Leading surgeons visit top medical education learning hub

Leading surgeons from Northern Ireland, Wales and England met with medical education leaders from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) today, to discuss innovative ways of learning that will equip the next generation of healthcare professionals.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS Eng) Vice President Mr Tim Mitchell, Council Member Miss Susan Hill and RCS Eng Northern Ireland Director Professor Mark Taylor met with Professor Pascal McKeown, QUB Dean and Head of School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Mr Stephen O’Neill, Consultant Transplant Surgeon and QUB Honorary Senior Lecturer, and Professor Karen Morrison, QUB Dean of Education, Faculty of Medicine Health & Life Sciences. They convened at the newly-opened KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim Centre in Belfast.

The KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim Centre, a cutting-edge training facility, opened in August 2021 and is available for Queen’s Medical, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and Nursing and Midwifery students.

Mr Tim Mitchell, Vice-President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and a Consultant ENT surgeon, said: “We are committed to providing the next generation of doctors and surgeons with the best training possible to equip them for their careers. This is a unique opportunity for us to visit and learn more about Queen’s University Belfast’s new interdisciplinary simulation centre.

“Simulation-based training is essential both for patient safety and to give our surgeons in training practical, hands-on experience. It also helps to develop their non-technical skills – such as their leadership skills. It is incumbent on all of us to help train the medical workforce of tomorrow, and ensure they have the skills and experience to meet patients’ needs now and in the future.”

”Professor Pascal McKeown, Head of School and Dean of Education at Queen’s School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, said: “We were delighted to welcome the delegation from the Royal College of Surgeons of England to Queen’s today to tour our cutting-edge training facility for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Nursing and Midwifery students.  

“We welcome this opportunity to provide an overview of the courses we offer at the KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim Centre, and the important role of the Centre in supporting simulation-based learning for health professionals to deliver safe, effective and collaborative care.” 

Notes to editors

1. The Royal College of Surgeons of England is represented in Northern Ireland by a Professional Board of 20 surgeons reflecting the specialty areas of: Neurosurgery, ENT, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Plastics, Urology, Vascular, Cardiothoracic and OMFS. The Board includes 10 elected regional specialty advisors, Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT), QUB Medical School Surgical Society, NIMDTA Head of the School of Surgery and an RCS England Council member. The purpose of the Board is to improve surgical outcomes for patients, advocate locally and support the dissemination of good practice and professional guidance.

2. The Royal College of Surgeons of England is a professional membership organisation and registered charity, which exists to advance surgical standards and improve patient care.

3. Queen’s University has been making a difference to societies locally, national and internationally since 1845. Queen’s focus is on shaping the world around us through innovative, impactful and world-leading research which has made positive changes to people’s lives.  With over 25,000 students – just over 17,000 undergraduates and over 8,000 postgraduates - Queen’s is a dynamic and diverse institution in the heart of Belfast. It is also one of the city's largest employers, contributing £1.9 billion each year to the economy. Find out more at https://www.qub.ac.uk/

4. The KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim Centre uses a mixture of both simulation through manikins and real simulated participants. They are committed to Inter-Professional Education [IPE], reflecting the real-life situation where, for example, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and psychologists work together in interdisciplinary teams rather than uni-disciplinary isolation.  

The Simulation Centre provides a bespoke learning environment which aims to maximise the quality of the students’ education, leading to future positive impact on patient care, locally, nationally and globally.  

The centre is named in celebration of the parents of the lead donor who himself is a medical graduate of Queen’s and whose parents supported both him and his four siblings as international students through Queen’s.

5. For more information, please contact the RCS Eng Press Office:

Telephone: 0207 869 6052/ 6054/ 6055.

Or email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk.  

For out-of-hours media enquiries, please telephone: 0207 869 6056.