Silver Scalpel Award 2008

Silver Scalpel Award 2008-09

Teaching has to become a more efficient and at the same time more effective to ensure that the surgeons of tomorrow are well equipped. 

The Silver Scalpel Award has proven that there are surgeons who continue to deliver excellence in training despite the introduction of the European Working Time directive.  Their energy and enthusiasm has not been dampened, on the contrary they consistently and repeatedly demonstrate an outstanding ability to teach and train.  They exhibit a strong sense of leadership.  They seize every moment in the day to teach the holistics on surgical practice and the management of the surgical patient.  They are clear in communicating their goals but are also prepared to learn from a trainee in a bi-directional relationship.

We want to hear from you, the trainee about any surgical trainer that you feel deserves this prestigious award.  We want to know why.  We never forget a good teacher because a good teacher inspires you to learn and better yourself.

The winner of the Silver Scalpel Award in previous years has always scored one of the highest marks on the initial screening of your submissions by your fellow trainees.  Please take care therefore to think about what your write and reflect on your trainer’s skills in respect of five categories:

Leadership

Resourcefulness

Training and Development

Professionalism

Communication

The scoring system has been developed with the help of the Education Department of the Royal College of Surgeons and Industrial Psychologists.  Each competency is initially scored against a valdated scoring system by trainees and the top 6 candidates are shortlisted.  Letters are then sent to the chief executive and post-graduate dean and a 360 degree interview carried out by members of ASiT council. The outcome of the interviews are collated in a standardised format and then forwarded to the 4 Surgical College Presidents who select their top 3 candidates, with these then being forwarded to the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, who decides the winner.  The award will be made at the Association of Surgeons in Training Annual Conference in March 2009.

It is clear the winners and the short listed candidates of the Silver Scalpel Award not only deliver excellence in training but also a first class service.  The two go hand and hand and are not usually exclusive.  Good services enable good training and visa versa because together they culminate in a knowledge creating and learning environment.

Please send your nominations by Friday, 31st October 2008 to:

Room 173,

Level D,

Jubilee Building,

Leeds General Infirmary

Great George Street,

Leeds LS1 3EX


Or email your nominations to:

sarah.hartley@leedsth.nhs.uk

 

 

Mr. D. J. O’Regan, M.B.A. M.D. FRCS C-Th,

Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon

Past President of ASiT

Added on: 5th December 2008