A look back at 2023

The RCSEd was Diamond sponsor at this year’s Association of Surgeons in Training Annual Conference, which took place in Liverpool on 3–5 March. The conference had around 970 in-person surgical trainee attendees. RCSEd President Professor Rowan Parks spoke on the ever popular ‘The Royal College Presidents Q&A’ session, we held a joint ASiT/RCSEd NOTSS Course, Vice-President Clare McNaught chaired the Standing Out in Surgery session and RCSEd Regional Advisor John Taylor spoke about lessons from the martial arts.

The Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) attended The British Society of Prosthodontics (BSSPD) Conference in Birmingham on 24–25 March to celebrate its Platinum Jubilee. The theme was ‘One World, One Prosthodontics’ and the conference showcased BSSPD to the world. More than 260 delegates attended from the UK and worldwide, including the Netherlands, the US, Canada, India, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Israel, Qatar, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia.

The Association of Surgical Care Practitioners held its inaugural conference in Manchester on 22 April. Around 60 SCP delegates attended. The Faculty of Perioperative Care (FPC) took the opportunity to exhibit at the event promoting the benefits of FPC membership, and FPC lead Juliette Murray was also in attendance representing the Faculty.

The FRRHH was Diamond sponsor at the 2nd International Congress on Innovations in Global Surgery. Held on 24–25 April in Mombasa, Kenya, it aimed to promote interdisciplinary collaborations among healthcare professionals, students, engineers, industry partners and related professionals. The goal was to create a platform to discuss ideas of effectively disseminating frugal and advanced technologies relevant to the rural settings of low- and middle-income countries.

The Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare (FRRHH) exhibited at the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine Conference in Killarney, Ireland, on 9–12 May. The theme was ‘Complexity and Continuity: Caring, Coping and Overcoming in an Increasingly Challenging World’ and brought together global experts to exchange knowledge and best practices on disaster medicine, prehospital care, and the health aspects of emergency management and complex humanitarian crises.

The College was Bronze sponsor at this year’s Association of Surgeons of Great Britain & Ireland (ASGBI) Congress in Harrogate on 17–19 May. The theme was ‘The Changing Face of Surgery’, and the presentations were intended to reflect the breadth and diversity of ASGBI membership. RCSEd Vice-President Clare McNaught received the Sir Robert Shields Medal and presented a lecture about equality, diversity and inclusivity in surgery, and why it matters.

The FRRHH exhibited at the National Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine Conference in Penrith on 7–8 June. The theme of the conference was ‘Changing Practice, Changing Outcomes’.

The 24th annual British Indian Orthopaedic Society Conference took place in London on 7–8 July, focusing on innovation and recent advances. The meeting covered various topics on trauma and elective orthopaedics as well as the role of AI in shaping the future of the field. This was our first year at the conference, which had around 150 attendees. RCSEd Regional Surgical Advisor Aravind Desai spoke at the event about RCSEd and the benefits of joining.

The Association for Perioperative Practice Annual Conference took place in York on 10–13 August. More than 500 perioperative practitioners were in attendance. The Faculty of Perioperative Care (FPC) exhibited, and were able to speak to both current and potential future Members. FPC Advisory Board Member Bhuvana Krishnamoorthy visited the stand to talk with delegates.

The College of Surgeons Malaysia Annual Congress was held on 25–27 August in conjunction with its 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary. With the theme ‘Towards a Sustainable Future’, the conference took place at the Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur. RCSEd President Rowan Parks delivered talks on ‘Avoiding Bile Duct Injury During Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy’, and ‘The Future of Education and Training in Robotic Assisted Surgery’, while Professor Timothy Graham’s subject was ‘Training the Surgeon for the 21st Century’.

The FDS attended the Northern branch of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry conference on 13–15 September in Newcastle upon Tyne. The theme was ‘Tipping the Scales’, focusing on making a better and fairer world for children in the future. Sessions were driven by the need to rebuild and innovate within healthcare. Speakers covered the most contemporary methods of treating carious teeth, reducing dental health inequalities, decision-making in paediatric dentistry and, crucially, how to ensure this is all done in as a sustainable way as possible.

The RCSEd was Gold sponsor at this year’s British Orthopaedic Association Annual Congress, which took place on 19–22 September in Liverpool. There were around 2,300 attendees over the four days, and we were joined at the stand by RCSEd Council Member Claire Edwards and Regional Surgical Advisor Janardhan Rao. FRRHH Faculty Chair Andrew Kent delivered the Sir Walter Mercer Lecture: ‘Giving Back – Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare’. Faculty Advisory Board Member Nigel Rossiter received an Honorary Fellowship for his outstanding contribution to orthopaedics through his work in training and education.

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