Association of Surgeons in Training Conference: Cardiff 2012

Advances in Medical Education and Practice

Surgical training in the UK has undergone major reforms over the last few decades. The focus has shifted from time based training to competency based training programs. This paper discusses the transformation of assessment in surgical training in the UK from the apprenticeship model to a more objective workplace-based assessment model. The paper describes the different milestones during this transformation process and discusses the assessment of surgical and nonsurgical skills in a measurable way; moreover, it highlights the strengths and weaknesses of different assessment tools.

Annals of Surgery, 2017

S urgical education has traditionally focused on the surgical clerkship during medical school and general surgery residency. Over the past 20 years, however, there has been a tremendous evolution in this very important mission of academic surgery. The most dramatic of these changes affecting resident training began with the implementation of residency work-hour restrictions in 2003. Changes in assessment of competency of the surgical trainee, challenges in providing resident autonomy in the era of reporting surgical outcomes and RVU-based compensation, and the increased emphasis on fellowship training, including integrated training programs or early specialization, have dramatically affected the training of surgical residents. Undergraduate medical education in surgery has been affected as medical schools have shortened the time spent on surgical rotations, while students are being asked to make decisions regarding choice of specialty earlier to consider new integrated specialty tracks. On a positive note, after selection of surgical specialty, many schools have an increased emphasis on preparation for residency training with ''surgical boot camps.'' Maintenance of certification of trained specialists has added to the administrative burden of surgeons already at risk for burnout. Finally, questions as to how to introduce new technology, or to retrain or retool practicing surgeons, have yet to be answered. Thus, one can safely conclude that the changes in surgical education are now extending throughout the lifetime of a surgeon. Despite these extensive changes and challenges existing at all levels, surgical education has only been the focus of the American Surgical Association (ASA) Presidential Forum twice over the past 20 years. In 2004, 1 with a report that preceded the presentation of the ASA ''Blue Ribbon'' panel, 2 and in 2012, with a review of the issues in general surgery resident training. 3 It is the purpose of this panel to provide an overview of surgical education from medical school until the late stages of a surgeon's practice. To lead the discussions, we have called on leading experts and innovators in surgical education from both the United States and the United Kingdom, and also members of the leadership of the American Board of Surgery (ABS).

International journal of surgery (London, England), 2017

This study aimed to assess training of Senior House Officer-grade equivalent doctors in postgraduate surgical training or service (SHO-DIPST) in surgical specialties across the United Kingdom (UK), against nationally agreed Joint Committee on Surgical Training Quality Indicators (JCST QIs). Specific recommendations are made, with a view to improving quality of training, workforce retention and recruitment to Higher Surgical Training. Prospective, observational, multicentre study conducted by the Association of Surgeons in Training, using the UK National Research Collaborative model. Any centres in the UK providing acute surgical services were eligible. SHO-DIPST with a permanent contract, on out-of-hours 'on-call rota' were included across four, one-week data capture periods (September to October 2016, February to March 2017). Adherence to five quality indicators was reported using descriptive statistics. P-values were calculated using Student's t-test for continuous dat...

International Journal of Surgery, 2019

BMJ Open, 2015

Objectives: Increasing numbers of minor surgical procedures are being performed in the community. In the UK, general practitioners (family medicine physicians) with a specialist interest (GPwSI) in surgery frequently undertake them. This shift has caused decreases in available cases for junior surgeons to gain and consolidate operative skills. This study evaluated GPwSI's case-load, procedural training and perceptions of offering formalised operative training experience to surgical trainees.

Indian Journal of Surgery, 2022

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow is a community of health professionals working together to develop and improve patient care. The College is dedicated to supporting its members through education, training and continuing professional development. Furthermore, the College is committed to good global citizenship and has supported Fellows, Members and staff in their volunteering efforts.

Cureus

Introduction: Medical students across the United Kingdom (UK) report poor satisfaction with surgical teaching. The Surgical Skills Day (SSD) begins to address this by exposing medical students to surgery through an easily accessible one-day practical workshop. This study shows how the SSD encourages undergraduate engagement in surgery. Method: Feedback forms were emailed to attendees of the SSD and their anonymised responses were used to evaluate the SSD. Results: A total of 144 students attended the SSD across three years and the feedback response rate was 74% (n = 107). Key findings were that 100% of respondents (n = 107) would like the SSD to be an annual event, 79% (n = 83) were more inclined to pursue a surgical career following the event, and 97% (n = 103) would like to see practical surgical skills incorporated into the curriculum. The SSD was able to engage undergraduates with surgery through mentorship, practical skills, specialty exposure, and teaching of the General Medical Council (GMC) mandated skills. Conclusions: Undergraduate surgical teaching in the UK is insufficient. The student-led annual SSD showed improved engagement in practical surgical skills and increased enthusiasm for a surgical career. In light of this, the authors feel the SSD or similar event should be integrated into the UK medical school curriculum.

BMJ, 2004

Published in 2013, the Shape of Training review is an independent review of postgraduate medical training overseen by Professor David Greenaway. This review has set out recommendations for the structure and delivery of training for the next 30 years, including a framework and timescale for this reconfiguration. There is a wide range of key themes, listed in Table 1. The changes proposed in its 19 recommendations are far reaching, with implications for both current and future surgical trainees in the UK.

2012

Background: The advent of simulated surgical skills courses has brought dynamic changes to the traditional approach to acquiring practical skills in surgery. Context: Teaching is a core part of the surgical profession, and any trainee can be involved in the organisation of skills training courses. This paper outlines the importance of organising surgical skills courses for trainees, and provides a practical guide on how to do so within busy clinical environments. Innovation: The paper examines how to plan a course, how to design the programme, and provides tips on faculty staff requirements, venue, finance and participants, with additional suggestions for assessment and evaluation. Implications: We recommend the organisation of skills courses to any trainee. By following key ground rules, the surgical trainee can enable the acquisition of advanced learning opportunities and the ability to demonstrate valuable organisational skills. Any trainee can be involved in the organisation of skills training course Postgraduate education