Why specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because we are a tertiary hospital with outstanding departments. The number of patients who pass through the centre offers great potential for learning and gaining experience.
• Because we cover most specialisations and you will have the opportunity to see complex conditions and to use cutting-edge diagnostic techniques and treatments.
• Because our training programme can adapt to the initiative and vocation of each resident, with more emphasis on patient-contact or research according to their needs.

The Microbiology Unit is led by the Microbiology Department with participation from Paediatrics, Intensive Care, Infectious Diseases and Primary Care.

During the Teaching Unit rotation, residents spend time in different areas belonging to different units, such as Urine Cultures, Genital Infections, Blood Cultures, Parasitic Stool Testing, Epidemiology, Mycobacterium, Serology, Food and Environmental Microbiology and  Virology.

In terms of healthcare activities, you will work with both adult and paediatric patients with HIV and infectious diseases, and in different hospital departments, such as Intensive Care Medicine at the General Hospital, or the Paediatric Infectious Diseases Department, in addition to primary care.

We focus on the microbiological aspects of infectious diseases in order to improve patient health. Research in our field is centred around epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance, sexually transmitted diseases, respiratory viruses, viruses and fungal infections in immunodeficient patients, cystic fibrosis, food-borne illnesses, tuberculosis, and international health.

Why specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because we are part of Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, the leading tertiary hospital in Catalonia.
• Because besides providing 600,000 hospital care assessments per year, we give microbiology training at the teaching unit of the Autonomous University of Barcelona on the Medicine and Biomedicine degrees, and play an active role in several university Master's programmes.
• Because we act as a leading laboratory in different areas of microbiology, such as the study of outbreaks of food-borne illnesses in the community within Catalonia (Public Health Department of Catalonia), and since 1994 have been a supranational point of reference for tuberculosis according to the WHO.
• Because in the field of research, we focus on the study of the microbiology of infectious diseases with the aim of improving patient health. To achieve this aim, our research group carries out projects within the following lines of research:
  • Epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance
  • Sexually transmitted diseases
  • Respiratory viruses
  • Viral and fungal infections in immunodeficient patients
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Food-borne illnesses
  • Tuberculosis
  • International health

The Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology Department is a national leader in the creation of vaccination campaigns  for at-risk patients with chronic illnesses. Residents’ training lasts four years. Residents must acquire knowledge in epidemiology and environmental and workplace health to be able to efficiently resolve problems and for public health control and cancer prevention. At the primary care level, residents spend their rotation on the monitoring and control of environmental contamination and hospital acquired infections, and notifiable diseases. The Vaccination and Epidemiology programme for communicable diseases and the Smoking Prevention programme are run in parallel.

As part of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), we are an established research group in the field of Epidemiology and Public Health, carrying out research in the epidemiology of infections related to healthcare and their risk factors. We are lead research for the creation of new preventative vaccines. This achievement is the result of working on international multi-centre clinical trials. These include pre-pandemic and pandemic influenza vaccines such as the current seasonal flu vaccines, in addition to trials for human papillomavirus and shingles (herpes zoster) vaccines both in healthy and immunodeficient patients, and the  meningococcal meningitis B vaccine. The department's involvement in preventative vaccines has led to the organization of an annual course in advances in vaccinations of recognised international prestige.

At the same time, we continue to work on the prevention of common community infections such as whooping cough, tuberculosis, chicken pox, bronchiolitis caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and shingles.

In 2015, ten research papers were published as a result of our work, and four projects were begun as a result of being awarded grants.

The Department’s research work also plays an active educational role in the Resident Medical Intern Programme at UPF, the Phoenix Project Master’s in Community Health at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), the Master’s in Public Health at UPF and UAB, the Master’s in International Health at the University of Barcelona and UAB, the Master’s in Community Health from the University School of Nursing at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, and the Vaccinology Diploma Course in Epidemiology and Public Health research (IES) diploma. 

Why should I specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because we offer advanced training in vaccinology and giving up smoking, as well as Communicable disease prevention and Infectious disease control programmes in the healthcare environment to maximise patient safety.
• Because we allow you to train in international centres where you will carry out  international healthcare and research projects, such as the Pan American Health Organization in Angola.
• Because you will learn to perform epidemiological analysis and to calculate indicators of healthcare quality.
• Because we have the most extensive training portfolio in Catalonia, which includes the Vaccination Unit, the Tobacco cessation Unit, and outpatient appointments for patients with communicable diseases, as well as monitoring and control of healthcare related infections, prevention of environmental contamination and hospital-acquired infections , the breast cancer screening unit and the hospital register of tumours.
• Because we are a unit that studies adverse post-vaccination reactions and that provides urgent care to people requiring post-exposure prophylaxis for certain infectious illnesses  such as chicken pox or rabies.
• Because we attend to a high number of patients, on average 9,000 per year, meaning you will work with a very wide range of cases.
• Because we are national pioneers in the monitoring of hospital acquired infections and authored the first Study of the Prevention of Hospital Acquired Infections in Spain (EPINE) in 1990; a study in which we now coordinate the 250 hospitals who take part every year.
• Because we also coordinate the Bacteraemia monitoring programme associated with catheters used in paediatric and neonatal ICUs in Catalonia (VINCAT).
• Because we have 25 years of experience in training resident doctors in prevention and public health.
• Because we can say that all our residents find work quickly, especially as primary care technicians.

The Immunology Department is part of VH Clinical Laboratories, some of the largest in Europe with more than 16,000,000 determinations / year. It is located in new premises (2014) on the ground floor of the VH Clinical Laboratories building (approximately 400 m2). It is organised by processes under the framework of the ISO 9001 quality management system: Autoimmunity, Hypersensitivity, Cellular Immunology, Immunogenetics (HLA and disease), Immunogenetics (Study of primary immunodeficiencies), Immunoproteins, Monitoring of immunotherapy and Clinical Immunology Clinic. It actively participates in the clinical processes of the Hospital on multidisciplinary case management committees for amyloidosis, multiple myeloma, primary immunodeficiencies and complex glomerulopathies.

It also works bilaterally with other departments in the clinical processes relating to autoimmunity, allergies, reproductive immunology and cancer. The department is part of the Transversal Immunology Programme on the Vall d'Hebron Campus, which facilitates collaboration with other professionals working on immunology issues in other research groups. This enables the department to have 3 different programmes of sessions covering:

• reviews of topics relating to diagnostic immunology
• clinical cases
• Journal Club or Research in progress (in English)

Why specialise at Vall d’Hebron? 

• Because we are a tertiary hospital with outstanding departments. The number of patients that pass through the centre offers great potential for learning and gaining experience.
• Because we cover most specialisations and you will have the opportunity to see complex conditions and to use cutting-edge diagnostic techniques and treatments.
• Because our training programme can adapt to the initiative and vocation of each resident, with more emphasis on patient-contact or research according to their needs.
• Because the immunology department follows an academic model, seeking excellence in healthcare through research and innovation. It also trains professionals in immunology at the undergraduate level (Medicine and Biomedicine), and postgraduate level (coordination of the immunopathology, autoimmunity and immunodeficiency subjects included in the Master’s of Advanced Immunology and Master of Science in Leading International Vaccinology Education). It coordinates the "Immune System Diseases" section of the Master’s in Translational Biomedical Research VHIR-UAB).
• Because this is a leading centre in the European Network for Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders (ERN-RITA) and Complex Glomerulopathies (ERK-Net).
• Because it is the leading unit of the Neonatal Screening Programme of the Catalan Department of Health in the field of serious combined immunodeficiency (unique to Spain).
• Because the Jeffrey Modell Foundation has recognised the HUVH as a centre of excellence in primary immunodeficiencies (the first such centre in Spain).
• Because it offers comprehensive care for patients with primary immunodeficiency, from children to adults, through a Multidisciplinary Case Management Committee (only centre of its kind in Catalonia).
• Because it has a clinical immunology consultation where patients with complex immunomediated diseases are diagnosed and treated.
• Because the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) has declared the HUVH the coordinator of the Barcelona-UAB-FOCIS Centre of Excellence.

The department comprises 7 immunology specialists, 2 with a more clinical profile and 5 with a laboratory profile, as well as a molecular immunology expert. There is also one supervisor and 12 technicians.1 administrator. 1 resident per year (currently 3) and an immunology pre-doc.

There are professionals linked to the immunology department who are involved in different processes:

The Cerebrospinal Fluid Laboratory is the result of a collaboration agreement with VHIR-CEMCAT (Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia), to carry out complex care tests and implement new biomarkers in multiple sclerosis in healthcare practice (translational research). This process involves a principal researcher from the Clinical Neuroimmunology research group and a technician.

The allergy unit, in conjunction with the immunology department, is actively involved in drawing up reports interpreting the results of molecular allergy testing of patients from other centres. This added value means the department is even more useful for customers.

To improve the coordination of the paediatric primary immunodeficiency process. The Immunology Department shares a biologist with the Paediatric Infectious Pathology and Immunodeficiency Unit. This biologist takes on tasks shared between the clinic and the lab.

There is collaboration with the Translational Bioinformatics Research Group to determine the pathogenicity of gene mutations in patients with primary immunodeficiency. The complementary nature of immunological, genetic, bioinformatic and functional studies of proteins allows a personalised diagnosis of patients with primary immunodeficiency, which in turn helps find treatments that are more appropriate to the molecular pathology in question.

The Immunological Regulation and Immunotherapy Research Group provides methodological and technical support to the Department of Immunology in applied research subjects. The group leader is currently co-IP on a research project (on Family Haemophagocytic Syndrome) and this collaboration will be included as part of a resident’s thesis.

In Internal Medicine, residents learn to take a full medical history, perform physical examinations, interpret clinical semiology and read laboratory  tests and diagnoses, as well as assign pathology treatment guidelines. Communicating with patients and their families plays an important role during this rotation, in addition to writing admission and discharge assessments. Therapeutic consultation and drug safety are also developed, in which tasks include coding adverse reactions.

Residents are equipped to interpret and design a study of medication use and carry out a technical medication evaluation report. They also consolidate their knowledge of medical research methodology in general, and of pharmacoepidemiology in particular, which they will subsequently put into practice.                 

Residents learn the applied concepts of medication selection, which may include clinical efficacy, toxicity, convenience and cost of medication, plus the benefit-risk ratio. 

Alongside Internal Medicine, and to enter into healthcare activities, residents take part in shifts in Clinical Pharmacology, and have the option of working in the emergency wards of other departments. Residents must be prepared to attend to patients’ queries regarding any pathology and carry out appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

During the rotation in Clinical Trials, clinical trial protocols assessed by the Clinical Research Ethics Committees must be critically interpreted and support given to general practitioners regarding use of medication. Residents also acquire knowledge of  medication and therapies in basic areas of healthcare and within primary care teams, where they also undertake a rotation.

Lastly, residents have the option of an external rotation.

Why specialise at Vall d’Hebron?

• Because we offer the largest Clinical Pharmacology Department in Spain.
• Because we teach residents to carry out the most effective medication selection.
• Because we carry out research in pharmacoepidemiology  and safe use of medication.
• Because residents gain experience in all areas of Clinical Pharmacology.
• Because we hold clinical training sessions for residents on methodology relating to therapeutic consultations, drug safety, clinical trials, clinical pharmacology,  sessions of general clinical interest and literature reviews.

Residents in clinical biochemistry have different objectives and specialised tasks according to which rotation phase they are in.

During their training period, resident doctors prepare to be on duty in the Accident and Emergency Department laboratories, where they calibrate, control and troubleshoot minor failures of analytical instruments. They also collect and extract samples from adult patients admitted to hospital, outpatients and paediatric patients.

During their first rotations they work with instrument warning signals and solutions, analysis and verification of calibrations, and the results of control and differentiation in different patients, outpatients, critical care patients, patients from paediatrics, and those who have had transplants, etc. Specialists subsequently learn about basic haematology, erythropathology, and the use of tumoural markers in the laboratory. Specialists undertake rotations while progressively increasing their level of specialisation and variety, from the areas of Quality, Lipids, Enzymes and Special Techniques, to Allergies, and Molecular Genetics and Hormones, among others.

Lastly, they must work in laboratory management and they have the option to work in the primary care laboratory.

The laboratory encourages residents to take part in research through collaboration during rotations and specific projects in the final phase of their fourth year.

We foster the writing of scientific articles, the design of clinical trials, data analysis, attendance at congresses in the specialisation and potential collaboration with the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute.

Why should you specialise at Vall d’Hebron? 

• Because we are the largest and most active clinical laboratory in the country. We process up to 6,500 requests daily.
• Because we innovate using robotic pre-analysis process chains, connections to multiple automated analysis equipment, and high performance computer systems to maintain a high level of automation.
• Because we work alongside other specialisations in the Clinical Laboratories, with whom we share projects, work spaces, and facilities.
• Because we are the largest tertiary hospital clinical laboratory in Catalonia, with complex diagnostics and monitoring of admissions and outpatients.
• Because we make it possible to take part in conferences, seminars and courses on subjects such as radiation protection, statistics and scientific documentation.
• Because we encourage professionals to participate in the accredited continuous professional development clinical sessions.
• Because we offer the chance to present oral papers on subjects of interest for the clinical laboratory, supervised by the staff doctors on the team, residents or external specialists.
• Because we make it possible to complete part of your training at a centre outside the Vall d’Hebron Clinical Laboratories for up to 6 months, on the laboratory or the resident’s own initiative. Professionals can choose from other laboratories or departments at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and other national and international hospitals.