Growing stronger

The FTSS celebrate their successes in championing surgical careers

in numerous specialties. Several have also run revision courses for the MRCS Part A examination, with the Oxford and Cambridge FTSS collaborating to run an online MRCS course through the College’s e-learning platform, which had an international audience of more than 2,000 across its 12 episodes. This content remains online for College Associate and full Members to access free of charge.

A big thank you

The Foundation Trainees Surgical Societies (FTSS) are part of the College’s ongoing commitments to excellence in surgical education, maximising access to surgical careers and supporting trainees at all stages.

Closely aligned with the College’s Regional Surgical Ambassador (RSA) network, the FTSS initiative offers a platform for foundation doctors and medical students considering surgical careers to attend educational events, develop their understanding of surgical training pathways and interact with the College prior to membership.

The first of the FTSS originated in Oxford in 2014 under the supervision of Consultant HPB Surgeon Michael Silva (currently on the RCSEd Council) and Katie Hurst (then a foundation doctor, now Specialty Registrar in General Surgery, RCSEd Trainee Representative on Council and RCSEd Sustainability Champions Chair). In 2020 the FTSS became a national initiative, with 15 societies covering the breadth of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Nurturing Surgeons

Each regional FTSS is supported by the College’s RSAs, consultant surgeons who act as mentors and conduits between the College and trainees in their region. The College is pleased to point to the blossoming success of the FTSS as a testament to the commitment of developing and nurturing the next generation of surgeons.

In the past two years the FTSS have run surgical skills events, careers advice evenings, taster sessions and mentorship schemes

Following the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the FTSS National Conferences, the FTSS UK Committee hopes next year’s event will be bigger and better. Local FTSS across the UK have a host of plans for events to raise the profile of College among the next generation of surgeons and continue the highest standard of surgical training.

The FTSS Committees across the UK would like to express their sincerest thanks to the College and Conference sponsors. They would also like to thank Barnaby Green (Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Director of the RSA network) for his ongoing support of the initiative and help on the day.

As ever, the FTSS thanks Michael Silva for his tireless work in championing education in general – for which he was recently awarded the College’s Faculty of Surgical Trainers’ Medal – and the whole FTSS initiative in particular. Last but never least, the FTSS would like to thank Una Curran and Stacey Warner of the College’s Marketing/ Outreach team –their enthusiasm, energy and hard work over the past two years have made the FTSS Conferences possible.