Surgical Skills for Students and Health Professionals

Surgical Skills for Students and Health Professionals (SSSHP) is a hands-on, one-day course designed for medical students, early foundation doctors, and allied health professionals who want to gain practical experience in basic surgical skills in a safe and supportive environment. The course is run by the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

With guidance and feedback from experienced surgical faculty, participants practice essential skills including gowning and gloving, skin preparation and draping, suturing techniques, knot tying, tissue handling, and application of local anaesthetic. The course uses fresh porcine tissue at most centres (some regional centres may offer synthetic tissue as an alternative).

This course awards 8 CPD points and participants receive an online certificate of attendance after the face-to-face day. Additionally, you will receive one year's access to course videos on the virtual learning environment and a companion handbook with step-by-step instructions for all skills taught, sections on theatre environment and etiquette, and reflective activities.

Course activities include surgical handwashing, gowning and double-gloving, skin preparation and draping, tying a variety of surgical knots, handling basic surgical instruments, interrupted and mattress and subcuticular suturing, application of local anaesthetic, excision of skin lesion, and excision of sebaceous cyst.

The course is particularly suitable for medical students, operating department practitioners, surgical first assistants, and allied health professionals considering a career relating to surgery. SCP attendees may use the course to contribute to intraoperative skills syllabus requirements.

• One-day workshop format delivered face-to-face at multiple UK centres
• 8 CPD points awarded
• One year's access to online course videos
• Companion handbook with step-by-step instructions
• Certificate of attendance
• Experienced surgical faculty providing personal feedback
• Fresh porcine tissue (synthetic tissue available at some centres)

RCS England affiliate members receive a 50% discount on SSSHP courses held at the RCS England Bjorn Saven Centre, plus discounts on other courses. All participants are also eligible for the recommend-a-friend scheme — after attending, participants receive a unique code to pass to a colleague. If the code recipient attends an SSSHP course, both are eligible to choose a free 3-credit PGCert module worth £220.