About
This intensive one-day course provides a comprehensive introduction to the core principles and essential skills of surgery. Designed specifically for medical students, foundation doctors, and junior surgical trainees, it equips delegates with the fundamental operative competencies expected in the early stages of a surgical career.
The course runs from 0830 to 1815 hours and is conducted under simulated operating theatre conditions, closely reflecting real surgical practice. Delegates will perform all procedures on biological tissue models that replicate the texture, consistency, and elasticity of living tissue, allowing authentic appreciation of tension, depth, and tactile feedback. This natural realism enhances spatial awareness, manual dexterity, and confidence in tissue handling, qualities that cannot be reproduced on synthetic materials.
The programme blends interactive discussion, live demonstration, and hands-on practice. Each procedure is first demonstrated in real time by experienced faculty, projected onto a large screen for clarity, and then practised by each delegate under direct supervision. The high tutor-to-delegate ratio ensures individual feedback, guidance, and correction of technique.
In addition to technical skills, the course reinforces essential operative principles such as aseptic precautions, wound management, safe instrument handling, and patient safety. It also introduces the fundamental concepts of trauma care, surgical emergencies, and wound reconstruction, providing delegates with an integrated understanding of surgical reasoning and operative strategy.
Feedback from previous courses highlights the excellent organisation, practical emphasis, and immediate clinical relevance of the sessions. This is a highly recommended course for all junior doctors and medical students aspiring to build a successful and confident career in surgery.
Teaching Style
The teaching approach is highly interactive and demonstrative. Each skill is first explained and performed step-by-step by the faculty using live demonstration projected onto a large screen. Delegates then practise the same procedure under direct supervision, receiving real-time correction and feedback. No pre-recorded material is used; every session is live, dynamic, and practical.
The high tutor-to-delegate ratio ensures that every participant gains substantial hands-on time, focusing on precision, instrument control, and efficiency. The teaching environment mirrors the rhythm and discipline of a real operating theatre, encouraging professionalism, attention to detail, and situational awareness. By the end of the course, delegates will have performed all key procedures independently under guided supervision and acquired the confidence to apply these skills safely in clinical settings.
Topics Covered
- Aseptic precautions and surgical preparation.
- Gowning and closed-gloving technique.
- Secure knot tying: Reef Knot, Surgeon’s Knot, and Aberdeen Knot; tying at depth; and tying around a vessel.
- Safe handling of instruments and disposal of sharps.
- Infiltration and safe use of local anaesthesia.
- Suture materials and needle selection.
- Basic and intermediate suturing techniques: simple interrupted, continuous, vertical and horizontal mattress, subcuticular, and deep dermal closure.
- Advanced wound closure: figure-of-eight haemostatic stitch, purse-string suture.
- Excision of cutaneous and subcutaneous lesions.
- Drainage of abscesses and management of contaminated wounds.
- Debridement principles and wound planning.
- Assessment of hand trauma and tendon repair principles (flexor and extensor).
- Safe wound drain placement and fixation.
- Principles of wound healing and reconstructive surgery.
- Introduction to local flaps and their geometric design.
Aims
- To familiarise delegates with safe aseptic technique and operating theatre conduct.
- To develop competence in knot tying, suturing, and basic operative procedures.
- To improve understanding of tissue handling, wound closure, and local anaesthetic use.
- To introduce the principles of trauma management and wound reconstruction.
- To cultivate precision, confidence, and efficiency through supervised hands-on practice.
- To prepare aspiring surgeons for the technical and cognitive demands of surgical training.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, delegates should be able to:
- demonstrate correct aseptic preparation, gowning, and gloving techniques.
- confidently handle surgical instruments and perform secure knots at varying depths.
- administer local anaesthesia safely and efficiently.
- execute a wide range of suturing methods with proper tissue alignment and tension control.
- excise skin and subcutaneous lesions and plan appropriate wound closure.
- perform effective wound debridement and abscess drainage.
- assess traumatic soft-tissue injuries of the hand and outline principles of tendon repair.
- apply knowledge of wound healing and reconstructive principles, including flap geometry.
- demonstrate safe operative conduct, ergonomic technique, and teamwork within a simulated theatre environment.
Reviews
Suitable For
- Medical Students
- Foundation Year Doctors
- Core Surgical Trainees
- Junior Surgeons
- Advanced Nurse Practitioners
- Surgical Nurse Practitioners
- Theatre Assistants
