Become RCS faculty
At the RCS, our faculty are at the heart of our educational offer.
Becoming a faculty member means that you play 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.
It is also a great way to expand your professional network and learn from other surgical professionals in a unique, educational environment.
We welcome faculty from a variety of backgrounds and experience levels. 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.
Who can become RCS faculty?
Eligibility requirements vary from course to course, from core trainees to consultants in a variety of specialties - if you've completed foundation training, we've got a course you can teach on!
We also welcome SAS surgeons and members of the surgical care team.
For some courses, you may also need a teaching skills qualification, or credible experience in a particular field. Please check the criteria before applying.
Eligibility criteria
These tables show you the courses you can teach on at each training grade.
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.
Where the chart states ‘IC’, you will have to teach as an instructor candidate the first time you teach – you will be supernumerary, supervised and signed off by the Course Director.
BSS
Surgeon - any specialty + ST3 + IC
Alternative faculty requirement: Be active CSES faculty
SSSHP
Surgeon - any specialty + ST3 + IC
Core surgical trainee and surgical care practitioner - have passed BSS. Other requirements applied, see eligibility criteria
Alternative faculty requirement: Be active BSS faculty
START
Surgeon - any specialty, anaesthetist, Intensive care specialist, physician + ST3 + IC
Surgical cate team and nurse. Other requirements apply, see eligibility criteria
Alternative faculty requirement: Be active CCrISP faculty
ATLS®
…….
CCrISP
Surgeon - any specialty, anaesthetist, intensive care specialist + ST5 + have attended teaching skills course + Complete the IC Preparation online module + IC.
Alternative faculty requirement: ST5 + Passed CCrISP Instructor course
Core Lap
Surgeon - any specialty that conducts minimally invasive surgery + ST5 + IC
Alternative faculty requirement: Be active Intermediate Laparoscopy faculty
CSES
Surgeon - general, vascular + ST6 + IC
Inter Lap
Surgeon - any specialty that conducts minimally invasive surgery + ST6 + IC. Other requirements applied, see eligibility criteria
SSET
|
Course |
Branch / Specialty |
Faculty requirements |
Alternative faculty requirements |
|
SSS |
Surgeon – any specialty |
ST3 + IC |
Active BSS or CSES faculty |
| Core surgical trainee | Have passed BSS + IC | ||
| Surgical care practitioner | Have held and SCP role at least 2 years + Have passed BSS + IC | ||
|
BSS |
Surgeon – any specialty |
ST3 + IC |
Active CSES faculty |
|
START |
Surgeon – any specialty Anaesthetist Intensive care specialist |
ST3 + IC |
Active CCrISP faculty |
ST4+
|
Course |
Branch / Specialty |
Faculty requirements |
Alternative faculty requirements |
|
ATLS® |
Surgeon – any specialty Emergency Med Physician Anaesthetist GP |
ST4 + IP nomination + ATLS Instructor course + IC |
n/a |
ST5+
|
Course |
Branch / Specialty |
Faculty requirements |
Alternative faculty requirements |
|
CCrISP |
Surgeon – any specialty Anaesthetist Intensive care specialist |
ST5 + Teaching skills course + Observation of (or have passed) current edition + IC |
ST5 + CCrISP Instructor course |
|
Core Lap |
Surgeon – any specialty |
ST5 + IC |
Active Inter Lap faculty |
ST6+
|
Course |
Branch / Specialty |
Faculty requirements |
Alternative faculty requirements |
|
CSES |
Surgeon – general, vascular |
ST6 + IC |
n/a |
|
Inter Lap |
Surgeon – any specialty |
ST6 + IC |
n/a |
|
SSET |
Surgeon – general, vascular, thoracic |
ST6 + IC + specific expertise:
|
Active DSTS faculty |
|
PERT |
Surgeon – trauma, cardiothoracics Emergency Med Physician |
ST6 + IC + specific expertise:
|
n/a |
ST7+
|
Course |
Branch / Specialty |
Faculty requirements |
Alternative faculty requirements |
|
DSTS |
Surgeon – general, vascular |
ST7 + IC + specific expertise: Three out of:
|
n/a |
|
DCOTS |
Surgeon – orthopaedics, plastics, vascular Anaesthetist |
ST7 + IC + specific requirements:
|
n/a |
|
STAE |
Surgeon – any specialty Obs & Gynae Clinician |
ST7 + clinical lead approval + specific expertise:
|
n/a |
Consultant
|
Course |
Branch / Specialty |
Faculty requirements |
Alternative faculty requirements |
|
TTT |
Surgeon – any specialty |
Consultant + IC + specific expertise: An interest and involvement in training |
Educator + IC + specific expertise:
|
|
CCrISP Instructor |
Surgeon – any specialty Anaesthetist Intensive care specialist |
Consultant + CCrISP Course director + observation of (or have passed) current edition of Instructor course + IC |
n/a |
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 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.