The Irish Surgical Postgraduate Training Committee (ISPTC) is committed to ensuring surgical Trainees have good exposure to Academic Surgery as an integral part of surgical training. As a first step, a taught course in research methodology was introduced in 2015. This is a modular programme which runs over four days in ST3 & ST4 (i.e. two days in each training year). The programme gives a comprehensive introduction to research methodology relevant to surgeons & is delivered by Professor Tom Fahy & his team. After ST4, some trainees may opt to take time out of surgical training to pursue an MD or PhD through full-time research for two years. However the taught programme is intended for all surgical trainees, even if they do not plan to pursue an MD or PhD later.

The ISPTC has deemed this programme mandatory for all ST3 trainees in all specialities & you will be required to complete the four modules in order to be "signed-off" in your ARCP at the end of ST4. However, those trainees who have already completed a taught MCh, MD or PhD are exempted from the research methodology course as they have already completed a similar course as part of their higher degree.

Trainees commencing in the ST3 will be contacted with details regarding this course including exemption details.

All required details & information can be found on the application form HERE