Surgical Curriculum

The Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP) website houses the curriculum for the ten surgical specialties and, in a secure area, trainees’ electronic portfolios and the learning agreements which supports training from CT/ ST1 to completion. 

The ISCP allows trainees and trainers to interact electronically file assessments and keep an electronic logbook and portfolio.

You can register to use the ISCP or if you are considering a career in surgery or want to know more about the curriculum there is a large amount of information available on the public site.

These include the syllabus for each stage of training, which can be useful for trainees wishing to expand their expertise or check previous training against the current model.

The Joint Committee on Surgical Training (JCST)

The 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. It is the parent body for the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP), the ten Specialty Advisory Committees (SACs) one for each of the surgical specialties and the Intercollegiate Core Surgical Training Committee (CSTC).

SAC responsibilities include:

• the development of the syllabus and curriculum for each of the surgical specialties – as recorded in ISCP;
• with Deaneries organising and leading on National Selection for entry into surgical training programmes;
• providing advice to local training committees;
• enrolling surgical trainees with JCST and the SACs;
• making recommendations for the award of the CCT/CESR CP;
• evaluating CESR applications.

The JCST website provides information on the processes for entering and completing surgical training. It also provides information on entry to the Specialist Register, including via the Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR).