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The syllabus

Surgical Syllabus

Syllabus Latest Version
Cardiothoracic Surgery 2015 PDF
Core Surgical Training 2017 PDF
Pre-2017 Core Surgical Training 2016 PDF
General Surgery 2016 PDF
Neurosurgery 2015 PDF
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2016 PDF
Otolaryngology 2017 PDF
Paediatric Surgery 2015 PDF
Plastic Surgery 2016 PDF
Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery 2018 PDF
Urology 2016 PDF
Vascular Surgery 2016 PDF

All published syllabuses have been approved by the General Medical Council (GMC)

Which syllabus should I choose?

  • If you are a trainee in a generic or themed core programme (CT1-2):
    Click on the Core Surgical Training syllabus

  • If you are a trainee in the early years of a run-through programme (ST1-2):
    Click on the relevant specialty syllabus and then on the Initial Stage of training.

  • Run-through programmes include:
    • Cardiothoracic Surgery (in some programmes)
    • Neurosurgery

  • If you are a trainee in Higher Specialty Training (ST3 or above):
    Click on the relevant specialty syllabus and then on the stage of training

Each syllabus details the learning content and outcomes to be achieved at each stage of training.

Which version?

A link to the 2010 General Surgery curriculum is included for the following groups of trainees who are eligible to use it:

Trainees with a special interest in any of the components of general surgery who:
  • Have a Certification date before 31 December 2015 and
  • Who have informed the JCST (with support from their TPD and Head of School or equivalent) that they are remaining on the 2010 curriculum.
Trainees with a special interest in vascular surgery who:
  • Have a Certification date before 31 December 2018 and
  • Who have informed the JCST (with support from their TPD and Head of School or equivalent) that they have a special interest in vascular surgery and that they are remaining on the 2010 curriculum.
All other trainees should use the latest curriculum version.

All the syllabuses are from time to time updated in line with changes in the practice or structure of training. They indicate the date of GMC approval and all trainees should use the most up to date version. When an older version of the curriculum is superseded, trainees will be expected to transfer to the most recent version in the interests of patient safety and educational quality. All but the latest version of the curriculum will be decommissioned by 1st January 2016. Trainees will be able to view documents that map new versions to previous ones.

Related links

GMC position statement - Moving to the Current Curriculum November 2012 [PDF:190Kb]

Previous versions of the curricula

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