RCSI was host this week to the second International Conference on Surgical Education and Training.

Over 30 prestigious global thought leaders from North America, Australia, New Zealand and across Europe gave global perspectives on surgical training. 

Professor the Lord Ara Darzi, Head of Surgery at Imperial College London and the Institute of Cancer Research, delivered the Inaugural William Halsted Lecture entitled ‘Innovation and Surgical Education and Training’. Professor Lord Darzi, who is a graduate and fellow of RCSI, has pioneered research in technologies for minimally invasive surgery, and in safety and quality of healthcare. He is currently the United Kingdom’s Global Health and Life Sciences Ambassador, and is Chair of the NHS Global Forum. 

The major theme for the conference was the impact of reduced work hours on Surgical Training. 

Speaking at the opening of the conference Professor Oscar Traynor, Professor of Postgraduate Studies and Director of the National Surgical Training Centre at RCSI, said, "Shorter training programmes, reduced work hours, increased complexity of surgical procedures and a very rapid expansion in surgical technology are all issues which impact significantly on surgical training. Legislative limits on surgical work hours, in particular, pose an immense challenge for surgical trainees and surgical trainers around the world."

Other highlights of the conference included The State of the Art Lecture delivered by Professor Richard K. Reznick, Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto, who spoke on ‘The Role of Research in Modern Surgical Training’. 

Professor Frank Keane, President of RCSI, said, “RCSI is committed to enhancing surgical standards to ultimately improve patient safety. Improved standards in surgical education and training, the introduction of continued medical education (CME), clinical audits and the WHO’s surgical safety checklist are all key components to raising surgical standards. RCSI has embraced each of these to ensure it is at the forefront of raising these standards both in Ireland and abroad.”