About Us - JCST

Introduction

The Joint Committee on Surgical Training (JCST) is an advisory body to the four surgical Royal Colleges of the UK and Ireland for all matters related to surgical training, and works closely with the Surgical Specialty Associations in Great Britain and Ireland. The JCST is the parent body for all ten Specialty Advisory Committees (SACs), the Core Surgical Training Committee (CSTC), the Training Interface Groups (TIGs) and the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP). The JCST and your SAC form an integral part of your training from start to completion.

The current approved surgical specialties are:

• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• General Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Otolaryngology
• Paediatric Surgery
• Plastic Surgery
• Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
• Urology
• Vascular Surgery.

Why are we important to your training?

• You must be enrolled with the SAC in your specialty so that we can ratify your appointment and expected certification date
• You must obtain SAC support for any period spent outside your normal training rotation
• In the UK the General Medical Council (GMC) will only issue your certificate at the end of your training following your SAC’s recommendation
• In Ireland the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland will recommend you for certification to the Medical Council (MC) following your SAC’s recommendation

What else do we do?

• Maintain accurate records of your training to ensure that you have completed all stages satisfactorily
• Provide advice and guidance about current surgical training regulations
• Work closely with the regulatory bodies on matters affecting training, contribute to debates and press for improvements such as widespread access to simulation-based training
• Support the Colleges, Deaneries/HEE Local Offices and Schools of Surgery in monitoring the quality of training
• Develop the syllabus and curricula for all ten surgical specialties, including the core curriculum - all available via the ISCP website
• Develop and maintain the ISCP online training management system
• Produce twice-yearly newsletters
• Provide an ISCP helpdesk to trainers and trainees

UK only:

• Recommend trainees for the award of the CCT / CESR (CP) (Combined Programme)
• Contribute to workforce planning processes
• Support national selection and recruitment processes
• Establish guidance and quality indicators to supplement the GMC generic training standards
• Undertake Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) evaluations on behalf of the GMC

Republic of Ireland only:

• Recommend trainees for the award of the Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST)
• Undertake regular visits to the Irish training programmes
• Consider and grant applications for post approval
• Set training standards

Why do you pay the JCST fee?

To contribute towards the costs of running the JCST and ISCP, this entails:

• The processing of enrolment, out of programme and less than full time applications (as well as other ad-hoc applications), and recommending trainees for the award of the CCT or CESR (CP). The SAC must support any periods of out programme if it is to count towards training (this is a GMC requirement)
• The development of the curriculum and its assessment tools
• Our contribution to the quality assurance of training programmes
• National Selection – SACs participate and organise this process with recruiting Deaneries/HEE Local Offices
• The maintenance of the ISCP website and helpdesk
• For more information on the JCST fee please visit the JCST website