Core Clinical Communication Skills for Aspiring Surgeons
Brand New MRCS Part B Preparation
Interested in significantly improving your Core Communications skills to perform exceptionally within Communication Stations within the MRCS Part B OSCE Examination?
Register today – Brand New MRCS Part B Preparation – Core Clinical Communication Skills for Aspiring Surgeons – Tuesday 9 December 2026
Interested in significantly improving your Core Communications skills to perform exceptionally within Communication Stations within the MRCS Part B OSCE Examination?
RCSI’s interactive 1-day MRCS Part B preparation course is designed to support aspiring surgeons not trained in Ireland in developing essential communication skills critical for clinical practice and examination success.
Participants will focus on key areas including establishing rapport, gathering and delivering information effectively, and communicating by telephone.
Through realistic mock patient interviews, MRCS Part B candidates will have the opportunity to apply these skills to enhance both confidence and performance.
To register, please visit: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/professional-cpd/cpdss/mrcs-part-b-preparation/course-details
For any queries, please email surgerymarketing@rcsi.ie
Kind regards,
RCSI Surgery
Suturing Skills and Wound Closure
Wednesday, 4 February 2026 | Galway University Hospital
In this brand-new regional course, NCHDs in Surgery and Emergency Medicine will master knot-tying and suturing skills from first principles. Experienced consultant surgeons will give you formative feedback on your instrument handling, tissue manipulation and wound closure techniques.
NEW - Register today – Suturing Skills and Wound Closure – Wednesday, 4 February 2026
Location: Galway University Hospital
In this brand-new regional course, NCHDs in Surgery and Emergency Medicine will master knot-tying and suturing skills from first principles. Experienced consultant surgeons will give you formative feedback on your instrument handling, tissue manipulation and wound closure techniques.
Once your skills have been practiced you will close different shaped wounds on synthetic and animal models.
To register, please visit: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/professional-cpd/cpdss/suturing-skills-and-wound-closure-4/course-details
Claim your free Affiliate Membership of RCSI
RCSI is pleased to advise that all NCHD’s who are enrolled in the Continuous Professional Development Support Scheme 2025-2026 may avail of free Affiliate Membership of RCSI.
RCSI is pleased to advise that all NCHD’s who are enrolled in the Continuous Professional Development Support Scheme 2025-2026 may avail of free Affiliate Membership of RCSI.
Affiliate Membership of RCSI provides exclusive access to a range of ‘member-only’ services aimed at supporting and supplementing your personal, practical, academic and professional development. Additionally, Affiliate Membership enables you to network and stay up to date with the latest news from the field of surgery by providing access to RCSI communications channels, surgical publications and resources and global networking opportunities.
The NEW Fellows and Members Portal
RCSI have launched a new Fellows and Members Portal that also houses a range of resources, supports and benefits for Affiliate Members.
The Portal is accessible at www.rcsi.com/portal. Please note, if it is your first time accessing the new Fellows and Members Portal, you must first sign up by following the steps below:
Existing Affiliate Members
If you were previously enrolled in CPD_SS for 2024-2025 and/or are an existing Affiliate Member, you may access your exclusive resources and benefits via the Portal.
If you are not able to view these resources and benefits you may be required to seek a subscription waiver.You can request a waiver by following the steps below:
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Upcoming Courses
Limited spaces available
Please see our upcoming CPD courses and meetings, taking place in December and January. Places are limited for all our courses, so early registration is advised to avoid disappointment.
We write to advise you that we have places available for the following CPD courses and meetings that will take place in the following weeks. Places are limited for all our courses, so early registration is advised to avoid disappointment.
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This one-day course is a high-fidelity simulation programme and is delivered in collaboration with the College of Anaesthesiologists in Ireland and takes place in the National Simulation Centre at RCSI. It is open to surgeons working in Irish hospitals.
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MRCS Part B Preparation Course: Core Clinical Communication Skills for aspiring Surgeons
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This interactive course is designed to support aspiring surgeons not trained in Ireland in developing essential communication skills critical for clinical practice and examination success.
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This is a hands-on course where you will get expert formative feedback while practicing laparoscope handling, object positioning and tissue manipulation. You will then progress to performing a cholecystectomy on a simulated animal model.
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Minor Operations Workshop
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You will master your knot tying and suturing skills from first principles. Experienced consultant surgeons will give you formative feedback on local anesthetic application, your instrument handling, tissue manipulation, and minor operative techniques. You will also perform minor operating procedures such as excision of a lesion, abscess drainage, sebaceous cyst and lipoma excision and ingrown toenail management. The principles of skin grafting and simple local flap design will be demonstrated.
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Active Bystander Intervention Training
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This training session aims to empower the RCSI community to challenge poor behaviors which have become normalised and bring change through the reinforcement of messages defining the boundaries of unacceptable behavior.
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This endoscopy workshop will introduce endoscopic techniques, sedation, bowel preparation and diagnostic recognition of pathology. The practical session will use both virtual reality endoscopic simulators and bench task trainers to practice doing gastroscopy and colonoscopy, on modules with different pathologies.
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Intermediate General Surgery
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This programme covers instruction in technical skills to perform fashioning a stoma (ileostomy/colostomy), performing a bowelanastomosis and performing an open inguinal hernia management. This practical course will use both synthetic and animal simulation to aid learning and practicing skills.
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Emergency Abdominal Surgery
7 places left
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EASC curriculum focuses on the acute abdomen, in a multidisciplinary shared learning approach. It will enhance your ability on-duty as a surgeon, gastroenterologist or radiologist; either as a trainee or a specialist. The course is endorsed by many societies and is regularly updated with the latest advances in emergency surgery care.
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If a course is FULL – it is recommended to apply for the waiting list. Often doctors withdraw from courses closer to the date.
If you would like to book and attend more than your FREE 3 full-day courses allowance, you will be required to pay an enrolment fee for the additional courses. However, this fee can be reimbursed via HSE’s Training Support Scheme. Further details can be found here.
Please do not hesitate to contact us in the meantime at cpdss@rcsi.ie
Self-paced online courses
Study at your own time
We are consistently striving to expand our selection of self-paced online courses, allowing you to complete them conveniently at your own preferred schedule.
We are consistently striving to expand our selection of self-paced online courses, allowing you to complete them conveniently at your own preferred schedule. Below is a list of the courses we offer:
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NEW - Good Clinical Practice
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This course is relevant to principal investigators, medical team members, research nurses/midwives and other healthcare professionals, monitors and research site personnel.Content is based on ICH E6 (R3) 2025 and includes the key requirements of the Clinical Trial Regulations (536/2014) and national legislation.
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Professionalism in Clinical Practice
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RCSI has developed an online course
“Professionalism in Clinical Practice” which is aimed at medical doctors in all specialties. The course is based on the Medical Council’s “Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Registered Medical Practitioners” and is presented in an interesting and engaging format
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Skin Tone in Clinical Assessment and Research
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This one-hour CPD programme explores the importance of skin tone diversity in healthcare, covering skin biology, classification systems, and disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and research. It addresses the lack of diverse representation in medical education, simulation models, and clinical studies, the challenges of diagnosing across different skin tones, and the role of emerging technologies and AI in reducing bias
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Clinical Trials - Running a Cancer Clinical Trial
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This CPD course builds on Clinical Trials – From development to opening to provide further practical knowledge for those involved in research. The course will help you to ensure your trials are conducted effectively, including how to identify and address potential risks.
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Quality healthcare requires clear and effective communication between healthcare professionals, teams, and patients. In this course, we will focus on one particular area of healthcare communication: clinical handovers. This online course aims to support clinicians to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively prepare and participate in clinical handover.
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Communication Skills for Video and Telephone Consultation
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Video and telephone consultations in healthcare are not new, but the COVID-19 crisis forced many clinicians to rapidly take up these kinds of consultations as a feasible alternative to face-to-face consultations. This is often a type of consultation that staff has not encountered before. Applying the Calgary-Cambridge guide to video and telephone calls provides a structured and safe approach to this virtual format.
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The course is presented as a series of recorded one-hour modules. Each module, involving a separate specialty theme, will involve case-based discussions with a variety of guest speakers. Slides covering the content are provided, and a short series of MCQs based on the content covered is completed to complete the module.
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ECG Interpretation in the Emergency Department
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This online course uses a case discussion format to revise the basics of ECG Interpretation for Emergency Medicine physicians. This online platform allows candidates to access the recorded content on demand, with the facility to repeat more challenging modules as desired. Candidates are required to complete a quiz at the beginning and end of the course.
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Medical Science for Surgery and Emergency Medicine
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RCSI, in collaboration with the Academy of Clinical Science and Laboratory Medicine (https://acslm.ie/), has developed a CPD/CME programme designed to support the ongoing development of competence in this vital area of clinical practice. The programme offers a series of short online courses covering 25 key topics in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. The first seven courses in the series focus on Cancer Diagnostics, Surgical Microbiology, Blood Transfusion, Coagulation, Surgical Immunology, Heart Failure Assessment in the Emergency Department, and Near Patient Testing (NPT), spanning both basic and applied pathology.
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Virtual Lean Healthcare Yellow Belt
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As part of the programme participants learn excellent techniques for improving processes and implementing change in your hospital or department, but they also develop abilities that are highly portable across the organisation and internationally.
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Essential Skills in Health Professions Education
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The course includes mini-modules on large group teaching, small group teaching, bedside teaching, simulation-based learning, and Universal Design for Learning. Each mini module includes video content, curated reading lists and interactive activities.
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Clinical Trials – From development to opening
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Cancer clinical trials are pivotal research studies that aim to advance our understanding of cancer and develop new treatment options. They involve rigorous testing of novel therapies, drugs, or interventions to assess their safety and efficacy in real-world patient scenarios.
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Introduction to Green Surgery
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This short course explores the contribution of surgery to climate change and examines interventions that can lead to reduced greenhouse gases and reduce the climate impact of surgery.
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Foundations in Robotic Surgery
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The course covers material which we believe is fundamental to understanding the current state of surgical robotics in the market and the skills necessary to safe and effectively utilise this technology in your everyday surgical practice.This course is design for any healthcare professional wanting to develop their knowledge and understanding of surgical robotics, including surgeons, trainees, medical students, nurses, and technicians.
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Basics of Procedural Sedation and Analgesia in Emergency Department
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This one-hour online course is designed to equip you with essential knowledge for providing safe and effective sedation in the Emergency Department. This comprehensive module will guide you through the fundamentals of procedural sedation, preparing you to handle challenging situations with confidence and expertise.
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Courses covered by the CPD voucher can be booked between now and 15 June 2026. Regardless of when you register the course, these will be available in your Moodle account until 1 August 2026
For further queries please do not hesitate to contact us at cpdss@rcsi.ie
Course Spotlight: Basic Laparoscopy
Wednesday, 10 December 2025
This course is perfect for doctors starting their training in laparoscopic surgery. This is a hands-on course in which you receive expert formative feedback while practicing your skills on bespoke low- and high- fidelity models. Expert laparoscopic consultants will also guide you through performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on an animal liver-gallbladder model.
Date: 10 December
Duration: 7 hours
CPD Credits: 7.5
Location: RCSI, Dublin
Summary
This course is perfect for doctors starting their training in laparoscopic surgery. This is a hands-on course in which you receive expert formative feedback while practicing your skills on bespoke low- and high- fidelity models. Expert laparoscopic consultants will also guide you through performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on an animal liver-gallbladder model.
Suitable for: SHOs in general surgery, colorectal surgery, urology, obstetrics, and gynaecology.
Learning outcomes
- Practice in laparoscopic set-up, camera and stacks
- Increased knowledge in the selection and safe placement of a port
- Improvement in your camera navigation skills
- Improvement in your instrument-handling skills
- Improvement in your depth of perception and dissection skills
- Familiarisation with the steps and haptic feedback of performing a simulated laparoscopic cholecystectomy
In this practical course we will use a combination of synthetic and animal tissue (porcine)
To register, please click here.
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Masterclass in Basic and Advanced Hepatobiliary Surgical Techniques
Join RCSI on Wednesday, 15 April 2026 for our Masterclass in Basic and Advanced Hepatobiliary Surgical Techniques aimed at HPB Registrars, General Surgeons and Surgical NCHDs who have completed at least two years of surgical training.
Join RCSI on Wednesday, 15 April 2026 for our Masterclass in Basic and Advanced Hepatobiliary Surgical Techniques aimed at HPB Registrars, General Surgeons and Surgical NCHDs who have completed at least two years of surgical training.
This course is being led by Professor Tom Gallagher, Consultant HPB Surgeon in St Vincent's University Hospital. The course will include short didactic sessions in combination with
- Intra-operative video
- Laparoscopic surgical techniques
- Open HPB surgical techniques
The main focus of the masterclass will be on hands-on simulation which will be proctored by experienced HPB surgeons.
The hands-on sessions will give attendees an introduction to both advanced and basic HPB procedures including Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and Laparoscopic liver resection.
For any queries, please email cpdss@rcsi.ie or visit: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/professional-cpd/cpdss/introduction-to-hepatobiliary-surgical-techniques/course-details
Kind regards,
RCSI Surgery
Online PG Diploma/MSc in Human Factors in Patient Safety
Applications Now Open
Applications for our flexible part-time, inter-disciplinary and online PG Diploma/MSc in Human Factors in Patient Safety are now open for September 2026 intake.
Gain essential skills and knowledge to work effectively within inter-disciplinary healthcare teams.
Applications for our flexible part-time, inter-disciplinary and online PG Diploma/MSc in Human Factors in Patient Safety are now open for September 2026 intake.
Open to clinicians worldwide, scholars will develop an understanding of the theory around patient safety, errors, and the individual and system level factors which contribute to these.
Did you know: Applicants applying together (minimum 2) can avail of our 10% Discount for Teams offering which reduces the price for our Online PG Diploma. Working with someone in your healthcare team or hospital? Avail of our Discount for Teams offering for September 2026 intake.
To learn more, please click here.
Clinicians as Educators - Effective Teaching Skills
Applications Now Open - January 2026
Gain essential skills and knowledge to enhance your teaching skills as a clinician – Clinicians as Educators – Effective Teaching Skills (Micro-credential) - Open to doctors including Interns, NCHDs and Surgical Trainees
Gain essential skills and knowledge to enhance your teaching skills as a clinician – Clinicians as Educators – Effective Teaching Skills (Micro-credential) - Open to doctors including Interns, NCHDs and Surgical Trainees
Please note applications for our brand-new online micro-credential “Clinicians as Educators – Teach Skills” are now open for January 2026 intake.
This Module aims to support and promote the development of your role as a teacher and assessor in clinical practice and is in essence a “Teach the Teacher “course – 10 ECTS. Please note this micro-credential has limited places so we advise you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
As well as gaining insight into educational theory the module is very practical in its approach and will ensure improvement of your clinical bedside and classroom teaching and assessing skills. Scholars will have lots of opportunity for peer and faculty discussions on clinical teaching experiences and challenges and will gain insights into developing solutions.
For more information, please click here.
Applications now open – MRCS Part A April 2026
Applications for the next MRCS Part A examination in April 2026 is now open whereby candidates can sit the MRCS Part A examination with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland worldwide via Pearson VUE.
Applications now open – MRCS Part A April 2026
Applications for the next MRCS Part A examination in April 2026 is now open whereby candidates can sit the MRCS Part A examination with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland worldwide via Pearson VUE.
RCSI is committed to supporting the career development of aspiring surgeons worldwide, we provide a range of supports and resources to help you prepare for the MRCS examinations, including free access to our Affiliate Membership which includes over 100 MRCS specific resources, 15% off PasTest resources for MRCS Part A and access to TeachMe, providing MRCS candidates sitting MRCS Part A with RCSI free access to TeachMe Surgery and TeachMe Anatomy (including both question banks with over 2000+ MCQs combined),
For more information, please visit: https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/professional-cpd/professional-exams/surgery/mrcs-part-a
Operation Childlife Clinical Travel Fellowship
Applications Closing Soon
RCSI and Operation Childlife are working together to support surgical trainees or medical professionals gain additional expertise by participating in paediatric healthcare missions, led by Irish hospital consultants, doctors and nurses who plan and deliver two-week programmes of care, with Operation Childlife in Vietnam, Tanzania, Mongolia and Jordan.
RCSI and Operation Childlife are working together to support surgical trainees or medical professionals gain additional expertise by participating in paediatric healthcare missions, led by Irish hospital consultants, doctors and nurses who plan and deliver two-week programmes of care, with Operation Childlife in Vietnam, Tanzania, Mongolia and Jordan.
Operation Childlife and RCSI will consider applications and make awards based on the following criteria:
- Complete application form and copy of CV (max 4 pages)
- Evidence of altruism and how this will benefit OCL partners
- Merits of proposed Fellowship in relation to the applicant's learning objectives
- Likely value to the Irish health system
Please note
- Surgical applicants should be on higher training scheme to be eligible to apply or in the later stages of training if in other disciplines.
- It may not always be possible for a recipient to join a trip within an intended year due to scheduling in this instance OCL would seek to accommodate the successful recipient on the next available trip on the following year.
APPLICATION FORM 2026
The applicant must submit the following:
- A completed application form
- Summary CV, no longer than four pages
Please submit a completed application and summary of your CV to lauramartin@rcsi.ie.
Applications will close on 1 December 2025.
For more information, visit: https://www.rcsi.com/surgery/training/fellowship-opportunities/operation-childlife-clinical-travel-fellowship
Wellbeing 2: A National Study of Wellbeing of Hospital Doctors in Ireland
Then and Now…….Help Shape the Next Chapter
We invite you to participate in Wellbeing 2: A National Study of Wellbeing of Hospital Doctors in Ireland.
We invite you to participate in Wellbeing 2: A National Study of Wellbeing of Hospital Doctors in Ireland.
Did you know that 10 years ago in Irish hospitals…
- Doctors worked an average of 57 hours per week
- 82% of doctors experienced workplace stress, with 1 in 3 reporting burnout symptoms
- Only 22% of doctors had a good work–life balance
- Yet over 70% of doctors loved what they do and had a strong desire to practice medicine.
These were findings from the National Wellbeing Study of hospital doctors carried out in 2014. This study started the conversation of doctor wellbeing in Ireland and laid the groundwork for implementing wellbeing initiatives including establishing wellbeing committees in the postgraduate colleges.
What is the situation 10 years later? That’s what the Wellbeing 2 Study is here to find out.
Wellbeing 2 is:
- Measuring the personal and workplace wellbeing of hospital doctors
- A national study across specialties, including consultants, NCHDs and GP trainees in Irish hospitals
- Sponsored by RCPI and supported by all the other post-graduate medical training bodies.
- Using validated survey tools to ensure robust, high-quality results
- Anonymous and confidential
Our participant information leaflet describes the aims of the study, the methodology and what participation means for you.
One CPD credit will be awarded on completion of the survey, and you can enter a draw for one of 3 X €500 SWIRL® pre-paid debit cards.
Wellbeing 2 will provide high-quality data about the current state of doctor wellbeing which can be used to advocate for further changes and supports.
Your contribution is essential to ensure that the study truly reflects wellbeing across hospital doctors working in Ireland. If you consent to participate in this study, please complete the 15-minute online questionnaire by clicking on the link below or scanning the QR code at the bottom:
Wellbeing 2 Survey Link
Please ensure your voice is heard!
A high response rate will increase the validity of the results and their power to improve the working lives of doctors.
Your experience matters. Help shape the future of doctor wellbeing in Ireland!
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