EP 10: Dr Urs Fischer | The pursuit of unanswered questions

In this episode we talk to Swiss neurologist Urs Fischer, who is the Director and Chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University Hospital Bern, Switzerland, president of the Swiss Neurological Society, and president-elect of the European Stroke Organization.   

He is also cofounder of the ESO ESMINT ESNR Stroke Winter School, and the Asian Stroke School, and actively involved in the European Stroke Master Program in Bern.   

What he really likes about these programs, is “the snowball effect.”, he says. “You have to reach the right people who then go home and motivate their colleagues to improve the stroke care in their hospital.”   

His interests have always straddled the human and natural sciences, Urs says of his decision to become a neurologist. “The brain is the interface between these two worlds and neurology is the perfect match.”   

He’s also a prominent clinical scientist who has described himself as being infected by the “trial virus”, constantly seeking to answer the next unanswered question about managing acute stroke.   

In this episode:   

• His vision for the European Stroke Organization
• Starting the Stroke Winter School
• The Stroke Master Program success story
• Staying connected and building communities
• Being infected by the “trial virus”
• Becoming a neurologist/stroke physician
• The importance of playing the cello  

As cofounder of the Stroke Winter School, and having led the launch of the European Stroke Master Program in Bern, neurology professor Urs Fischer plays a vital role in educating the next generation of stroke specialists. He’s also a prominent clinical scientist who has described himself as being infected by the “trial virus”, constantly seeking to answer the next unanswered question about managing acute stroke. Urs is about to step into the role of president of the European Stroke Organization, so we wanted to know what the stroke community could expect under his leadership.