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Surgical Skills for Students and Health Professionals

This hands-on, one-day course is designed for medical students preparing to embark on a surgical career, and health professionals working in surgical teams.

Taught in a practical workshop format, this course will teach you how to perform basic surgical skills in a safe environment, working with jigs and animal or synthetic tissue.

With feedback from faculty, you will develop essential skills such as gowning and gloving, skin preparation and draping, suturing techniques and knot tying.

Completing the Surgical Skills for Students and Health Professionals course entitles medical students, foundation and core trainees to 12 months complimentary affiliate membership. After completing your post-course evaluation, apply for membership as normal and the cost will be removed from your basket.

RCS England members receive a 10% discount on this course at the Bjorn Saven Centre in London. Find out if you're eligible to join or transfer. 

View a list of our current Surgical Skills for Students and Health Professionals course centres (correct as of May 2020). 

  • £180.00
  • 1 day
  • 8.00 CPD Points
£180.00
1 day
8.00 CPD Points

Suitability

This course is aimed at medical students. It is also suitable for health professionals who carry out basic skills like knotting and suturing, such as Operating Department Practitioners and Surgical First Assistants. It may also be useful for allied health professionals who are considering moving into a career relating to surgery. SCPs may attend the SSSHP course to contribute to the syllabus requirements for Intraoperative Skills.

Learning Outcomes

Following the course, you will be able to: 

  • Demonstrate a safe set of aseptic skills
  • Recognise the function, and demonstrate the safe handling, of a basic set of instruments
  • Tie a safe and secure knot
  • Close a wound safely and appropriately
  • Demonstrate safe and appropriate tissue handling
  • Identify principles for the safe use of local anaesthetic

Format

This course teaches practical skills in a workshop environment, using fresh porcine tissue (some regional centres may use, or offer the option of, synthetic tissue). You will be supported by experienced surgeons, and receive personal feedback on your progress.

Additional Information

Course content   

Activities include:

  • surgical handwashing
  • gowning and double-gloving
  • skin preparation and draping
  • tying a variety of surgical knots
  • handling basic surgical instruments
  • interrupted, mattress and subcuticular suturing
  • application of local anaesthetic
  • excision of skin lesion
  • excision of sebaceous cyst

Course materials

As part of the course, you will receive:

  • one years’ access to course videos on the virtual learning environment;
  • companion handbook with step-by-step instructions for all the skills taught on the course, sections on theatre environment and etiquette, and reflective activities;
  • certificate of attendance.

Take a look at a sample Surgical Skills for Students and Health Professionals programme

10% discount on this course for RCS England affiliates and associates

Affiliates and associates benefit from a 10% discount on this course when held at our partner centres. 

Your discount will be applied automatically when booking.

Find out more about joining today.

Booking Options

Regional SSSHP Courses

Sat
23
Nov
2024
£200
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

23 Nov 2024

Here is an overview of the programme

£200

Pricing notes:

Full price: £200

Course Fees:

Please note, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at the cancellation policy first.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Location:

Leicester General Hospital
Gwendolen Road
LEICESTER
LE5 4PW
United Kingdom
rebecca.goacher@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
0116 2584298

Instructions:

Ms R Goacher, rebecca.goacher@uhl-tr.nhs.uk, 0116 2584298
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Booking details

Pricing notes:

Full price: £200

Before booking at the centre, please follow these steps:

Have an account?
Please login Please login
Not got an account?
Register to continue

Contact details:

Please contact the coordinator:
Ms R Goacher
rebecca.goacher@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
mailto:rebecca.goacher@uhl-tr.nhs.uk

Book online

Have an account?

It's even easier when you login

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Sat
15
Nov
2025
£149
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

15 Nov 2025

Here is an overview of the programme

£149

Pricing notes:

Full price: £149

Course Fees:

Please note, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at the cancellation policy first.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Location:

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
HULL
HU3 2JZ
United Kingdom
janine.peck1@nhs.net
01482 816672

Instructions:

Ms J Peck, janine.peck1@nhs.net, 01482 816672, Please call 01482816672 to pay or the course
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Booking details

Pricing notes:

Full price: £149

Before booking at the centre, please follow these steps:

Have an account?
Please login Please login
Not got an account?
Register to continue

Contact details:

Please contact the coordinator:
Ms J Peck
janine.peck1@nhs.net
mailto:janine.peck1@nhs.net

Book online

Have an account?

It's even easier when you login

Login & Book Login & Book
Not got an account?

Don't worry, continue and we'll create an account for you.

Continue to Booking

RCS England Bjorn Saven Centre

Tue
22
Oct
2024
from £180.00
LONDON, United Kingdom

22 Oct 2024

Here is an overview of the programme

from £180.00

Pricing notes:

Full price: £255.00
RCS Affiliates: £229.50
RCS England Members/Fellows: £229.50
RCS England Surgical Associates: £229.50

Course Fees:

Please note, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at the cancellation policy first.

LONDON, United Kingdom

Location:

RCS - Bjorn Saven Centre for Surgical Education
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields
LONDON
WC2A 3PE
United Kingdom
education@rcseng.ac.uk
020 7869 6300
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Fully Booked
Standard Place £255.00
RCS Affiliates: £229.50
RCS England Members/Fellows: £229.50
RCS England Surgical Associates: £229.50
Book Now
Student Place £180.00
RCS Affiliates: £162.00
Book Now

Book online

Have an account?

It's even easier when you login

Login & Book Login & Book
Not got an account?

Don't worry, continue and we'll create an account for you.

Continue to Booking

Book online

Have an account?

It's even easier when you login

Login & Book Login & Book
Not got an account?

Don't worry, continue and we'll create an account for you.

Continue to Booking
Fri
22
Nov
2024
from £180.00
LONDON, United Kingdom

22 Nov 2024

Here is an overview of the programme

from £180.00

Pricing notes:

Full price: £255.00
RCS Affiliates: £229.50
RCS England Members/Fellows: £229.50
RCS England Surgical Associates: £229.50

Course Fees:

Please note, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at the cancellation policy first.

LONDON, United Kingdom

Location:

RCS - Bjorn Saven Centre for Surgical Education
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields
LONDON
WC2A 3PE
United Kingdom
education@rcseng.ac.uk
020 7869 6300
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Choose Package

Book online

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Continue to Booking
Standard Place £255.00
RCS Affiliates: £229.50
RCS England Members/Fellows: £229.50
RCS England Surgical Associates: £229.50
Book Now
Student Place £180.00
RCS Affiliates: £162.00
Book Now

Book online

Have an account?

It's even easier when you login

Login & Book Login & Book
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Don't worry, continue and we'll create an account for you.

Continue to Booking

Book online

Have an account?

It's even easier when you login

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Continue to Booking

International SSSHP Courses

Thu
16
Jan
2025
£50
Ain Shams University Hospital

16 Jan 2025

Here is an overview of the programme

£50

Pricing notes:

Full price: £50

Course Fees:

Please note, we require full payment upon booking. Take a look at the cancellation policy first.

Ain Shams University Hospital

Location:

Demerdash University Hospitals
Ramses Street
CAIRO
Egypt
dr_essam@hotmail.com
00201 002023676

Instructions:

Dr E A F H Ebied, dr_essam@hotmail.com, 00201 002023676
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Booking details

Pricing notes:

Full price: £50

Before booking at the centre, please follow these steps:

Have an account?
Please login Please login
Not got an account?
Register to continue

Contact details:

Please contact the coordinator:
Dr E A F H Ebied
dr_essam@hotmail.com
mailto:dr_essam@hotmail.com

Book online

Have an account?

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Further information and queries

Email

Phone us

Call 020 7869 6300 to talk with a member of our team. 

We are available to answer calls during our working hours of 8.30am–5:00pm, Monday–Friday and there is a voicemail outside this time.