The Faculty of Surgery, West African College of Surgeons is now accepting applications from interested residents for hands-on training rotation in specified areas of surgical training in the United Kingdom.

 

This training which will last between one and two years is under the auspices of the WACS-London School of Postgraduate Surgery collaboration. Residents interested in applying for this programme must fulfil the following conditions:

1. The Candidate must be a surgical resident in any country of West Africa, training under the WACS programme.

2. The candidate must have spent at least one year in the residency programme.

3. Preference will be given to candidates who have passed their part I exams of the WACS programme but applications will be accepted from both junior and senior residents in surgery. Post part II residents and young Fellow less than 5 years post Fellowship should also feel free to apply but such applicants will only be considered in particular areas of need like Cardiac Surgery, Minimal access surgery and Neurosurgery.

4. The candidate must have passed the International English Language test exams (IELTS) at an overall grade of 7.5 points and with not less than 7.0 points at each section of the exams.

5. Candidates who have attempted or passed PLAB are NOT ELIGIBLE to apply.

6. The candidate must be willing to return to his/her country immediately their approved training period has expired.

 

The Collaboration between the London School of Postgraduate Surgery and the West African College of surgeons under which this programme is being executed has the following conditions

1. The training will afford each trainee a full hands-on training at the same level as any other UK surgical trainee in specified areas of the candidate’s choice.

2. Trainees of the programme will be given certificates as having completed the training but the programme is not aimed at any UK Board certification. Trainees are however free to take any of the examinations in UK for which they are qualified like the MRCS, MS, and other postgraduate examinations at their own expenses/arrangement.

3. Trainees will be subject to the usual evaluation of trainees in the UK, including conference and meeting attendances.

4. The rotations completed under this training will be counted for the trainee towards the rotation requirements of the WACS exams as appropriate. Candidates can also design and conduct their dissertation in the course of this training.

5. Trainees must be bonded to their primary training institution in the home country before they embark on this training and must return back to the home country at the end of the programme. Candidates are therefore advised to secure the permission of their training institution in the course of the application for this programme. Successful candidates will need to present proof of commitment from their primary training institution before they leave the country for this programme.

6. The candidate’s primary training institution must commit itself to payment of the salary of the trainee in the home country for the period of the training in UK. In addition to this, trainees in the programme will be paid salary in the UK by the UK institution commensurate with their level of training (appropriate for SHO/Registrar grade in the UK) but excluding the equivalent of the  salary paid in the home country by the primary training institution. Trainees in this programme are not expected to pay tax in the UK.

 

Application process: Each application should comprise the application letter which must indicate the candidate’s area of interest, CV of trainees and his/her IELTS score. Interested residents should send their application by email to

 

The Secretary General,

West African College of Surgeons

Email: [email protected]

 

AND

The Chairman, Faculty of Surgery

West African College of Surgeons

Email: [email protected]

 

Applications received before the 6th July, 2015 will be considered by the Faculty Board for the October training batch while those received after that date will be considered for the March 2016 batch.