The EMerging EULAR NETwork (EMEUNET) arose in 2009 to fulfil EULAR’s aims: “Bring on board high-quality, young-generation contributors in all EULAR activities”. The Section of Young Rheumatologists of the Polish Society of Rheumatology was set up in 2012 to integrate medical doctors below the age of 45 years who are specializing or have already specialized in rheumatology as well as internal medicine and paediatrics residents who plan to enter rheumatology training.

The Section aims to provide opportunities of professional and scientific development, skill improvement, exchange of experience, collaborative organization of scientific meetings, conferences, and courses, and collaboration with early career sections of other medical specializations.

The Working Group of the Section, comprising doctors from different parts of Poland, helps recognize and solve challenges that young doctors face in everyday practice. The Board of the Section of Young Rheumatologists changed in 2017, and in 2018 another edition of a competition for EULAR 2018 in Amsterdam was held. The winners of the “early career researchers” and “practicing physician” categories were therefore able to take part in the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Amsterdam 2018. In the same year, a couple of representatives of our Young Rheumatologists Section were invited to the Szczecin–Poznan Rheumatology Meeting in Kołobrzeg; they gave lectures and ran a quiz. Again in 2018, and thanks to the sponsors and kind attitude of Górnośląskie Centrum Medyczne (the Leszek Giec Upper-Silesian Medical Centre) in Katowice, the members of the Section of Young Rheumatologists participated in an ultrasound workshop capturing specific ultrasound views of hand and elbow joint. Other members of the Section gave lectures during the 2018 Central European Congress of Rheumatology. In December 2018, a sponsor helped organize the 2^nd Central European Forum of Young Researchers in Bratislava, which was attended by over a dozen early career rheumatologists from Poland. All the above meetings were a great opportunity to exchange scientific experience, solve problems, get to know one another, and make friendships that continue until today.

The ideas and initiatives of these meetings continue to be pursued. In 2019, Professor Włodzimierz Samborski (at that time the president-elect of the Polish Society of Rheumatology) invited members of the Section of Young Rheumatologists to collaboratively organize a session within the 15^th Szczecin–Poznan Rheumatology Meeting. In 2021, Section members also helped organize the 24^th Congress of the Polish Society of Rheumatology, which was held in Poznan. Peer specialists in other medical branches including a urologist, andrologist, head of the Section of Young Endoscopists and the Secretary to the Polish Society of Gastroenterology also participated in the congress. Section members in Lodz started collaboration with the Section of Young Orthopaedic Surgeons. We hope to continue establishing collaboration with other medical specialists.

In 2019, Professors Mariusz Korkosz and Zbigniew Żuber (from Cracow rheumatological centres) helped us obtain five invitations for Section members to join a magnetic resonance course held during the “Advances and Controversies in Rheumatology” conference. Professor Mariusz Korkosz also actively contributed to the Section of Young Rheumatologists members getting places on the “Magnetic Resonance Standards and Magnetic Resonance Use in Rheumatology” course. In 2019, Section members took part in a series of Polish conferences and combined workshops called “School of the Locomotor System. Practice Makes Perfect. Intra-articular Injections in the Upper and Lower Extremities – Preparation and Administration Technique”. In November 2021, Doctor Aleksandra Zoń-Giebel invited the Section of Young Rheumatologists to collaboratively organize a Polish Conference called “Case Report Rheumatology – Selected Diagnostic and Therapy Schemes”. Over the last 5 years Section members have been able to participate in Polish conferences and workshops free of any charge. Last year, Section members were invited to collaborate with the Interdisciplinary Academy of Practical Medicine (IAMP), resulting in our active participation in the IAMP Workshop for Rheumatic Disease Treatments as well as in the upcoming Conference IOR – Interdisciplinary Aspects in Rheumatology, which will be held in Warsaw in February 2022.

In 2017, Professor Joanna Makowska invited the Section of Young Rheumatologists to collaborate on issue of the Alergia Astma Immunologia journal. Our members also participated with the Science Paper Writing Workshop organized by the journal Reumatologia, a significant, interesting, and highly practical event for each and every scientist.

The Section has taken part in numerous events and collaborative efforts in the field of rheumatology. Membership of the Section has increased rapidly in the last five years, and we are effectively communicating via social media. In 2021, a group was established for mutual support and exchange of experience with respect to the State Specialization Exam (Państwowy Egzamin Specjalizacyjny). The Section is also known in Europe due to our representatives in EMEUNET and active participation of our members in international conferences.

Currently, there are 55 Polish members registered in EMEUNET. Members of EMEUNET can participate in versatile educational activities (such as among others meetings with world-class experts, Journal Club), apply for grants and fellowships to pursue scientific projects as well as are welcome to actively participate in the work of EMEUNET by applying for the position of subcommittee members. Since 2014, EMEUNET members have also an exceptional possibility to participate in the development of EULAR recommendations. Registered members are also granted the access to the website database of members from the whole world in order to facilitate international collaborations.

EMEUNET cordially invites all interested to join by free registration available on the website: https://emeunet.eular.org/members_registration.cfm.

In previous years, there was no satisfactory cooperation with the National Consultant for Rheumatology; now we hope to expand our collaboration and maintain the encouragement and support young doctors have had from current Polish National Consultant Professor Brygida Kwiatkowska and the President of the Polish Society of Rheumatology Professor Włodzimierz Samborski, as well as from Heads of the Polish Society of Rheumatology Sections and Regional Divisions of the Polish Society of Rheumatology.

We are very thankful to the Professors, Masters, and Sponsors for their openness, encouragement, acceptance, and help. We also appreciate the great ideas and passion of our colleagues, who we can always count on.

We warmly invite all young doctors interested in rheumatology to join the Section of Young Rheumatologists of the Polish Society of Rheumatology; all information can be found on the website: http://www.reumatologia.ptr.net.pl/?sekcja-mlodych-reumatologow-ptr,56.