Back by popular demand, the Amazing Case Race returns to the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Barcelona. The Amazing Case Race showcasesthe work of IASLC Academy mentees and provides valuable experience in presenting cases related to specific projects they’ve been working on over the past year.
Every year, the IASLC Academy selects a new class of early-career clinicians who work directly with mentors to complete a research project related to their career development. The program begins with seven virtual sessions and concludes with an in-person workshop during the WCLC.
Launched in 2023, the Amazing Case Race began within the IASLC Academy to help mentees learn how to educate their peers about specific cases. As the IASLC Academy has grown, so has the Amazing Case Race, bringing an added level of excitement and friendly competition to WCLC.
It provides an opportunity to highlight unique cases that many may not otherwise encounter. This year’s Amazing Case Race will feature 40 cases, which is 10 more than last year.
“We’ve had some interesting, complicated cases that probably would not be typically seen in educational settings because of their rarity,” said Kelly Nevins, IASLC Director of Education. “However, just because a case is rare doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be discussed; if anything, it should be highlighted.”
Now in its third year, the Amazing Case Race helps showcase the work and expertise of IASLC Academy members while fostering strong connections within the community.
The cases will be grouped throughout the conference center, where live leaderboards will track each team’s points, with updates provided every 30 minutes.
Unlike traditional case-based programs, the Amazing Case Race places educationin the hands of the IASLC’s learners. Attendees will have the opportunity to review each case and vote on the ones they want to explore further after the meeting.
The top five cases are selected to be developed into a gamified simulation course, which will be launched at the end of the year, providing the chosen mentees with a new credential to add to their CV. Even cases that don’t make the top five continue to live on and contribute to ongoing education through micro-learning modules.
“I’m hoping the early-career clinicians who haven’t yet been a part of the Academy will see this, want to participate, and will work to become Academy mentees, so that they can join the race too,” Ms. Nevins said.
Each case is based out of different countries, highlighting global differences in resources and clinical guidelines. Attendees from well-resourced countries can learn from those in countries with limited resources or lacking access to certain therapies, learning alternative approaches to providing care.
“It’s about learning from different countries that may not have the same resources as your own or may have similar resources. That’s another reason why the Amazing Case Race is so different. It’s not based on ‘this is what you must do.’ It’s what they could do,” Ms. Nevins said.
From start to finish, the Amazing Case Race not only offers an opportunity for IASLC Academy members to gain experience and showcase their work, but it also encourages international collaboration and allows WCLC attendees to have a voice in their future education.
Participating is easy for WCLC attendees: visit the convention center, review the different cases, cast your votes, and watch the numbers tick up and down on the live leaderboards. The Amazing Case Race will take place throughout WCLC 2025, with the winning cases announced at the end of the conference.
“Read and vote,” said Ms. Nevins. “This is your chance to choose your education.”
Applications for the new IASLC Academy cohort will open on September 1, 2025.
