Join our faculty
Our faculty are at the heart of our surgical education, if you’re at least a core trainee or working at an equivalent level in a trust grade post you can join us. By becoming a faculty member you are playing a vital role in advancing surgical education. It allows you to develop invaluable skills as a trainer, supporting your ongoing career development. At the same time, you will experience the satisfaction of sharing your expertise and knowing that you are helping others to develop their careers.
We are incredibly grateful for the time, commitment and expertise of our faculty members. Our focus is to support your ongoing career development by granting you access to our Faculty Development Resource Centre, a digital platform designed to help you advance your non-clinical skills in training and leadership.
By becoming faculty you will:
- Gain invaluable training and leadership skills
- Earn CPD points (you will usually be eligible the first time you prepare for and teach on a course)
- Receive teaching certificates
- Expand your professional network and learn from other surgical professionals
- Experience the joy of helping others develop in their careers
Who can become RCS England faculty?
We welcome faculty from a variety of backgrounds and experience levels. If you are at least a core trainee or working at an equivalent level in a trust grade post, we've got a course you can teach! We are keen to build a community of faculty who can act as role models to course participants and represent the diversity of people who work in surgery.
For some courses, you may also need a teaching skills qualification or credible experience in a particular field. Check the eligibility criteria below and apply today or read our FAQs.
Eligibility criteria
These tables show you the courses you can teach at each training grade. For other requirements see eligibility criteria
If you are not on a UK training programme, we accept an equivalent number of years postgraduate clinical experience eg ST3 = at least four years’ postgraduate clinical experience; ST7 = at least eight years’ postgraduate clinical experience.
For all courses you will teach as an instructor candidate the first time you teach – you will be supernumerary, supervised and signed off by the Course Director.
Core Trainee / SCP
- Core surgical trainee and surgical care practitioner. Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
- Surgical care practitioner. Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
ST3+
BSS
- Surgeon - any specialty
SSSHP
- Surgeon - any specialty
START
- Surgeon - any specialty, anaesthetist, intensive care specialist, physician
- Surgical care team and nurse.
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
ST5+
CCrISP
- Surgeon - any specialty, anaesthetist, intensive care specialist
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
Core Lap
- Surgeon - any specialty that conducts minimally invasive surgery
ST6+
CSES
- Surgeon - general, vascular
Inter Lap
- Surgeon - any specialty that conducts minimally invasive surgery
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
PERT
- Surgeon - trauma, cardiothoracic
- Emergency medicine physician
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
SSET
- Surgeon - general, vascular, thoracic
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
ST7+
DCOTS
- Surgeon - orthopaedics, plastics, vascular; Anaesthetist.
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
DSTS
- Surgeon - general, vascular.
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
STAE
- Surgeon - any specialty
- Obstetrics and gynaecology clinician
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
Consultant
CCRISP Instructor
- Surgeon - any specialty, anaesthetists, intensive care specialist
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
ESS
- Surgeon - any specialty
- Medical clinician - specialty allied to surgery
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
PBAS
- Surgeon - plastics, aesthetics, cosmetics
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
TTT
- Surgeon - any specialty
- Educator
- Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
- If you are interested in becoming a course director, please see our full eligibility document for criteria.
Process for becoming faculty
This process applies to all courses except ATLS®. If you want to become an ATLS® instructor, please see our information for ATLS® Instructors.
1. Check your eligibility
2. Apply to be RCS England faculty
If you haven’t been involved with RCS England before, we will ask you to register on our website.
3. Sign policy documents
We will send you documents about:
- code of conduct;
- intellectual property, copyright and media consent;
- non-disclosure.
Please sign the acknowledgement form and return to edufaculty@rcseng.ac.uk. You are not permitted to teach until you have signed the acknowledgement.
Our Executive Office may also send you documents on GDPR, standing rules and expenses. Please sign and return those to the executive office.
4. Arrange to teach
- If you are going to teach at a regional centre, let your course coordinator know you have been approved to teach as an instructor candidate.
- If you are going to teach at a partner centre, we will invite you to teach on an upcoming course as an instructor candidate.
5. Prepare to teach
Familiarise yourself with the course ethos, content and materials:
- Your course coordinator will send you any hard copy materials that are available for your course, eg faculty handbook.
- We will send you a link to any online resources available. These may include videos and handbooks.
- You may want to observe a course in order to understand it better – just ask your course coordinator.
6. Teach as an instructor candidate
- Read our guidance for instructor candidates.
- Speak to the course director before the course, so you know what you will be asked to do.
- The course director or co-director will watch you teach and make some notes about your performance.
7. After teaching as an instructor candidate
The course director will discuss your performance with you:
- If you did well, they will let us know, and we will give you full faculty status. You need to teach on the course at least every two years to maintain your faculty status.
- If they think you aren’t ready to be faculty yet, they will tell you why and give you advice on areas to work on. You may be given an opportunity to try again at a later date.
Useful documents
Hear from our faculty and participants
- 'I absolutely love teaching on RCS England courses: the setup is great, the students are all ultra-keen and our feedback is listened to by the College.'
- 'The course was extremely valuable in training me in an essential skill. The teachers were very good and as a result of this course I have been able to assist in surgery.'
- 'Fantastic support from all faculty - wonderfully devoted people, excited about teaching. I received tons of support and encouragement throughout the course and it's made a massive impact on my confidence and ability to learn. Cannot be thankful enough.'
- 'Being faculty is a rewarding experience and a way to strive to keep yourself updated in the field.'
- 'Each and every one of the faculty were incredible. I have never seen a more friendly group of facilitators who were always on hand happy to ask questions and highly approachable. This is what made the course even more enjoyable, having great mentors there to help and guide us through the two days.'
- 'All faculty I came into contact with during the course were supportive and keen to pass on knowledge. There was also a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere throughout the two-day course and this was much appreciated, and it helps learning!'
- 'I love being RCS England faculty. Teaching on a course and training others helps to build your own confidence and skill.'
- 'I can now come to theatre and be a useful asset. This will hopefully allow me to increase my surgical experience greatly.'