President writes
Events that marked a busy first quarter of the year
With the constant whirlwind of College activities, it is essential to pause and reflect on not only the realisation that I am now approximately halfway through my presidency, but also the various events that have marked the first quarter of this year.
For many of us in the College and the wider surgical community, the beginning of 2024 was a bustling period of meetings, travels and milestones. In early January it was a privilege to host Kerin Fielding, President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Our discussions revolved around mutual interests, including College governance, addressing sexual misconduct in surgery and supporting surgeons in the workplace. It was a fruitful conversation that highlighted the importance of collaboration in tackling critical issues within our profession.
We also welcomed a new Director of Heritage, Chanté St Clair Inglis, signalling a commitment to preserving the rich legacy of our College. I look forward to seeing her ideas come to fruition, some of which are explored in this special heritage edition of Surgeons’ News.
My schedule then took me to Bangladesh, where I served as an external examiner for the Bangladesh College of Physicians & Surgeons (BCPS) Fellowship examination. This visit allowed for productive discussions with BCPS Office-Bearers on educational support and training activities the College could offer.
Back on home turf, a surgical forum meeting in London focused on surgical workforce planning. This was followed by the January Joint Surgical Colleges Meeting at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, where topics ranged from medical associate professionals and the extended surgical team, improving the working lives of surgeons and strengthening the SAS workforce. It was a great opportunity to exchange insights, as well as receive reports from the JCST, JCIE and ICBSE.
January also saw the launch of the Surgical Education Research and Innovation (SERI) Lab, following the appointment of two distinguished professors, Ken Walker and Jennifer Cleland. It is fantastic to see this ground-breaking initiative, in partnership with NHS Highland and supported by the Pulmuir Trust, come to fruition. The vision is to develop an internationally renowned centre of excellence in surgical education, research and innovation, with a focus on translational research. Professors Walker and Cleland are globally recognised for their experience and expertise in this field, and it is anticipated that this laboratory will provide a rich environment for research Fellows to undertake projects that will impact on surgical education and training practice, as well as policy. An initial SERI strategy and planning meeting explored numerous avenues for priority research and development projects.
Our journey once again extended further afield, with a visit to Egypt – alongside the College’s CEO, Mark Egan, two of my fellow Office-Bearers and several members of the Senior Leadership Team – to explore opportunities to support education, training and assessment. This was followed by an engagement event hosted by the British Council, bringing together more than 100 dental and surgical Fellows and Members. My schedule continued at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Charter meeting and dinner, where sessions ranged from sustainability to the future of surgical training.
Karachi was next on the agenda for the MRCS exams, and then a workshop on wellness in surgery hosted by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan during their International Surgical Education and Training Conference. It was an enriching trip, capped off by the opportunity to present Grand Rounds in the Department of Surgery at Aga Khan University.
Meeting with CPSP on wellbeing
Meeting with CPSP on wellbeing
From there, it was Hong Kong for the conjoint Membership and Fellowship exams, coupled with quality assurance inspection visits with various centres across mainland China in collaboration with the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong.
Despite the hectic schedule, there were moments of celebration, including three diploma ceremonies – a reminder of the impact and significance of our work. As the quarter drew to a close, attention turned to future endeavours, with the Triennial/ICOSET Steering Group meeting laying the groundwork for this upcoming conference in June 2025.
In closing, I would like to extend my gratitude to Roger Currie for his contributions to Surgeons’ News as Editor and offer a warm welcome to incoming Editor Emma Stapleton as we embark on the next phase of the magazine’s journey. Roger has done a fantastic job, capturing key College activities and events, bringing issues to the attention of our readership and adding interesting and informative articles about a whole range of topics. I am personally extremely grateful for his commitment and long service to the College, including his contributions to the Trainees’ Committee, Surgical Skills Competition, the Regional Surgical Advisor network and his 10 years as a fellow Member of Council.
The first quarter of 2024 was a whirlwind, but it also served as a testament to the resilience, innovation and camaraderie within the surgical community. As we look ahead, let us carry forward the lessons learned and continue to push the boundaries of excellence.
Professor Rowan Parks
president@rcsed.ac.uk
Built with Shorthand