I am an examiner at the Royal College of Surgeons of England where surgeons from all across the world have been coming this week to pass the entrance exam.
Junior doctors need to train for four years before taking the Exams to join the Royal College of Surgeons. This is only the beginning of their journey to becoming a consultant in the UK which takes a further six years.
We’re fortunate in the UK of having the best and longest training for surgeons compared to anywhere in Europe and the world.
This ensures that patients get the best care possible by fully qualified surgeons, similar to the Board Certified status in the USA.
This famous painting shows King Henry VIII giving the charter to the Barber-Surgeons’ Company, in 1541.
This explains why surgeons in England are called Mr and not Dr.