If you are interested in becoming a Mentor, please email education@rcsed.ac.uk to request the sign up form.

Overview

The RCSEd Mentor Development Course is a practical virtual course designed to equip participants with essential mentoring skills for leadership and clinical settings. It focuses on working effectively with trainees, colleagues, and patients while preparing participants to become mentors on the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) Surgical Mentoring Scheme.

Key Benefits:

Fully Funded Training: Participants who commit to mentoring in the scheme for at least two years will have their training costs fully funded by RCSEd.
Flexible Mentorship Cycles: Mentorship cycles last between 6–12 months, with a maximum of two mentees at any given time.
Proven Framework: The course is underpinned by Egan’s model, the most widely used mentoring framework in medicine.
Expert Guidance: Receive feedback from experienced facilitators and engage in skills practice to refine your mentoring abilities.
Ongoing Mentor Support: Participants will join a community of practice offering ongoing support and development Participants will also explore practical and professional issues related to coaching and mentoring in the workplace, with support to integrate these skills into their professional roles.

Suitability

This course is open to consultant or senior SASLED surgeons who are RCSEd Members or Fellows in the UK. As the scheme grows, the eligibility criteria will expand to include a wider range of RCSEd Members and Fellows.

Course Format

• 8 hours asynchronous preparatory work for mentors using the College website and a learning log.
• 6 hours of online mentor training and supervised practice
• 14 CPD points & certification
• Ongoing engagement with the RCSEd mentor community of practice

Course Aims

• Preparing surgeons to mentor surgeons, using professional frameworks and responsible signposting.
• Establishing an effective, engaging, sustainable and accessible way to train and support future mentors.
• To promote key messages:
o Mentoring is valuable for the development of all surgeons (not just those with problems)
o Mentoring as a strategic tool for navigating new roles and leadership challenges
o Mentoring is most valuable at times of career change or transition.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of mentor training, participants will be able to:

Define the role of the mentor in the context of the RCSEd scheme.
Link mentoring and learning principles.
Establish individual development priorities with mentees.
Schedule structured mentoring conversations.
Plan development conversations around an established framework.
Establish a clear development plan with the mentee at the end of the conversation.
Integrate reflective conversations with other mentors into the professional schedule.
Maximise their profile on the website.

CPD

Participants will receive a certificate of completion for CPD earning 14 CPD Points. The course aligns with GMC Domain 1 (Knowledge, skills, and performance) and Domain 3 (Communication, partnership, and teamwork).

Course Director

Emma Stapleton

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

RCSEd Mentor Development Programme

Key Facts