Our MBBS Student Makes a Mark at ESPN 2025
We are proud to spotlight the achievements of one of our outstanding Year 4 MBBS students, Samran Shahid, who recently returned from the 29th Congress of the European Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (ESPN) 2025 in London. Representing NUMed on the global stage, he attended the congress as a recipient of the Newcastle University Student Disbursement Fund, which empowers medical students to participate in global academic platforms.
For Samran, the experience was nothing short of transformative. “It was a dream come true. These are people I had seen in documentaries, and whose books and papers I had read.
“Professor Henry Marsh signed the abstract of my poster, and Professor Dominic Thompson spent 15 minutes discussing my future plans, offering insightful, honest advice. I also had the chance to speak with inspirational surgeons like Dr David Bauer, Dr Michael Handler, and Dr Charlotte Kik, which was incredibly motivating. Meeting them in person, talking to them, and receiving their appreciation meant everything!” he exclaimed enthusiastically.
Importantly, he had the opportunity to present a clinical case on a Spinal Neurenteric Cyst, a particularly high-stakes spinal condition.
“Spinal cases are especially fascinating. The one I presented had an extremely tight margin of error,” he shared. “Just a single millimetre off and the child could have lost their ability to move their hands or legs.”
Despite being one of the most junior attendees at the congress, Samran felt welcomed, inspired and motivated. In fact, the experience further solidified his ambition to pursue a career in neurosurgery.
“The feedback I received from globally renowned surgeons and the kind offers I got for future electives were deeply encouraging. This experience truly validated the path I want to take,” he said.
Professor Edmund Ong, NUMed’s Honorary Professor and Consultant Physician in Infectious Diseases and one of Samran’s mentors, highlighted the valuable impact of international conference participation on student growth.
“These experiences serve as catalysts for growth, helping students move from passive learners to active participants in their academic and professional communities. I always encourage them to reflect on what they learnt, the feedback they received, and how to build on the experience for future opportunities.”
Samran expressed his gratitude to everybody who helped make this experience a reality for him, including his parents; Dr Asma’ Afifi, a Neurosurgeon at Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru, who led the case he presented and mentored him; Obair Ata, his research partner and a fellow Year 4 MBBS student at NUMed; and the faculty members who supported him throughout this journey.
“Representing Newcastle University on a global stage has been a defining experience, and I hope it inspires other students to dream big, work hard, and trust the process,” he added.
When asked what advice he would offer to other students considering similar opportunities, Samran shared:
“Keep trying. What you see on LinkedIn — the awards, the presentations — those are just the tip of the iceberg. Behind every win are countless rejections and failures that no one talks about, so don’t be discouraged!”
Thank you for the advice, Samran, and congratulations to you. We are thrilled you had such a meaningful experience at ESPN 2025 and look forward to seeing the future you’re building in neurosurgery.