Event Details - 25th QI & Audit Symposium 2027

Abstract submissions are currently open for this event, and will remain open until 23:59 on the 10th of January 2027. 

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS

The College invites trainees to submit abstracts for presentation at this meeting. Abstracts for consideration should be submitted online. The closing date for receipt of abstracts is 23:59 on Sunday 10th January 2027.

A registration fee applies but is not required until acceptance of your abstract. Please note that the College is unable to assist with expenses connected with this event. Further information may be obtained from education@rcsed.ac.uk

The following are guidelines set by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Deviation from the guidelines may result not only in delays but in non-acceptance of the submission.

Abstracts submitted for presentation should not exceed 300 words and should be structured as per the following:

• Please submit your work as EITHER a Word Document or a PDF.
• Please begin with a background, which introduces the topic and the problem(s) being addressed.
• This should be followed by the Aim(s)/Objective(s). 
• The Patients and Methods section should be concise and followed by the results; figures and tables will not be accepted. 
• There should be a brief discussion and/or conclusion.

Please ensure all co-authors are listed on the submission. We will use these submissions to issue letters of recognition to the co-authors of accepted works. If an error is made, please contact Education (education@rcsed.ac.uk).

All abbreviations used must be described fully in the text once.

All correspondence will be by email. Please note an up to date email address is required. Please keep your account up to date and inform if you make any changes.

PLEASE NOTE: The 'Surgeons in Training Medal' will be awarded for the best abstract and prizes will be awarded for best poster and best presentation in each session..

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I required to pay to attend this event if my abstract is selected for presentation?

Yes, you will need to book and pay to attend the event in order to present your work.

Can I attend this event virtually?

Unfortunately we do not allow for remote attendance or presentation at this event.

Can I submit multiple works to this event?

Yes, there is no limit to the number of works you can submit to this event. However, please note you may be accepted to present more than one work. 

How long is my oral presentation?

If you are offered an oral presentation in the General Surgery, Patient Safety, Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, or Specialty and Common Interest categories, you will be given a total of 7 minutes presentation time. This is split into 5 minutes of speaking time and 2 minutes of Q&A.

 

If you are offered an oral presentation in the Surgeons in Training Medal category, you will be given a total of 10 minutes presentation time. This is split into 7 minutes of speaking time and 3 minutes of Q&A. 

How do I upload my oral presentation?

You will be provided a link to the College's file sharing website, which will be made available to you in the weeks prior to the event. You will be asked to upload your work under the session that you are presenting within.

We ask that you submit your work to this page by the Monday prior to the event (4 working days), so that we can test your slides. If you need to make amendments to your work after this time, we do allow this, but we kindly ask that you inform us of which version you will use so that the correct presentation is available to you on the day.

Can I have further information regarding my poster presentation?

• Posters must be Portrait and A2 Size (42 cm (width) x 59 cm (height) – can be smaller but do not exceed this size. 
• Posters must be brought along with you on the day, the College does not have printing services available on site. 
• You do not need to upload your poster prior to the Symposium.
• Velcro strips will be provided.
• On arrival you will be shown to the poster room, where you will be shown where to hang your poster.
• You will be allocated a marker who will come to speak with you about your work during the breaks of the event, they will ask you questions about your work and there will be a feedback sheet for you to pick-up at the end of the event.
• Please also note that only the presenting author will receive a Presenters Certificate if in attendance (further authors can be sent a letter of recognition if requested, and if in attendance on the day, will receive a Certificate of Attendance only).

Do I need to upload my poster?

No, you do not need to upload your poster prior to the Symposium. We only ask that you bring it with you on the day as the College does not have the facilities available on site for you to print on the day of the event.

Can multiple authors present an oral or poster abstract?

We are happy to allow two co-authors to present an abstract in either the poster or oral section of the Symposium.

Do my co-authors receive recognition if my abstract is presented at the event?

If your abstract is chosen for presentation (either poster or oral presentation), only the presenting author will receive a certificate of presentation. Any co-authors in who attend the event in person will be provided with a CPD certificate of attendance.

Any co-authors listed on the abstract submission will receive letters confirming that they were a co-author on an abstract which has been presented at the event.

Is there a deadline for confirming my attendance after my abstract has been accepted?

You will receive an email from our coordinator requesting that you confirm that you plan to attend the event for your presentation. Please respond to this email within the timeframe provided. 

We also kindly request that you book your place on the course at least two weeks prior to the event date, this allows us to modify the programme accordingly.

What happens if my work is accepted for presentation but I can no longer attend?

If you are accepted for presentation but are no longer able to attend, on request, we can provide you with a letter confirming that your work was accepted to the one of the sessions at the Symposium but was not presented on the day.

Any booking cancellations will be handled in line with our cancellation policy.

Is this considered a National Conference?

Yes, the QI & Audit Symposium is considered a National Conference. 

Does RCSEd have dedicated parking?

Please note that the College does not have dedicated parking and free parking in the area is hard to come by. If you do choose to drive, our closest carparks are the Nicolson Square Carpark and the NCP at Holyrood. However, we recommend that you check the prices that are listed on these sites prior to arrival and note that they may be busy.

 

Please be aware that Edinburgh operates a Low Emission Zone in the City Centre. This includes the area in which the College is located. To check your vehicle and for more information, please see here.

How do I contact the Education Section?

The Education Section is open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.  If you wish to contact a member of the team please see contact details below:

Education mailbox:  education@rcsed.ac.uk

Phone number:  0131 527 1600

Will I receive CPD?

All RCSEd educational activity is awarded CPD hours. Please see individual course for specific award.

Will I receive a Certificate?

YES, RCSEd Certificates of attendance are awarded for all educational courses and are available after attending the course. You will be able to access the certificate on your RCSEd account.    

What is RCSEd’s course cancellation policy?

• What happens if RCSEd cancels a course I am booked on?

  Occasionally, RCSEd may need to cancel a course due to unforeseen circumstances or if it is not financially viable to run. If this happens, we will notify you as soon as possible and issue a full refund of any course fees paid.

  Please note that RCSEd will not be liable for any additional costs such as travel or accommodation. We recommend arranging appropriate travel insurance to cover any non-refundable expenses.

• What happens if I need to cancel my place on a course I am booked?

  If you cancel within 48 hours of booking, you will receive a full (100%) refund.

  Cancellations made more than four weeks before the course date will be refunded, minus a 20% administration fee.

  If you cancel less than four weeks before the course date, after the course has started, or fail to notify us, the full course fee will be charged, and no refund will be given. However, if you have a valid reason and can provide supporting evidence, you may be eligible for an 80% refund, subject to approval.

  Please note that course places are non-transferable. Many of our courses have waiting lists, and we are committed to offering any available places to those on the list.

Should you have any further questions, the Education Team can be contacted on 0131 527 1600 or by email to education@rcsed.ac.uk.

• Can I cancel a course booking online?

        NO, cancellations must be made directly with the education team via phone or email. (Email:  education@rcsed.c.uk or phone 0131 527 1600)

• Can I transfer to another date for the same course?

        No – we do not offer the option to defer or transfer your place to a later date or an alternative course.

 

How do I book a place on an RCSEd course?

You can book a place for all our courses by visiting the RCSEd Website, https://www.rcsed.ac.uk/events-courses and selecting the course you wish to book.  Please note that you will need to register and create an account with the College of Surgeons in order to book.

Please be aware that creating an account is free and open to non-members.

For some regional and international courses, you will need to book directly with the centre.  Please check individual courses for details.

Can I reserve a place on a course before finalising the payment?

No, we do not reserve places on courses. Your place is confirmed only after payment and after receiving the confirmation email from the Courses & Events Team. 

What payment methods do RCSEd accept?

Visa and MasterCard are accepted on the RCSEd website.

All course bookings will receive a booking confirmation email:  this email acts as your receipt.

Request an Invoice:  If your course fees will be paid by a third party (eg trust, hospital, charitable fund) and they wish to be invoiced then they must provide us with an official purchase order.  We are unable to process applications without this.

The purchase order should be submitted with the application form and can be emailed to education@rcsed.ac.uk.  Please note that we can only invoice organisations and not individuals.  Please check with your hospital or trust, as some may require you to pay yourself and then claim the money back.

Do I receive a discount if I am a Member of RCSEd?

A 10% discount is applied to all educational courses and events organised directly through RCSEd, for Members, Fellows, Associates and Affiliates. Please select the required fee type at the time of registration.

Are you able to help me with my VISA application?

YES, RCSEd can provide you with a Visa support letter confirming the course details and fees paid by you.  This is only possible once you have booked your place on a course and RCSEd have received the full course fee.

If a course is fully booked what can I do? Is there a waiting list?

If a course appears full and you wish to be placed on a waiting list then please contact the education team directly by email education@rcsed.ac.uk or phone 0131 527 1600.

Do you provide lunch or refreshments?

YES, for all educational courses, refreshments are served throughout the day and lunch is provided if the duration is one day or more.