Specialty: General Surgery
GMC: WOS/466
Deanery sponsoring programme: / West of ScotlandPostgraduate Dean: / ProfessorAlastair McLellan
Responsible Associate Dean/GP Director: / Mr Dominique Byrne
Programme Type -
- Deanery-based or National:
- Specialty or Sub-specialty:
Date of GMC recent approval: / January 2008 (unconditional)
Associated RoyalCollege / Faculty
Web address
Curriculum and Associated Assessment System / Joint Committee on Surgical Training
Date programme information last updated / August 2012
Recognised Programme Locations and Environments
This programme involves placements in some or all of these Health Boards and hospitals:
West of Scotland – placements in Glasgow hospitals, Stirling and Lanarkshire: AyrHospital, Ayr
CrosshouseHospital, Kilmarnock
Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary, Dumfries
Falkirk & District Royal Infirmary, Falkirk
GartnavelGeneralHospital, Glasgow
Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow
HairmyresHospital, Glasgow
WishawGeneralHospital
InverclydeRoyalHospital , Greenock
MonklandsHospital, Lanarkshire
RoyalAlexandraHospital, Glasgow
Southern GeneralHospital, Glasgow
Stirling Royal Infirmary, Stirling
StobhillHospital, Glasgow
Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow
Western Infirmary, Glasgow
Programme Director / Mr Christopher Wilson
Contact / Western Infirmary, Glasgow / Tel: 0141 211 6248
E mail:
Programme Description
1 a. What particular specialty learning opportunities does this program provide e.g. sub-specialty exposure, especially those which are not available elsewhere?
Training is available in General Surgery. Sub-specialty interests in Oesophagogastric, Pancreatic, Biliary, Colorectal, Breast, Transplant and Vascular Surgery are facilitated. There may also be training opportunities in Paediatric and Oncoplastic Surgery.
b. How do trainees access these opportunities?
Trainees have annual interviews to discuss their career plans and training requirements. Thereafter the Programme Director matches these needs with the available opportunities across 14 hospitals in the West of Scotland.
2 a. What opportunities are there for research, audit and teaching?
Clinical research and audit are encouraged and facilitated throughout training. The Training Programme has close ties with GlasgowUniversity’s Academic Department of Surgery. Trainees may apply to go “out of programme” for a period of full time research to obtain a higher degree.
b. How do trainees access these opportunities?
Local research and audit is best discussed with the Educational Supervisor, ideally before the post commences. Out of programme research time requires the Programme Director’s support and the Dean’s approval once the trainee has secured a funded post in a reputable unit.
3 a. How are rotations on hospital sites organised?
The programme Director asks trainees to submit their preferred choices for their August post around January each year. A trainee’s chance of getting their first choice is improved if they visit that unit and obtain the support of the consultants. Levels 6, 7 and 8 are allocated to sub-specialty interest posts.
b. Which hospitals are involved?
See theRecognised Programme Locations and Environmentssection on page 1. A new hospital will soon replace Stirling Royal and Falkirk and District Royal. Some sub-specialties are limited to certain hospitals e.g. Transplant Surgery is based at the Western Infirmary.
c. What degree of choice is there for trainees?
Trainees are free to choose their sub-specialty. The Programme Director is available for guidance. Post choice is described in 3a above.
4. What teaching (e.g. day-release or exam preparation) or learning opportunities (e.g. e-learning, OOPE), are unique to this post or a key feature in the West?
Trainees are entitled to funded study leave for course, exams and national specialty meetings. A monthly half-day teaching programme is run in Glasgow. Many hospitals have their own regular educational meetings.
5. What can trainees expect of their trainers in this post?
Through the ISCP website, trainees and trainers establish a Learning Agreement at the start of each post.
6. What are key markers of success? (e.g. exam pass rates. MD, PhD, papers)
Successful progression is based upon a satisfactory ISCP portfolio leading to annual progression to the next level through the ARCP process. Progression from Level 2 to Level 3 requires the MRCS examination. Completion of training requires the FRCS (Gen) examination.
Programme Descriptor submitted in 2009-2010
The West of Scotland general surgical training programme is able to offer excellent training opportunities in general surgery and its subspecialties in 14 hospitals in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, ForthValley, Dumfries, Ayrshire and Arran and Lanarkshire. Training units provide a variety of district general services and tertiary referral exposure. The initial two years of the programme cover basic training in elective and emergency general surgery. The final 3 years are individually tailored to take into account the trainee's future career plans and provide opportunities for sub-specialty training. Current specialty options include breast, vascular, upper gastrointestinal, colorectal and transplant surgery. Trainees may apply to the Postgraduate Dean for time out of programme for a period of research or fellowships in other centres.
There are four general surgery training programmes in Scotland providing geographically clustered placements to minimise trainee relocation whilst providing a comprehensive training package for all trainees.
The training programme extends over eight levels of General Surgery as described in the ISCP curriculum. It is expected that each level will take one year to complete. Trainees may apply for recruitment at the appropriate Specialty Registrar level dependent on qualification, experience and available posts. Entry to level 3 is provisional upon the MRCS examination being passed. Provision is made to accommodate less-than-full-time trainees.
Progress is monitored through work place assessments, educational supervisors’ reports and ARCPs. Completion of training and attainment of CCT requires successful completion of the Intercollegiate Specialty Examination.
How to apply
Application is made through Scottish Medical Training. Candidates are short-listed and interviewed in a Scottish national framework. Successful candidates may express a preference for placement in the North, East, South-East or West of Scotland. Previously, entry to run-through training has been allowed at ST1 level. However, in 2009 appointments were also made to Core Training at levels 1 and 2. It is currently uncertain whether future rounds of SMT will appoint to Core Training with further competitive entry to ST3 or whether ST1 entry will remain an option.
Deanery Administrative Contacts
Name
Address
Tel
Email / Helen Biggins
NES,2 Central Quay, 89 Hydepark St, GlasgowG3 8BW
0141 223 1412
Specialty Training Committee
Training Programme Director
Chair / Mr Christopher Wilson
Mr John Anderson
Quality of Training
GMCTrainee Survey Information (2010) / Link