Paediatric Surgery Fellowships
This page includes the Paediatric Surgery Fellowships which have been approved under the RCS Senior Clinical Fellowship Scheme. Please note that there are approved Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology Paediatric Surgery Fellowships under the Scheme.
Applying to be a fellow
If you would like to be a RCS Senior Clinical Fellow, you will need to contact the Supervisor / Lead Consultant of the Fellowship programme you are interested in. Ask the Supervisor / Lead Consultant if or when there is a vacancy for a fellow. They will tell you how to apply, if appropriate. Please go to the appropriate Fellowship programme listed below for more information.
Fellows appointed to RCS Senior Clinical Fellowships will be expected to be ambassadors for the RCS England and meet the requirements of the GMC’s Good Medical Practice.
Chelsea and Westminster Paediatric Colorectal Fellowship, London
Based at: Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust
Surgical Specialty Association approving: BAPS
Approval period: Initially approved April 2016; reapproved March 2020 to May 2023
Supervisor / Lead Consultant: Mr Simon Clarke, Service Director and Educational Lead with Mr Muhammad Choudhry, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon
Fellowship duration: 12-24 months
Stated learning outcomes:
- Competency level 4 in Pull through for Hirschsprungs disease (currently level 3 at CCT level).
- Competency level 4 for posterior sagittal anorectoplasty PSARP (currently level 3 at CCT level).
- Help establish a transitional service for young adults with colorectal disease.
- Experience with pouch surgery for paediatric inflammatory bowel disease patients.
Clinical competencies to be achieved:
- ISCP level 4 competency for pull through for Hirschsprungs disease (CCT currently only requires level 3)
- ISCP level 4 competency for Posterior Sagittal Anorectoplasty PSARP (CCT currently only requires level 3)
- Transitional pathway for colorectal adolescent patients in northwest London
Number of main operations the fellow could expect to be involved in:
- Hirschsprung pull through – 8 per year
- Anorectoplasty – 10 per year
- EUA rectum +/- seton insertion – 20 per year
- Laparoscopic colectomy – 6 per year
additional comments:
- Assisting / observing in pouch surgery – 5, adult colectomies - 15
- Involvement in MDT meetings
Fellows awarded Fellowship Certificate (dates of Fellowship):
- Yew-Wei Tan (Jun 18 - Jul 19)
- Alexander Macdonald (Oct 19 - Dec 20)
Fellows' feedback
A summary of final feedback from the three most recent completing Fellows providing full feedback:
Learning Outcomes
“I achieved all of the learning outcomes as specified in my learning agreement”
Strongly disagree |
Disagree | x
Neither agree nor disagree |
Agree | x
Strongly agree | x
Service : Training Balance
Please indicate the balance between service and training in your clinical activities:
Mostly service |
More service than training | x
About equal |
More training than service | x
Mostly training | x
Overall rating
How would you rate the Fellowship post overall, from 1-5? (1=very poor, 5=very good)
1
2 x
3
4
5 x x
Would you recommend this post to a colleague?
Yes | x x
No | x
Newcastle and Leeds Paediatric Colorectal Fellowship
Based at: Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary and Leeds General Infirmary
Surgical Specialty Association approving: ACPGBI
Approval period: March 2021 - February 2024
Supervisor / Lead Consultant: Miss Victoria Lane, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon (Newcastle enquiries), with Mr Ian Sugarman, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon (Leeds enquiries)
Fellowship duration: 24 months: 12 months in Newcastle, and 12 months in Leeds
Stated learning outcomes:
- To gain experience in laparoscopic surgery for inflammatory bowel disease, to include bowel resection and colectomy. Fellows would be expected to be competent to perform these procedures under direct supervision, after successful completion of the fellowship (and depending on previous laparoscopic experience).
- To understand the operative procedure for laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy (Ileal pouch anal anastomosis/IPAA) and be able to complete the steps of the procedure under direct consultant supervision.
Clinical competencies to be achieved:
- Level 3,4 in the main operations of the Fellowship
- Total number of cases performed will be around 400-600 procedures per year
- The post is expected to provide experience in Hirschsprung's disease (n=10), Crohn's resection (n=6-10). The post will also provide specialised exposure to specialist clinics such as multidisciplinary Cloaca clinic, pouch clinic, constipation clinic and multidisciplinary inflammatory bowel disease meetings
Number of main operations the fellow could expect to be involved in: see Clinical competencies above
Newcastle Paediatric Surgery Fellowship
Based at: Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle
Surgical Specialty Association approving: BAPS
Approval period: May 2020 - April 2023
Supervisor / Lead Consultant: Mr Alok Godse, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon, with Mr Hany Gabra, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon
Fellowship duration: 12 months
Stated learning outcomes:
- To gain experience in wide variety of general and neonatal surgical conditions including laparoscopic surgery.
- To be able to operate at level 4 in the majority of neonatal index surgical conditions, e.g. OA/TOF surgery, abdominal wall defect, CDH, congenital ano-rectal anomalies.
- The candidate will be given the chance to choose a subspecialty interest during their time e.g. Surgical Oncology, ano-rectal surgery, upper GI surgery.
- To complete a relevant clinical research project with a view to presentation and publication.
- The appointed candidate will have ample opportunities in clinical governance activities ie: audits, teaching etc.
Clinical competencies to be achieved:
- Total number of cases performed by the fellow will be around 300-400 procedures per year.
- The post is expected to provide experience in Hirschsprung's disease pull through (n 5-10), Laparoscopic fundoplication (n 10-20), Laparoscopic splenectomy (n 5), Percutaneous vascular access (n 80-100), Hypospadias procedures (n 20-40), Laparoscopic pyeloplasty (n 5-10), Nephrectomies and heminephrectomies (10-20).
- The post will also provide exposure to specialist clinics such as multidisciplinary Cloaca clinic, pouch clinic, chest wall clinic, multidisciplinary oncology meetings, Spina Bifida clinic, Nephrourology clinic.
- Candidates selected via the ISTP programme will have an ARCP and is expected to maintain a portfolio on ISCP.
Number of main operations the fellow could expect to be involved in: see Clinical competencies above
Fellows awarded Fellowship Certificate (dates of Fellowship):
- Ryo Tamura (Sept 18 - Oct 20)
- Deon Flemmings (Oct 20 - Oct 21)
Comments from recent Fellows
Deon Flemmings
Newcastle Paediatric Surgery Fellowship, Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle, October 2020 - September 2021
Current post (December 2021): Paediatric Surgeon, Jamaica
"This fellowship has certainly added depth to my training as a paediatric surgeon. As an international fellow, I entered with the focus of minimal access surgery and I have certainly developed laparoscopic skills. In addition, I was able to hone skills in paediatric endoscopy as well as percutaneous vascular access (areas not typically covered by my discipline at home). I have also benefited from high volume exposure in the management of colorectal diseases, as well as exposure to redo procedures. I was also mindful of different perspectives that will certainly now inform best practice as I care for the paediatric cohort in Jamaica, and boosted my confidence to function independently as a young consultant."
Alexander Macdonald
Chelsea and Westminster Paediatric Colorectal Fellowship, London, October 2019 - January 2021
Current post (June 2021): Consultant Paediatric Surgeon (with Colorectal interest) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
"This fellowship provided a fantastic opportunity to build experience in paediatric and colorectal pelvic reconstruction both at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in the UK and at the Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in the USA. I have been exposed to a significant volume of Hirschsprung’s and Anorectal reconstructions, including revision surgery, and have been able to develop independent operator confidence. I have particularly valued the ability to work with and learn from adult colorectal colleagues, building an experience of transitional care for young adults that has translated into a novel colorectal transition service for our adolescent patients in North West London."
Yew-Wei Tan
Chelsea and Westminster Paediatric Colorectal Fellowship, London, June 2018 - August 2019
Current post (January 2020): locum consultant paediatric surgeon, Evelina Children's Hospital, London
"I am proud to have completed this RCS paediatric colorectal fellowship, which offered high quality post-CCT specialist training in centres of excellence, both in paediatric and adult colorectal practice. During my fellowship, I stepped up to being the junior consultant on-call whilst supported by other departmental consultants. I have gained concentrated operative experience in all index paediatric anorectal and colorectal cases (145) as well as adult coloproctology (66). The fellowship was a significant learning curve for me in the management of inflammatory bowel disease as Chelsea & Westminster and St Mark's have some of the largest paediatric and adult IBD cohort of patients in the country. I also learned to perform perianal fistula surgeries and laparoscopic colectomies for many of these patients. Working with specialist gastroenterologists and colorectal teams on both sites also provided unique development in polyposis, anorectal manometry, and colonoscopy. It was a real privilege learning from a team which pioneered minimal access paediatric surgery in the UK as it meant that I was able to advance my laparoscopic skills within this period. With the help of a Simpson Smith Fellowship, I travelled to the Centre of Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction at the Nationwide Children's Hospital, Ohio, and observed world-class paediatric colorectal practice in a collaborative manner, and learned bowel management and transition care. This exposure has set a high standard for my consultant practice. I cannot thank my mentors enough for supporting me in my clinical, operative and research endeavours in paediatric colorectal surgery, and in my development as a better paediatric surgeon."