registration for the main ESPID 2027 Annual Meeting.

• Travel Awards: Up to 7 accepted trainees will receive an ESPID Annual Meeting Travel Award, covering:

  • Round-trip economy flight/train travel to Berlin

  • Up to 4 nights in a 2–3 star hotel

  • Priority given to applicants from Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).

Faculty

• Invited Speakers: Outstanding pediatric infectious disease clinicians and educators selected by the ESPID Committee for Education. Speakers deliver thematic lectures and contribute to case discussions.

• Session Chairs: Members of the ESPID Committee for Education who lead and facilitate small-group case presentation sessions.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the online portal, where you can submit your case abstract and apply for the Travel Award.

• Application Deadline: 19 January 2027

• Notification: Applicants will be notified of selection and abstract acceptance by the end of February 2027.

WMW 2027 Topics

• WMW01: TBA

• WMW02: TBA

• WMW03: TBA

• WMW04: TBA

Abstract Submission Guidelines

Case abstracts are submitted online during the application process and must align with one of the four workshop topics.

• Originality: Cases must not be submitted to other streams of the current or past ESPID meetings (presentation at non-ESPID meetings is allowed).

• Word Limit: Maximum 300 words.

• Structure:

  • Background: 2–3 sentences.

  • Case Summary: Main body.

  • Learning Points: 1–2 key educational takeaways.

• Title: Do not reveal the final diagnosis in the title! 🙂

Presentation Guidelines (For Selected Cases)

If selected for an oral presentation, please adhere to the following rules:

• Timing: Maximum 8 minutes presentation + 7 minutes discussion (15 minutes total).

• Slide Count: Maximum 8 slides (plus additional slides for necessary clinical/radiological images).

• Slide Structure:

  1. Clinical Presentation (History, Examination, Initial Workup): 1–4 slides

  2. Differential Diagnosis: 1 slide

  3. Further Investigations & Final Diagnosis: 1 slide

  4. Management & Outcome: 1 slide

  5. Discussion & Learning Points: 1 slide

• Interactive Format:

  • Keep slides concise—use bullet points as prompts rather than reading verbatim.

  • Include at least 2 interactive questions for the audience placed at the end of relevant slides (showing test results with normal reference ranges where applicable) before revealing the diagnosis and management.