The College, in consultation with both trainers and trainees, has developed a mentoring programme which aims to ensure every surgical trainee has the opportunity and access to the benefits that structured mentoring by an experienced surgeon can offer. 

The key participants are the mentors and mentees with support and oversight from individual specialty committees under the governance and stewardship of the Department of Surgical Affairs at the RCSI. 

The mentor’s role will be to act as an advisor to their trainee on areas as follows:

1) Current difficulties/problems

2) Future career planning and development  

Trainees are expected to fully engage with mentorship and in particular to focus on any of the issues identified under the defined headings.

Although mentorship is a voluntary exercise and participants should not be compelled to participate in the programme.  It is intended that if this initiative is successful and beneficial, it will be extended to all trainees which will necessitate a corresponding increase in participation.

This programme will be rolled out in July 2020 and further information will be circulated in the coming weeks.