President's forums: Professor Rowan Parks has been touring the UK

Over the past few months, we have been delighted to host several President’s Forums across key locations: Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and London. The forums are open to Members and non-Members of all grades, and it is always a pleasure to welcome delegates to these events, enabling them to engage with the College and understand how we can be of support to them, whatever stage of their career they are at.

“It has been a fantastic experience to visit and host a number of regional forums throughout England over the last few weeks,” says RCSEd President Professor Rowan Parks. “I am extremely grateful to our Regional Surgical Ambassadors who have supported these events. The primary purpose is to engage with our local Fellows and Members as well as meeting medical students and Foundation doctors interested in a career in surgery.

“The programme for each event has varied but generally involves a buffet dinner, presentations and plenty of Q&A. Relevant topics are typically presented either from local surgeons or on themes that the College has an interest in. Feedback has been extremely positive, with attendees learning about what the College does for them and how they can get involved, as well as the contemporary issues and challenges affecting healthcare in 2024.”

These events have been hugely successful, and we are delighted to share some of the key activities and highlights of each.

MANCHESTER – 19 MARCH

We kicked off the forums in Manchester, hosted at the magnificent Manchester Museum. The event attracted many enthusiastic professionals from the region, ranging from medical students to retired consultants. There was a great buzz in the room in anticipation of a jam-packed evening programme.

The forum began with a warm welcome from Professor Rowan Parks and an overview of the College and its activities. Honorary Secretary Professor Robin Paton then took to the floor to provide an update on College developments, examinations and international connections, followed by Professor Phil Turner, who presented on the importance of professional standards.

Further topics covered included an overview of the College’s educational offerings by Council members Amanda McCabe and Stuart Clark; basic surgical skills teaching and provision by General and Colorectal Surgeon Professor Chelliah Selvasekar; and updates from the Younger Fellows Group and RSA Network by Young Fellows’ Committee member Emma Stapleton, and local ambassadors Richard Graham and Aiman Khunda.

The evening concluded with a panel Q&A, which encouraged spirited conversations on the subjects covered.

A range of professionals attend the President’s Forums in Manchester

BIRMINGHAM – 23 MAY

The next forum took place in Birmingham. We were delighted to work closely with the local team to host this event at the RCSEd Birmingham Regional Centre, offering a fantastic opportunity to welcome Members and Fellows to their local base. We were also pleased to have many of the senior leadership team and Council members present, which provided those in attendance the chance to connect with many of the College team.

The presentations began with Jan Cutting, RCSEd Director of Membership, Marketing and Communications, who touched on the current membership benefits and offers. We also heard from Vice President Clare McNaught, as she addressed the important topic of sexual misconduct in surgery. And Professor Grant McIntyre, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, delivered a brilliant overview of UK dental training and the Dental Faculty.

The event culminated in a panel discussion with Katie Hurst, Chair of the RCSEd Trainees’ Committee, and Sophie Howles, Trauma and Orthopaedic Registrar, following their presentations on radiation exposure and the provision and use of PPE, sparking thought-provoking debate.

NEWCASTLE – 29 MAY

Next up was the Newcastle forum, which was hosted at the INNSiDE by Meliá Newcastle overlooking the sunny River Tyne.

Before the forum, we were pleased to work with the North East FTSS team to host an event aimed at trainees, focused on developing their basic surgical skills. We welcomed 15 eager attendees to the session, facilitated by senior surgeons from the region. They demonstrated and oversaw as the trainees got hands-on practice using laparoscopic instruments on syndavers provided by Ethicon, simulating a high-fidelity setting for developing laparoscopic skills.

As the surgical session came to an end, we began welcoming delegates for the forum. Attendees enjoyed a bite to eat before the forum opened with an insightful update from Ifeoluwade Osiyemi, North East FTSS Chair. Throughout the evening, the audience heard from a number of expert speakers who delved into important topics including ‘How to be an Effective Trainer/Trainee’, presented by Professor Robin Paton; ‘Consent, Coroner and Me’, by retired Cardiac Surgeon and currently Assistant Coroner Leslie Hamilton; and ‘Second Victim Syndrome – A Surgical Life Sentence of Remembering’, delivered by Consultant Vascular Surgeon Rachel Bell.

Following the presentations, many delegates took the opportunity to network with the team and speakers, which was wonderful to see.

Newcastle Forum the College ran a session for trainees, focused on developing basic surgical skills

LONDON – 5 JUNE

Our final stop was London. This event took place in the prestigious Barber-Surgeons’ Hall, which proved to be a wonderfully elegant venue in the heart of the city.

The evening kicked off with Vice President Professor Tim Graham posing questions on the future of healthcare, which sparked thought-provoking discussion among the audience and takeaways for the College to consider. We then welcomed to the stage guest speakers Professor Shafi Ahmed, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, and Professor Dame Clare Gerada, past Lead for NHS Practitioner Health and patron of charity Doctors in Distress, who gave invaluable presentations on their respective topics of AI in surgery and mental health and burnout in surgeons.

Professor Grant McIntyre was once again in attendance to represent the College’s Dental Faculty and delivered an insightful update on this subject.

The evening came to a close with a fantastic presentation from Morven Allan, Trainees’ Committee member and Academic Clinical Lecturer, on the topic of wellbeing and the Trainees’ Committee’s goals.

The London event took place in the prestigious Barber-Surgeons’ Hall

FEEDBACK

We are incredibly proud of these events and the positive feedback received. Here are some of the comments from delegates, as well as a reflection from Professor Rowan Parks:

“On a personal level, I have really appreciated the opportunity to connect with significant numbers of our Fellows and Members to hear first-hand their experiences and what we, as a College, can do to support them in their local working environment. I have also been extremely encouraged to hear and see the enthusiasm of aspiring and current surgical trainees regarding their future career plans.”

– Professor Rowan Parks

“Nice to see the range of services provided and how the College supports medical professionals at each stage of training and post-training, as a consultant. Great conference, lovely staff, welcoming atmosphere.”

– Manchester forum delegate

“The presentations were pitched at a good level and relevant to all in the audience. The meeting was well organised and run on the day.”

– Birmingham forum delegate

“I felt extremely welcomed as a medical student. It was really nice to meet other Members. The talks were also very engaging.”

– Newcastle forum delegate

“I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and as ever the College was very welcoming to all. I look forward to the next meeting. Thank you!”

– London forum delegate

WHAT'S TO COME?

As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue hosting events that inspire, educate and bring the College and colleagues together. Our next forum will take place in Oxford on Friday 4 October 2024. We do hope to welcome many of you there, and to future events.

Register for the upcoming Oxford President’s Forum here: