South West Surgical Conference 2026
14th February 2026
The RILD Building, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford), Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW
Aims and Objectives
- Provide medical students with exposure to a broad range of surgical specialties.
- Share insights into surgical careers through talks delivered by consultants, registrars, and junior doctors.
- Offer hands-on practical skills through interactive workshops (e.g., CST portfolio building, suturing, laparoscopic skills, local free flap techniques).
- Give students experience in presenting and discussing research through an oral poster session.
- Facilitate networking opportunities with clinicians and peers.
- Introduce students to medical resources, revision guides, and educational products through sponsorship engagement.
Fee, Date and Venue
- Date : 14th February 2026
- Time : 0830 – 1700 hours
- Venue : The RILD Building, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford), Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW
- Conference Fee : £10.00
- No. of Places Available : 110–120
- Suitable for : Medical Students
Organisers
- Miss Adeela Muzaffar – Co-President
- Mr Rais Aslam – Co-President
- Mr Patryk Chlopas – Conference Lead
- Mr Emre Alp – Conference Lead
About
The South West Surgical Conference will be held at the RILD Building in Exeter and is organised by the student-led Exeter Surgical Society committee. Running from 0830 to 1700 hours, the event is primarily aimed at medical students with an interest in surgery.
The conference will feature four speakers from a range of surgical specialties, including consultants, registrars, and junior doctors, who will share their experiences and insights into surgical practice and career pathways.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in four hands-on workshops led by clinicians, covering CST portfolio building, suturing, laparoscopic skills, and local free flap techniques. In addition, the event will include an oral poster presentation, graded and awarded by a panel of two to three consultants.
The programme is designed to provide both educational and practical learning opportunities, with keynote talks in the morning, interactive workshops after lunch, and the poster presentation in the afternoon. The event also encourages engagement with speakers and networking with peers.
Food, drinks, and refreshments will be provided, with both a short break and a longer lunch break scheduled. Attendees will gain exposure to a variety of surgical specialties, develop practical skills, and deepen their understanding of surgical career pathways.
Organisers
Swansea
- Mr Jaskaran Singh Bhangu - President
- Miss Poornima Ramesh - Vice President
- Mr Keioni Essex - Sponsorship/Workshop Lead
- Miss Zoe Edwards-I-Coll - Sponsorship/Workshop Lead
- Miss Palesa Ndlovu - Secretary
- Miss Rebecca Kent - Workshop Lead
- Miss Rhadika Rewal - Workshop Lead
- Mr Chris Stewart - Workshop Lead
Cardiff
- Miss Nada Dahan - Conference Lead
- Miss Zena Al-Essawi - Conference Lead VP
- Miss Alaa Mohammed - Marketing Manager
- Mr Ahmed Mansoor - Secretary
- Miss Becky Leveridge - Treasurer
- Miss Sanjana Purbhoo - Workshop Lead
- Miss Hanifa Alis - Workshop Lead
- Miss Anisa Shah - Workshop Lead
Faculty and Speakers
Mr Robert Bethune, MA(Hons), MBBS(Hons), MSc, FRCS
Consultant Colorectal Surgeon
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, England
Mr Cha Rajakaruna, MB ChB, MRCS (Eng & Edin), MD, FRCS (C-Th)
Consultant Cardiac Surgeon
Bristol Heart Institute, England
Ms Irem Gürbüzer, MD
Trust Doctor
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, England
Mr Andrew Wanees, MSc, FACS
Senior Registrar in General Surgery
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, England
Mr Parag Dhumane, MD
General Surgery Registrar, Department of Emergency Abdominal Surgery
Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, England
Mr Mhd Anas Murad, MD, MRCS, PGCert
ST3 Registrar in General Surgery
Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, England
Ms Mary Gare, MBBS
Clinical Surgical Fellow
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, England
Mr Eslam Hassan, MB BCh, MSc, MRCS
General Surgery Registrar
Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust, England
Mr Ram Ragatha, MB ChB
Urology Registrar
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, England
Ms Sara-Jane Horne, BM BS
ST3 Registrar in Vascular Surgery
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, England
Mr Ahmed Gafar, MD, MSc
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, England
Mr Mazin Mukhaiber, BM BS
Foundation Year 2 Doctor
West Middlesex University Hospital, England
Abstract Submission
Submissions are invited for the Poster Abstract Competition for the South West Surgical Conference. Submissions are open to medical students and early career trainees.
The deadline for abstract submission is Wednesday 11th February 2026.
Abstracts should adhere to the following requirements:
1. Abstract Length: Abstracts must not exceed 250–300 words.
2. Structure: Background, Aims/Objectives, Methods, Results or Expected Outcomes, Conclusion.
3. Originality: All work must be original and completed with appropriate academic or clinical supervision.
4. Ethical Approval: Ethical approval or exemption is required where applicable, and all patient data must be fully anonymised.
5. Content: Posters will be accepted across a range of categories, including original research, audit or quality improvement projects, case reports or case series, literature or systematic reviews, and educational or public health projects.
Poster presentations will be assessed by a panel of clinicians and academics based on clarity, academic merit, originality, and quality of presentation. Further presentation details will be circulated closer to the event.
