Please enter both an email address and a password.

Account login
Need to reset your password?  Enter the email address which you used to register on this site (or your membership/contact number) and we'll email you a link to reset it. You must complete the process within 2hrs of receiving the link.

We've sent you an email

An email has been sent to Simply follow the link provided in the email to reset your password. If you can't find the email please check your junk or spam folder and add no-reply@rcseng.ac.uk to your address book.

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 ST3 general surgeons to consultants in a variety of specialties. If you are at least ST3 or working at an equivalent level in a trust grade post, we've got a course you can teach on!

For some courses, you may also need a teaching skills qualification, or credible experience in a particular field.

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.

ST3+

Course

Branch / Specialty

Faculty requirements

Alternative faculty requirements

SSS

Surgeon – any specialty

ST3 + IC

Active BSS or CSES faculty

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:

  • credible experience of working in trauma.

Active DSTS faculty

PERT

Surgeon – trauma, cardiothoracics

Emergency Med Physician

ST6 + IC + specific expertise:

  • credible experience of performing resuscitative thoracotomy.

n/a

ST7+ 

Course

Branch / Specialty

Faculty requirements

Alternative faculty requirements

DSTS

Surgeon – general, vascular

ST7 + IC + specific expertise: Three out of:

  • work in a major trauma centre;
  • extensive trauma experience (eg. consultant for 5 years in trauma-receiving hospital);
  • hold a formal trauma fellowship;
  • active military or humanitarian work;
  • verifiable trauma faculty on senior trauma course;
  • have attended DSTS or equivalent as a participant.

n/a

DCOTS

Surgeon – orthopaedics, plastics, vascular

Anaesthetist

ST7 + IC + specific requirements: 

  • credible experience working in trauma and sound knowledge of damage control principles; 
  • recommendation from course directors (eg through attending DCOTS as a participant or through known body of work).

n/a

STAE

Surgeon – any specialty

Obs & Gynae Clinician

ST7 + clinical lead approval + specific expertise:

  • credible experience working in conflict and/or crisis zones.

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:

  • graduate;
  • experience of developing and using a range of teaching methods and particularly practical skills in facilitation;
  • experience of working with people at all levels of seniority.

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

Download eligibility chart

2. Apply to be RCS faculty

Application form

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

Related

Education Awards
Thanks to generous contributions from our donors, we are able to offer a range of education awards every year. Winning an award gives you a sum of money to spend on attending an RCS course.
Courses FAQ
Take a look at answers to common questions about RCS courses, which includes information about booking, eligibility, feedback, cancellations and certificates.

Share this page: