The first 10 years as a Consultant Surgeon bring both challenges and opportunities. Exams are out of the way, and freedom from surgical training enables us to pursue our choice of surgical practice, specialist interests and extracurricular activities. However, the pressure of sub-specialist fellowship training, job hunting, job planning and adapting to a new pace of life alongside major shifts in our lives outside surgery means having a strong network is valuable. Achieving FRCS does not make us a finished product! Ongoing support, guidance and mentorship is essential, so that Younger Fellows can achieve their potential and can nurture balanced, happy and fulfilling career paths.

WHAT IS THE COLLEGE'S YOUNGER FELLOWS NETWORK?

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Younger Fellows Group was set up in 2015 by Clare McNaught, with the aim of building a network of younger consultants and senior trainees. A Younger Fellow is defined as any surgeon who has obtained Fellowship (FRCS) and is within the first 10 years of practice, or a surgical trainee who has achieved Fellowship and is in their final years of training. The aim of the group is to facilitate younger surgeons of all disciplines and from all locations in the UK to socialise, get involved in College life and feed back their opinions on professional issues to Council through the Younger Fellows Committee, as well as provide an outlet to discuss frustrations or share success stories with new friends and like-minded colleagues.

The College has a proud history, educating surgeons and setting standards for the profession for more than 500 years. Life as a consultant has changed dramatically over this time, but perhaps most noticeably over the last decade. Consultants now live in an environment of raised public expectation, increased scrutiny with the individual reporting of surgical outcomes and escalated workload. In recognition of these pressures, the College has committed to assisting our younger consultants and provided an avenue of mentorship and support through the Younger Fellows Group.

The Younger Fellows Network is led by a diverse committee of surgeons who are all enthusiastic about sharing experience, supporting colleagues and exploring avenues to smooth the rocky path of early consultant life.

HOW DOES THE NETWORK FIT INTO WIDER COLLEGE ACTIVITY?

At least one Younger Fellow sits on RCSEd Council (currently Haroon Rehman) and attends Council meetings. Several Younger Fellows attend Council Development Sessions, where the wider portfolio of RCSEd activity is presented, discussed and developed.

One of the original purposes of the Younger Fellows Group was to feed back opinion on professional issues from the younger generation of surgeons to the RCSEd Council. This remains a core tenet of the network, via both Council meetings and Council development sessions, as well as a constant flow of conversation between Younger Fellows and RCSEd Office Bearers. The RCSEd Office Bearers take the opinion and advice of Younger Fellows seriously, and these are fed into College policy and decision making.

WHAT DOES THE NETWORK OFFER FOR YOUNGER FELLOWS?

In its early years, the Younger Fellows Group held annual residentials, where colleagues were able to spend time learning, developing and teambuilding with colleagues in an informal environment. These were extremely popular and successful, facilitating professional connections and friendships, and an opportunity for Younger Fellows to network with colleagues, as well as with RCSEd Office Bearers.

In response to the current climate of complex challenges for Younger Fellows, and in a drive for improved accessibility and inclusivity, the Younger Fellows Network is working towards hosting a larger-scale annual event that is open to a much larger number of delegates, which will deliver high-yield educational content, opportunities for discussion and support, and of course the chance to socialise with friends, old and new. The first Younger Fellows Conference is planned for early 2025 and aims to deliver up-to-date experience and knowledge on a wide variety of issues relevant to Younger Fellows. It will be held at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh – watch out for further announcements.

There are plenty of opportunities for Younger Fellows to meet and network at events around the UK. There is Younger Fellows presence at the RCSEd President’s Forums held around the UK – all Younger Fellows are welcome to attend these events, learn more about the College and the wide array of work and engagement it does for surgeons of all grades. In 2024 there have been dedicated Younger Fellows events held in Edinburgh, Birmingham and Belfast. All these events are free to attend for RCSEd Fellows, and offer the chance to learn, discuss and network with colleagues, perhaps even make a connection that will lead to your next project or collaboration! The next Younger Fellows event will be held in Edinburgh in November 2024 and will be advertised via update emails from the College.

Younger Fellows are particularly valued by the College in activities that involve supporting the next generation of surgeons. The early years of consultant life are a unique time, when surgeons are still in touch with surgical training life, culture and challenges. For this reason, Younger Fellows are always welcome to get involved with activities such as becoming an MRCS examiner, joining the Regional Surgical Ambassador Network or taking a lead within one of the Foundation Surgical Societies. It is not necessary to wait until you’ve ‘made it’ to get involved in these activities. The College encourages Younger Fellows, whose energy and enthusiasm is invaluable, to get involved. Supporting the College as a Younger Fellow can also help build your professional portfolio and network. Please get in touch if you would like to know more.

The Younger Fellows Group has been integral to the development of the soon-to-be-launched RCSEd Surgical Mentoring Scheme, which has been professionally designed and implemented. There is more information about the scheme here [LINK TO MENTORING WHEN PUBLISHED]. Surgeons affiliating to RCSEd at the time of their MRCS or FRCS will have the opportunity to access the mentoring programme, and be paired with a trained mentor within a scheme with robust governance and guidance. They will also have the chance to train as an RCSEd mentor and get involved in supporting the scheme.

The first RCSEd Younger Fellows podcast was released recently, on the theme of mentoring. In this episode we discuss mentoring in practice – what it involves and some of the benefits, as well as dispelling some of the myths. Future podcast themes will include job planning and appraisal; developing a unique selling point, wellbeing, private practice and ‘unknown unknowns’.

We are a diverse, strong, friendly and cohesive network. We look forward to you joining us and getting involved in College life.

Younger Fellows committee members

Chair: Nathan Stephens, Consultant Upper GI & General Surgeon, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

Deputy Chair: Sarah Healy, ENT Head and Neck Surgeon, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough

Peter Vaughan-Shaw, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh

Emma Stapleton, Consultant Otolaryngologist, Manchester Royal Infirmary

Jothy Kandasamy, Consultant Paediatric and Adult Neurosurgery and Spinal Surgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh

Craig Mather (Dental Rep), Senior Clinical Lecturer/Honorary Consultant in Oral Surgery, University of Glasgow

Haroon Rehman, Consultant in Trauma & Orthopaedics, Victoria Hospital, Kirkaldy

Jihene El Kafsi, Consultant in UGI & Bariatric Surgery, Wrexham Park Hospital

Kirsty Mozolowski, Consultant in General/Colorectal Surgery, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh

Sandra McAllister, Consultant in Plastic Surgery, The Ulster Hospital, Belfast

David Riding, Consultant Vascular Surgery, Manchester Royal Infirmary