For trainees, by trainees

Trainee‑led initiatives are integral to the College’s ongoing commitment to representing and advocating for early‑career surgeons. Our driven and energised trainee groups have consistently demonstrated their dedication to planning and delivering events that improve the training landscape. The past academic year has been no different: the success of the National Foundation Trainees Surgical Societies (FTSS) movement has led to the formation of the National Core Trainee Forum (CTF), spearheaded by Mike Silva, Consultant HPB Surgeon and Director and Founder of the UK FTSS and CTF Network.

The National Foundation Trainees Surgical Societies

Formed in Oxford in 2014 by Katie Hurst (then a foundation doctor), the FTSS became a national initiative in 2020. The network now consists of 16 regional societies covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each academic year culminates in the FTSS National Conference, where trainees present their work and network with like‑minded colleagues.

The 2024 conference theme was ‘Future Horizons and Innovation in Surgery.’ Talks explored several topics: choosing a surgical career, alternative training routes, different specialties and less‑than‑full‑time training. More than 160 attendees took part in the largest conference to date. On the back of overwhelmingly positive feedback, the FTSS has begun planning the fifth National Conference, which will undoubtedly build on previous success.

The next conference, with the theme ‘The Modern Surgical Mindset’, will take place on Saturday 19 July. Talks will address changes in surgical training and the modern challenges surgeons face, while academic sessions will support portfolio development.

The Core Trainee Forum

Core surgical training (CST) is a pivotal, but increasingly pressured, stage of a surgeon’s journey. National surveys show that CSTs report the lowest overall satisfaction of any surgical grade, citing reduced operating exposure and increasing service demands. The CTF was created to address those pressures head‑on and to give core trainees a collective voice. It is the first organisation focused solely on improving the CST experience and embedded within RCSEd.

The CTF was created to offer targeted surgical education, build a community of core trainees, and conduct research on the state of training. These three elements will help us gradually advocate for better surgical training, with excellence as a goal. 

The team is led by Kiran Saini, Chair, Founder and Thames Valley CT2. The central committee Education and Alternative programmes are managed by Eddie Richardson (Cheltenham CT1) and Jinpo Xiang (North West CT2), respectively. Research is led by Sirat Lodhi (North West CT1) and Ed Armstrong (Thames Valley CT2). Marketing is managed by Dave Fellows and Nicole James (Thames Valley CT2s). The Secretary and Recruitment Lead are Oliver Skan (North London CT2) and Corey Chan (North East ACF3), respectively. Each has a subcommittee of many more volunteers, trainees and regional representatives. 

The key goal is to empower trainees to be well while doing well – surgical training excellence produces world-class surgeons. It is already the largest community of CSTs, with more than 350 members to date. We have delivered a MRCS Part B webinar series, CST mock interviews and look forward to announcing several exciting projects soon. 

Acknowledgements 

The FTSS and CTF would like to express their sincerest thanks to Gemma Spence, Una Curran and Craig Brodie, the Regional Surgical Ambassadors, and the wider RCSEd team for their continued support. As ever, we would like to especially thank Mike Silva and Yusuf Michla, Deputy FTSS Director, for their tireless commitment to championing education.