Lighting the Flame Program

Get the spark you need to fire up a career in hematology.

Lighting the Flame 2026

Join our free training program for medical students who have not yet committed to a specialization. Lighting the Flame is an engaging program of online lessons and real-life sessions that can help you start your journey into hematology.

2026 Retreat

Submit your application by March 16, 2026 on the application platform to take part in the Lighting the Flame retreat in Warsaw, Poland. The program dates are 8 – 11 July 2026.

Program format

The program is composed of multiple learning formats to offer education that fits into a busy student schedule.

For more information on all aspects of the program, check out the Lighting the Flame Campus.

24/7 on-demand learning

On the Lighting the Flame Campus, you can get around-the-clock access to:

  • Hematology courses covering disease basics, recent developments, diagnostic tools, and treatment modalities
  • Podcasts and recorded workshops with clinicians and researchers sharing insights into hematology and personal career experiences

Live online workshops and Journal Club

Regularly scheduled online workshops are led by experts in the field. The workshops cover a wide range of topics from patient cases to clinical and research career development.

The Journal Club was founded by Lighting the Flame alumni. Monthly online meetings dive into hematology articles and stimulate discussions between peers and mentors. Meetings are announced on the Lighting the Flame Campus.

In-person retreat 

Each year a face-to-face retreat is offers the opportunity for you to:

  • Get to know more about hematology from both a clinical and research perspective
  • Engage in hands-on workshops to increase your knowledge and skills
  • Connect with other medical students who are interested in hematology and network with mentors and experts in the field

Each year, 25 participants are accepted for the retreat. Once you have been invited, you are also invited to join the following retreat to engage in more advanced topics and continue networking.

 

Who is it for?

Lighting the Flame is a free program for medical students who have not yet chosen a field of specialization.

  • The online workshops, journal club and EHA Campus content are open to all students regardless of geographical location.
  • The in-person retreat is open for students who are based in Europe. Students may apply for the retreat and will be selected by a steering committee of hematology experts.

“If you’re looking for a safe and supportive environment to learn about hematology—combining both research and clinical experience—this is the best opportunity you could ever have.” 

Find out more

To get the latest updates on both our Lighting the Flame program and all other EHA activities, follow us on FacebookXLinkedIn, and Instagram

Lighting the Flame sponsor

This program is made possible through the generous support of an unrestricted educational grant from our sponsor, AstraZeneca.