In 2016, the ESC launched ESC Professional Membership. The goal was to optimise access to knowledge on patient management and science, as well as offering networking opportunities for cardiovascular professionals from around the world.
Now, ten years on, that network has grown into a diverse community of cardiologists, scientists, nurses, allied professionals, trainees and emerging leaders. They actively contribute to the ESC’s mission “to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease worldwide” by translating into practice the knowledge gained from dedicated educational and scientific ESC sources. Membership has grown and, with 45% of members now under 40 years of age, the Young Community is becoming stronger and stronger, a very encouraging signal for the future as the burden of cardiovascular disease continues to increase worldwide.
More than 10,000 ESC Professional Members gathered at ESC Congress 2025 in Madrid, where they had access to dedicated lounges and networking spaces designed to foster connection and collaboration. At the upcoming ESC Congress in Munich, a 10-year anniversary event in the new ESC Professional Members Garden will celebrate this milestone and look to the future. The event will be hosted by the Chair of the ESC Membership Committee Prof. Marco Roffi.
‘We will celebrate the ten-year landmark and acknowledge those who have helped to develop professional membership, from national societies and volunteers to members who have been faithful to ESC over the past decade,’ Prof. Roffi says.
Three national societies and three affiliated cardiac societies will be presented with awards in recognition of their dynamic efforts to support ESC Professional Membership. Approximately fifteen members celebrating their 10-year anniversary will receive a Membership Engagement glass award and a celebratory pin.
Access to science
Membership offers several benefits which, alongside inspiration and a sense of belonging, can support the cardiology community at every stage of their career. It can also be an important part of the journey towards becoming a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC).
‘Becoming a ESC Professional Member and Fellow of the ESC connected me with an international network and has been one of the main drivers of my career and at the same time allowed me to get in touch with so many inspiring people, which I found very enriching at a personal level,’ Prof. Roffi says. ‘The immediate benefit is access to science. ESC Professional Members receive access to three online journals from the ESC family, including the flagship European Heart Journal (EHJ).’
In addition, members have free access to ESC 365, the cardiology knowledge hub, which features presentations from ESC congresses and access to webinars. Those attending the ESC Congress in person also enjoy savings on registration fees, entry into the Member Lounges and exclusive services.
The freedom to catch up on congress presentations throughout the year was a major reason why Prof. Milan Pavlović became an ESC Professional Member in 2016. At that time, he was an interventional cardiologist, head of a coronary unit and a professor of cardiology and internal medicine in Serbia. Today, he works as a general cardiologist, using non-invasive diagnostic methods at a private clinic.
‘The ESC Congress timetable is very busy, and it is impossible to follow everything at the event itself,’ he says. ‘There is also an archive of presentations from previous years, which represents high-quality educational material, and there is the possibility of exploring lecture slides.’
A growing family
Dr. George Javorsky became an ESC Professional Member as a junior consultant cardiologist and says his membership has supported his professional journey. He travels from Australia to ESC Congress to meet colleagues, see leaders in subspecialty areas, and ask questions of world-leading experts. ‘It is the premier cardiology conference in the world,’ he says. ‘It has the best talks, the best speakers, the widest range of topics.’
Dr. Javorsky says the congress, like cardiology itself, is adaptable, exciting, interesting and relevant to his practice. ‘The ESC has allowed me to learn from the various education forums, to collaborate with like minded specialists from around the world, and to contribute my knowledge and my research for the greater good. My membership has allowed me to continue to grow and challenge myself as a cardiologist.’
Dr. Aret H. Lazoglu, a US-trained cardiologist based in Istanbul, Turkey, was one of the first to take up ESC Professional Membership. He has worked as a cardiologist for more than 30 years and attends ESC Congress annually.
‘ESC Professional Membership made it easier to access scientific resources, including guidelines and the latest research publications, as well as news about conferences,’ Dr. Lazoglu says. ‘I’m grateful to the ESC for making me feel like part of their family.’
A front-row view of cardiac research
Insights from the latest scientific publications, guidelines and emerging trends are valued by a broad spectrum of professional members. For Emilie Hofstetter, joining this community of specialists has informed her work as an innovation expert in the pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors.
‘The cardiology knowledge hub available to ESC Professional Members helps me to see what’s on the horizon, but also to understand how new innovations would fit into patient pathways,’ she explains. ‘Reviewing literature, attending conferences and accessing guidelines are also vital when working with clinical partners to design endpoints for trials addressing market access.’
Looking ahead, she says staying connected to a global network is essential to keeping abreast of a fast-moving field. ‘Earlier in my career I worked in interventional cardiology where huge progress has been made. But with an ageing population, there is still a large population of patients with unmet needs,’ says Emilie, who is now CEO of HealthStrat Consulting,
‘There are exciting new advances in artificial intelligence and digital tools, as well as innovative approaches to organising care – for example, by understanding the role of heart failure nurses in patient care. Through my ESC Professional Membership, I have a front-row view on the future of cardiology.’
‘Essential for any cardiologist’
Dr. Jose Ilidio Moreira is Head of the Cardiology Department at the Local Health Unit of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (ULSTMAD) in Vila Real, Portugal. He has been a clinical cardiologist for more than 30 years and has been involved in several multicentre clinical research projects since the early stages of his career. Participation in ESC Congress has always been ‘a professional priority’, he says, adding that ESC Professional Membership has helped him stay connected.
‘Keeping abreast of the latest scientific and technological advances, together with the opportunity to interact with colleagues and exchange experiences, continues to motivate me to attend what I consider the most important event in cardiovascular medicine — one that I have missed only on very rare occasions,’ Dr. Ilidio Moreira says.
‘I consider my status as an ESC Professional Member invaluable because of the many benefits and opportunities it provides. In my view, it is essential for any cardiologist who regularly participates in ESC activities and attends its annual congress.’
The first decade has seen strong growth in ESC Professional Membership. Looking ahead, the next ten years bring new opportunities to strengthen a community founded on advancing cardiovascular science, professional development and, ultimately, patient care. Our members will play a vital role in shaping that future.