How to get into Surgical Training in the U.K.?: 2021 Guidelines

April 13, 2021

How to get into Surgical Training in the U.K.?: 2021 Guidelines

Hello surgical aspirants!

This is a post in continuation to my previous one about getting into Core Surgical Training(C.S.T.) in the U.K.

You can find the previous post here :

The U.K. Surgical Training Pathway

To get a general overview of U.K. post-graduation training, I recommend reading this post first :

First post to read if you are new here

Application on Oriel

You could be working in a non-training post, or an official foundation doctor post currently.

Once the application window for CST opens up, you need to go to Oriel and apply for the training.

Self-assessment scoring on Oriel

All candidates will be required to complete a self-assessment score based on their own achievements in various domains at the time of application. This is mandatory and candidates will be unable to submit their application without completing this.

The Shortlisting Process

Only 1100 trainees (approximately) can be accommodated at the evidence verification stage.

Therefore, the self-assessment score will be used to shortlist if more than 1100 eligible applications are received.

The verified evidence score is then used to determine which applicants are invited to interview.

Important points to note:

There is no set number of years within which you need to have completed the achievements listed, however, any achievements claimed must have been gained after commencing your medical (or first undergraduate) degree, i.e. achievements from school or before the university cannot be claimed.
If you have more than one achievement within a single domain then you should only claim points for whichever single achievement would give you the highest score.
All achievements should be completed at the time of application. This will not include courses you are currently enrolled in, to be completed at a future date or publications in the process of review.

Self-assessment criteria

All the individual scores will be added to arrive at a final score for your application.

MRCS examination

Surgical courses

Following courses are accepted:

1.Basic Surgical Skills (BSS)

2. Systematic Training in Acute Illness Recognition Training (START Surgery)

3.Advance Trauma Life Support (ATLS)

4.Surgical Skills for Surgeons

5.Royal College of Surgeons Summer School in Anatomy

6.Practical Skills for Medical Students

7.Regional Surgical Skills Course / Symposium can be in ENT, General Surgery, T&O, or Urology

8.So you want to be an Orthopaedic Surgeon

9.Clinical Skills for Examining Orthopaedic Patients

10.Temporal bone course — FESS (Sinus Surgery) course

11.Head and Neck anatomy / surgical dissection course

12.Urology National Catheter Education Programme (NCEP)

13.ASIT Preparing for a Career in Surgery

14.ASIT Foundation Surgical Skills

15.British Medical Association surgically themed courses

The scoring criteria are as follows :

Surgical Experience

All surgical experience should be evidenced by ISCP operative logbook summary sheets that have been signed by a consultant showing their name, GMC number and the date the consultant validated the Summary Sheet.

Do not include procedures that all UK trainees are expected to have signed off as part of their foundation competencies.

Surgical Taster Days

1- 5 working days (whole time equivalent) of surgical taster sessions is acceptable.

You also need to provide a reflection (200 — 250 words) explaining what your taster involved and your learning from it was.

Surgical Elective

You need to provide a reflection (200- 250 words) including the elective dates, hospital, name of supervisor, an outline of what the elective involved, and the learning you have taken from it.