More than 600 surgeons and guests visited RCSI for the annual RCSI Charter Day Meetings, with a comprehensive programme exploring key issues in surgical training, education and practice taking place from 8-11 February 2017.

Among the topics being discussed during the meeting was professionalism in surgical practice, which focussed on how best the College can guide surgeons to maintain the highest standards of surgical practice in a complex healthcare environment. The meeting also saw the launch of a new RCSI Fellowship and Membership Programme.

Speaking in advance of the Charter Day Meeting, Professor John Hyland, RCSI President said: "Today's surgical practice environment places many demands on surgeons but at all times we maintain professionalism as a core principle of our practice. It is essential that guidance is provided to surgeons in how they should practice to meet the standards of practice that their patients, peers, employers, and the public expect and how to manage conflicts between these standards when they arise in the context of the modern healthcare environment. Over the course of the Charter Day Meeting, we will discuss how professionalism can be maintained to meet these complex demands and supports that can be provided by the College including a new e-learning programme on professionalism for doctors.

"I am delighted that the Charter Day meeting will also mark the launch of the new RCSI Fellowship and Membership Programme, our three-year phased plan to provide enhanced value and support for our surgical Fellows and Members based here in Ireland and across 78 other countries worldwide. Addressing the critical developmental and transitional needs at each stage of a surgeon's career, this strategy will provide Fellows and Members with greater opportunities to connect with their College and with their international, multi-disciplinary professional network of over 8,000 surgical leaders globally."

The programme began on Wednesday night with the 11th Intercollegiate Case Presentations which saw students from the six Irish medical schools compete for the Bouchier-Hayes Medal for the best surgical presentation. Thursday's National Clinical Programme for Surgery meeting focused on ‘Lessons Learned from Six Years of Data'. This programme was established to design and implement change initiatives to improve and standardise the quality of surgical care and access for all patients in Ireland in a cost effective manner. On Thursday evening the 27th Annual Videosurgery Meeting, organised by Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown took place in the College.

The main Charter Day Meeting began on Friday, 10 February with parallel sessions running for most specialties. Lunchtime saw the launch of the RCSI E-Learning Programme on Professionalism for Doctors and the launch of the RCSI Fellowship & Membership Programme, offering opportunity for delegates to discuss the programmes with co-ordinators in the exhibition area.

On Friday afternoon, Dr Aran Maree, Chief Medical Officer, Johnson & Johnson and RCSI Alumnus (Medicine, Class of 1993) delivered the Johnson and Johnson Lecture entitled ‘Prevent, Intercept and Cure: Our Call to Develop Healthcare Solutions for the Modern Age'.

Dr Aran Maree, Chief Medical Officer, Johnson & Johnson and RCSI Alumnus (Medicine, Class of 1993) who delivered the Johnson and Johnson Lecture with Professor John Hyland, President, RCSI

The afternoon plenary sessions continued with ‘Hot Topics' that explored four topical issues including: ‘Atypical Mycobacteria'; ‘New Frontiers in Ophthalmology: From Stem Cells to Teleophthalmology'; ‘Nuclear Medicine Applications in Orthopaedics'; and ‘Osteochondral Injury'. The plenary session exploring Professionalism took place following the Presidential Address from Professor John Hyland.

The 93rd Abraham Colles Lecture ‘The Great War and the Evolution of Reconstructive Surgery' was delivered by Dr Raymond F. Morgan, Milton T. Edgerton Professor and Chair at the Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Virginia, USA.

On Saturday, 11 February the Charter Day Meeting continued with the annual meeting of the Irish Higher Surgical Training Group.

On Saturday evening, Mr Brendan Moran a Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon at the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Foundation Trust in the UK, was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the College in appreciation of his tremendous contribution to the surgical practice and treatment of colorectal cancer in both the UK and Ireland and internationally. The Charter Day Meeting closed with a black tie dinner held in the College on Saturday night.

The RCSI Charter Day Meetings are held annually to commemorate the foundation of RCSI by a Royal Charter granted by King George III on 11th February 1784.

Professor John Hyland, President, RCSI; Mr Brendan Moran, Honorary Fellowship recipient; and Professor Ronan O’Connell, RCSI Council Member

RCSI is ranked in the top 250 institutions worldwide and joint 1st place in the Republic of Ireland in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (2016-2017). It is an international not-for-profit health sciences institution, with its headquarters in Dublin, focused on education and research to drive improvements in human health worldwide.