Digital learning and the future cardiologist

Education is one of the key pillars of how the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) aims to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. We are currently in the midst of a transformation in how we deliver and receive education, with new digital technologies, the growth of smart devices, and 24 hrs per day access to different sources of learning. With huge potential for enhancing the educational environment, these changes also lead to challenges and important practical implications on patient care and work-life balance. The 5th ESC Education Conference (January 2018) was dedicated to exploring how we should train the digital cardiologist of the future, including workshops and plenaries on social media, mobile and online resources, and pathways to reliably educate trainee cardiologists, certified cardiologists and patients. The conference included National Training Directors, the Young Cardiology community and patient representatives from 45 ESC countries. In this report, we discuss the key outputs from the conference and how to integrate digital learning in contemporary cardiology practice.