Speciality: General Surgery
Why choose this programme
This programme offers a broad and thorough training in all aspects of general surgery. Placements are provided in the five general surgery subspecialty units in the Hospitals of Edinburgh (Western General Hospital and Royal Infirmary) and in the District General Hospitals of Victoria Hospital Kirkcaldy, Borders General Hospital Melrose, Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary Dumfries, Forth Valley Hospital in Larbert.
Lothian has a population of about 1 million. There are regional Vascular, Colorectal, Upper GI, Breast and HPB Units and a national Hepatic and Multi-Organ Transplant Unit. In addition, specialist training in colorectal, upper GI and Specialty: General Surgery and
vascular surgery is provided in the DGHs.
Most of the first 2-3 years of the programme is spent in DGHs with some placements in specialist units depending on local factors and training requirements. Thereafter, placement on subspecialist units is offered depending on the trainees’ subspecialist preferences. There is a strong culture of research in all the central surgical units and there are established research fellowships in all specialties. The new Edinburgh Medical School and the associated research
establishment are now sited on the Royal Infirmary campus and there are well established research facilities established on the Western General Hospital site in association with the Breast and Colorectal Units.
M&M, MDMs and audit meetings take place in all units. Attendance is expected at the monthly teaching day fon the last Friday of each month.
A wide variety of housing and outdoor recreational facilities is available locally. There are good travel links by road,
rail and air to other UK cities and beyond.
Specialty Information
Trainees will rotate between placements in Larbert, Melrose, Dumfries, Kirkcaldy, and Edinburgh. Transport links and distances involved are such that relocation during the programme is not necessary. The programme is designed to give comprehensive grounding in the generality of acute and chronic surgical care and then to allow subspecialisation according to the career needs of individual trainees: training is provided in individual
units specialising in breast, colorectal, endocrine, vascular, upper gastro-intestinal, hepatopancreaticobiliary and multi-organ transplantation surgery. The trainee will participate in acute and elective general surgery throughout the programme.
Typically a trainee starting at ST3 would spend the two years in a DGH enviroment. The final four years of the programme is tailored to trainees individual training needs but in general is spent in more specialised units in Edinburgh. However a flexible approach to the senior portion of the training programme is maintained in order to tailor the programme to the individual needs of the trainee.
Out of Programme
Where possible a single period of Out of Programme Research, Experience or Training is encouraged and can be obtained in a wide variety of Units around the world by individual arrangement.
Recently trainees have enjoyed a year of OOPE in Australia, Singapore, Africa and Europe as well as in major UK centres.
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, East Lothian Community Hospital, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Borders General Hospital, Melrose
South-East of Scotland – placements in Edinburgh, Lothian, Borders, Dumfries:
Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary, Dumfries
Borders General Hospital, Melrose
Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
Western General Hospital - Colorectal Unit, Edinburgh
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh - Upper GI Surgery, Edinburgh
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh - HPB/ Transplant Unit, Edinburgh
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh - Vascular Unit, Edinburgh
Western General Hospital- Breast Unit, Edinburgh
East Lothain Community Hospital
| Programme Type | Deanery based or National: Deanery |
| Administration office | South-East of Scotland |
| Lead Dean / Director | Professor Adam Hill |
| Responsible Associate Postgraduate Dean or Assistant Director (GP) | Mr Alastair Murray |
| Specialty or Sub-specialty | Specialty or Sub-specialty: Specialty |
| Date of GMC recent approval | August 2010 |
| Associated Royal College - Faculty |
Joint Committee on Surgical Training (web site) |
| Curriculum and Associated Assessment System | https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/curricula/general-surgery-curriculum |
| Programme Administrator: |
Named Programme Administrator:
Jackie Aitken
Address: NHS Education for Scotland, 102 West Port, Edinburgh, EH3 9DN Tel: 0131 656 3475 Email: jackie.aitken@nhs.scot |
| Programme Director |
Programme Director Name: Sarah Goodbrand Address: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Tel: Email: sarah.goodbrand@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk |
| Quality of Training | Quality Management |