Supporting the next generation of surgeons should be a priority for the surgical community in Ireland, according to RCSI President Professor Deborah McNamara, who spoke at the annual Millin Meeting hosted by RCSI.

This year’s meeting saw the launch of a new pan-specialty peer support community for surgeons completing training, on fellowship or who have recently started practice as a consultant surgeon.

The RCSI Early Career Surgical Network will offer support, advice and networking opportunities to surgeons who are completing training, on international fellowship and in the early years of consultant practice in surgery.

Professor Deborah McNamara, President, RCSI, welcomed the establishment of this new network: “The training and support of surgeons is central to our mission at RCSI. It is also fundamental to ensuring that Irish patients have access to surgery of the highest standard. The transition to independent practice is a significant milestone in a surgeon’s career and the practical, and often non-clinical, changes that come with independent consultant practice require navigation.”

“The RCSI Early Career Surgical Network will create a peer network of early career surgeons to share successes and challenges, and to help us target additional support at this vital career stage,” added Professor McNamara.

Millin Lecture 2024

The prestigious 47th Millin Lecture, which recognises excellence in original research in surgery, was delivered by Ms Christina Fleming FRCSI, Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon, University of Limerick Hospital Group. Ms Fleming’s lecture addressed the integration of new technologies in surgical training.

Christina Fleming was the recipient of the 2022 RCSI PROGRESS Women in Surgery Fellowship, supported by Olympus, undertaking her Fellowship in Robotic and Colorectal Surgery at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, France.

Ms Fleming graduated from University College Cork (UCC) with a first-class honours degree in 2011. She undertook basic and higher surgical training in general and colorectal surgery in Ireland and was awarded FRCSI in 2020 and CCST in 2021.

During this time, she completed a basic science PhD and qualifications in human factors and clinical leadership. She has published more than 100 papers and has been awarded over 20 prizes, bursaries and research grants for her work.

Advancing surgical research

The 2024 Millin Meeting also featured a keynote address on achieving excellence in surgical and academic research and training from Dr Ayesha Noorani, CRUK Clinician Scientist and Honorary Consultant Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon, Wellcome Sanger Institute and Cambridge University Hospital NHS Trust.

Dr Ori D. Rotstein, Vice President, Research and Innovation, Unity Health Toronto Professor and Associate Chair of Surgery, University of Toronto addressed the role of patient and community engagement in surgical research.

The work of the RCSI National Surgical Research Support Centre to develop a surgical research ecosystem to support clinical trials in surgery in Ireland was also highlighted during the meeting and five young researchers, competing for the RCSI National Surgical Research Medal, presented their work.

Supporting trainers

The impact of being a trainer and the importance of better supporting trainers were among the issues explored during a symposium hosted by the RCSI Faculty of Surgical Trainers.

Professor Kevin Barry, Director, National Surgical Training Programme, provided an update on how the HSE/NDTP funded improvements have been key in supporting RCSI to continue to train highly skilled surgeons who are prepared to meet the evolving demands of healthcare, benefiting both the trainees and the broader healthcare system.

The Millin Meeting is held annually at RCSI in the memory of Terence John Millin, President of RCSI from 1963 to 1966. Millin was a pioneer in prostate surgery, publishing an original description of the Millin prostatectomy in The Lancet.

In his honour, the annual RCSI Millin Meeting celebrates the role of surgical research and innovation in improving patient care and outcomes, with a special focus on supporting the development of the next generation of surgeons.