'Per ardua...'Training tomorrow's surgeons using inter alia lessons from aviation

It is incumbent on today’s surgeons to produce the next generation of well-trained and qualified surgeons. There are many aspects to becoming a surgeon (or becoming a ‘better ’ surgeon). First, there are the intellectual aspects, the learning of anatomy, physiology and the like. Then there are the practical skills, the manual dexterity, and the tissue handling skills. Additional aspects include leadership, good decision-making, judgement and good communication skills. Whilst some of these abilities are innate in a trainee, many must also be taught and all will need to be assessed. Generations of surgeons have learnt largely as an apprentice. As this model has been effective, why change it? There is a dramatic reduction in operating exposure amongst current trainees as compared with their pre-decessors, who were trained as Registrar and then Senior