Dear Colleagues, In the editorial by Professor Teasdale in No 8, Vol 145, 2003 issue of Acta Neurochirurgica, the establishment of a ‘‘Trainees Column’’ has been announced. This column will act as a small ‘‘corner’’ in the European Journal of Neurosurgery and will include topics of interest to trainees. As modern medicine evolves, so does one of its most refined specialities, Neurosurgery. The breathtaking advances in medical technology and research, the increasing sophistication in neurosurgical practice, the development of new complex diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and the contemporary knowledge explosion, have all led to an increasing difficulty in practicing neurosurgery. This challenge, as one would expect, is greater among trainees. This is mainly because our efforts to obtain a solid ‘‘basic’’ neurosurgical training are combined with exhausting working hours under demanding conditions, due to an overload of both theoretical and practical experience, due to the need for scientific research and production of publications and finally the need for acquirement of degrees and fellowships. Furthermore, as the European map changes, we all become part of a greater community. It is a fact though that we come from different backgrounds and cultures or work in departments with different traditions, interests and training programs. This often results in differences in neurosurgical training and the production of unequally trained specialists. The foregoing reasons make the decision for the establishment of a ‘‘Trainees Column’’ an insightful initiative. This Column aims to embrace contributions from neurosurgical trainees from throughout Europe. The basic topics of interest will include: