Our Story
About the Academy
The ALRSGBI Academy was founded in 2019 as a trainee-led committee to work alongside the ALRSGBI and ALRTS Council, fostering a supportive community for trainee members and providing a gateway to recent developments in minimally invasive surgery.
Established during the pandemic and training crisis by a group of trainee surgeons, the Academy functions as a shadow council of junior surgeons working alongside the main ALRSGBI Council, centering on current trainees and future surgical professionals.
As a collective entity, the Academy aims to represent standards and voice for training in laparoscopic and robotic surgery, while simultaneously creating opportunities for professional and educational advancement among the student and trainee membership base.
Our motto – Novus Modus – reflects our commitment to forging new pathways in surgical education, inclusivity, and innovation.
Our Purpose
Vision
Represent Standards
Representing standards and voice for training in laparoscopic and robotic surgery at a national and international level.
Create Opportunities
Creating opportunities for professional and educational advancement among the student and trainee membership base.
Address Educational Needs
Actively addressing educational needs and promoting minimal access surgery learning across all career stages.
Inspire Future Professionals
Representing surgical community values and inspiring future professionals across all backgrounds in an inclusive environment.
Deliver at International Level
Delivering minimally invasive surgical education at international levels, participating actively in Annual Scientific Meetings.
Shape the Future
Working collaboratively with the ALRSGBI Council to shape the future of laparoscopic and robotic surgery.
Membership
Why Join the Academy?
Anyone with ALRSGBI and ALRTS trainee membership is welcome to join the Academy. As a member you gain access to a unique range of benefits and opportunities.
- →Discounted training course fees
- →Access to ALRSGBI awards and travelling fellowships
- →Abundant educational resources and webinar library
- →Networking with experts in minimally invasive surgery across all surgical specialties
- →Active roles at Annual Scientific Meetings: operating stations, research presentations, live surgery moderation
- →Collaborative research opportunities
- →LapPass® and RoboPass® certification pathways
- →Representation on national and international surgical bodies
Who We Are
Academy Leadership
Past Chair (2022-2025)
Ms. Tamsin Morrison
| Subgroup | Lead |
|---|---|
| Digital Education | Javed Latif |
| Education | Hamzah Choudhry |
| Europe | Mark Portelli |
| Fellowship | Naveed Hossain |
| LapPass® | Eloise Dexter |
| Research | Nayaab Abdul-Kader |
| Robotic | Guglielmo Piozzi |
| Social Media | Oon-Hui Ng |
| Undergraduate - National | Sophie Lawrence |
| Undergraduate - International | Mohammadsadra Shamohammadi |
| Webinar | Dana Sochorova |
| Website | Ahmed Abdulmanan |
| Region | Representative |
|---|---|
| East of England | Steven Gopaul |
| Northern Ireland | Jack Kennedy |
| Republic of Ireland | Iffat Khalid |
| KSS | Alok Mehta |
| London North – NEC | Ee Tang Goh |
| London – North West Thames | Josephine Mollier |
| London – South Thames | Jaye Alexai Broomfield |
| North East | Neill Allen |
| Midlands East | Sreedutt Murali |
| Midlands West | Aseem Jindal |
| North West & Mersey | Vivien Ngo |
| Scotland South East | Da Costa Dorkeh |
| Scotland West | Mohamed Elsllabi |
| Scotland North East | Peter Osei-Bonsu |
| South West – Peninsula | Louis Fiander |
| South West – Severn | Abeerah Pervez |
| Thames Valley | Ahmed Abdulmanan |
| Wales | Satish Kolli |
| Wessex | Muhammad Abdullah Khalid |
| Yorkshire & Humber | Safia Ahmed |
| EAES | Mark Portelli |
| Specialty | Representative |
|---|---|
| Gynaecology | Vacant |
| Paediatrics | Rauand Duhoky |
| Urology – North | Bryony David |
| Urology – South | Ioannis Loufopoulos |
| ASiT | Alice Luesley |
Subdivisons Updates
Urology Subdivision
Recent Activity
Over the past few months, the Urology Section has been actively encouraging engagement with laparoscopic skills development among urology trainees. Despite limited laparoscopic exposure within many current training posts, the team successfully engaged urology SHOs to undertake LapPass in November — an excellent step towards maintaining core laparoscopy skills across the specialty.
The section has also continued to act as the point of contact for members with urology-specific queries relating to laparoscopy and robotic surgery. Although these enquiries are relatively few, having a dedicated representative ensures that urology trainees have a clear line of support within ALRSGBI.
Current Objectives
Establishing an ALRSGBI Urology Training Day
The team aims to create a dedicated Urology Training Day with a strong focus on robotic simulation, mirroring the success of previous training events. Discussions with industry partners are planned to explore collaboration and resourcing.
Strengthening Links with BAUS
As urology training becomes increasingly robotic-focused, building stronger ties with BAUS will be a priority. Greater alignment between organisations will help create clearer training pathways and shared opportunities for trainees.
Supporting Research and Audit in Urology
With growing interest in urology-specific projects, there is an opportunity to develop audit and research workstreams. The section plans to liaise with the ALRSGBI Research Group to coordinate potential projects and involve enthusiastic urology juniors, ensuring collaborative progress without overwhelming individual workloads.
Paediatric Surgery Subgroup
Focus & Mission
The Paediatric Surgery Subgroup focuses on minimal access paediatric surgery and explores the possibilities of laparoscopic and robotic surgery within this niche patient population.
Recent Activity
Last winter, the subgroup set up a very popular webinar with their IAGES counterparts on paediatric surgical emergencies for general surgeons.
Future Plans
The team aims to set up further workshops and national snapshot audits in the coming period.
Get Involved
The subgroup is small but active and is always looking for enthusiastic new members. If you are interested, please email the lead at r.duhoky@nhs.net and join one of their regular online subgroup meetings.
Skills Assessment
Training Programmes
ALRSGBI Academy supports two nationally recognised competency frameworks for laparoscopic and robotic surgical skills.
Career Development
Interview Preparation
The Academy runs annual interview preparation courses in January and February, helping trainees succeed in competitive selection processes.
CST Interview Preparation
Structured preparation for Core Surgical Training interviews including an overview of the process, general advice from experienced faculty, and mock interviews with individual feedback.
ST3 Interview Preparation
Dedicated preparation for ST3 General Surgery interviews with format overviews, expert guidance, and mock interview practice with personalised feedback from senior members.
Course Coordinators: James Walmsley (South West): jawalmsley91@gmail.com | Kunal Rajput: kunal.rajput@doctors.org.uk
Early Careers
Early Years & Undergraduate Training
The Academy’s undergraduate and foundation team develops relationships with medical schools and surgical societies, encouraging non-doctors, medical students, and junior doctors to pursue surgical careers.
University Partnerships: Established partnerships with Hull York Medical School, Anglia Ruskin University, University of Buckinghamshire, and Addenbrooke’s Hospital for career talks and laparoscopic skills courses.
Collaboration with the Royal Society of Medicine on their “Tomorrow’s Doctors” conference, inspiring the next generation of surgical professionals.
Mentorship Programme: Connecting interested medical students and junior doctors with senior Academy members for guidance and portfolio development, building competitive surgical applications from day one.
Seeking further partnerships with UK and Ireland medical schools for skills courses and career events. Contact the undergraduate leads to collaborate.
Undergraduate Leads: Juin Low (Northern Ireland) & Yuri Hirayama (West Midlands): research@alrsgbi.org
Medical Students
SutureUK
SutureUK is a surgical skills training initiative providing structured, accessible, and affordable surgical skills training for medical students across the United Kingdom.
The scheme focuses on high-quality, focused surgical skills education with regular assessment and feedback, developing both technical and non-technical surgical competencies alongside reflective practice.
Participants develop essential surgical aptitudes and proficiencies from an early stage, establishing sound surgical habits that support improved candidacy for surgical training programmes.
Full programme details: www.sutureuk.com
Research
Collaborative Research
Led by Miss Nayaab Abdul Kader (East of England), the Academy’s research group challenges current surgical practices and asks: “Is this the best way — and if not, is there a better way?”
- Collaborative robotic surgery research (Griffin Institute & UCL)
- Disability & neurodiversity investigation in surgical fields
- Operative outcomes enhancement project (Malta Surgical)
- Product-based research partnerships
- Snapshot audit of MAS practices during COVID-19
- Extracorporeal knot-tying in laparoscopic procedures
- Access to minimal-access surgical training survey
-
"A Review into current robotic surgical systems for minimally-invasive specialties"
-
"Use of extracorporeal knot-tying in Laparoscopic Surgery"
-
"Intersectionality in Surgery – Can we be better allies to women in surgery?"
-
"Snapshot Audit on the Current Practice of Minimal Access Surgery in the UK during COVID-19"
-
"Evaluation status of current and emerging minimally invasive robotic surgical platforms"
Contact: research@alrsgbi.org
Research Database
Research Opportunities
Research is integral to surgical training, building knowledge, developing leadership, and improving critical analysis. Some consultant positions now require research credentials as mandatory qualifications.
Plan Early
Research opportunities are scarce. Speak to senior registrar colleagues and identify potential units in your deanery early.
Consider Funding
Evaluate funded vs unfunded positions carefully, funded positions are competitive but offer financial stability during research.
Join Collaboratives
Consider joining regional research collaboratives, many exist across the UK and offer structured research opportunities for trainees.
Network Strategically
Network with senior registrar colleagues and use ALRSGBI events and ASMs to connect with potential supervisors and collaborators.
Current Opportunities
Guidance
Research Q&A (anonymised trainee submissions) · OOPR Guide with JCST and GMC out-of-programme guidance · Database resources: NHS Jobs, Trac, Francis Crick Institute, university MD/PhD programmes.
| Location | Specialty | Supervisor(s) | Project | PhD | Funded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | Colorectal | Dr M Lewis, Prof S C Andrews | The Gut Microbiota and Colorectal Surgery | Y | N |
| Birmingham | Pan-surgical | Mr A Bhangu, Prof D Morton | NIHR Global Surgery Unit PhD studentship (or MD) | Y | Y |
| Manchester | UGI / Bariatric | Dr H Soran, Dr A Syed et al. | Impact of liver reduction diet, low calorie diet and bariatric surgery on hepatic health | Y | N |
| Manchester | HPB | Prof J W Valle, Dr M McNamara | Defining the microbiome environment in biliary tract cancer | Y | Y |
| Manchester | Colorectal | Dr Z Ramtoola, Dr B Kirby | Targeted Nanoformulations of Anti-TNF-α Therapeutics for IBD | Y | Y |
| Manchester | Breast | Dr M Aznar et al. | Decreasing side effects from breast cancer treatment | Y | N |
| Leeds | Breast | Dr S Bell, Prof C A Johnson | BRIT1/MCPH1 synthetic lethal genes in breast and ovarian cancer | Y | N |
| Nottingham | Colorectal | Dr S Abayzeed, Dr G Gordon | Smart endoscopic probes for bowel cancer surgery | Y | Y |
| York | Bioengineering | Prof Z Tse, Prof A M Tyrrell | Smart Medical Devices for Minimally Invasive Cancer Treatment | Y | Y |
| Bristol | Pan-surgical | Dr M E Barbour, Dr D Hill | Antimicrobial materials to prevent surgical site infections | Y | N |
| Southampton | Bioengineering | Prof F Pierron | High-speed imaging study of ultrasonic tissue cutting | Y | Y |
| Liverpool | Colorectal | Mr D Vimalchandran | Colorectal cancer (or MD) | N | N |
| Hull York | Colorectal | Prof Greenman, Mr I Hunter | Colorectal cancer: tissue modelling (or MD) | N | N |
| Hull York | Colorectal | Mr A Hunter, Dr L Cawkwell | Colorectal cancer: biomarkers (or MD) | N | N |
Career Progression
Fellowships
The Academy Fellowship Committee is building a comprehensive database of fellowship opportunities across surgical specialties in the UK, Europe, and internationally, including previous trainees’ testimonials and contact details.
Colorectal & Pelvic Surgery
Hernias, abdominal wall reconstruction, IBD, pelvic floor, and advanced malignancy fellowships across UK centres.
Upper GI & Bariatric
Specialist fellowships in upper GI and bariatric surgery including robotic and laparoscopic advanced procedures.
HPB & Transplant
Hepatopancreatobiliary and transplant surgery fellowships at leading UK centres.
European & International
European and international fellowship opportunities, including robotic surgery. Urology, paediatric, and gynaecology specialties being added.
An Excel spreadsheet with further fellowship options is available for download. Contact research@alrsgbi.org to contribute fellowship information or access testimonials. Lead: Naveed Hossain (Post-CCT Bariatric Fellow, Homerton Hospital).
Awards & Funding
Scholarships & Overseas Bursaries
ALRSGBI offers travelling scholarships and overseas bursaries to support surgical professionals’ development through international exchange opportunities.
David Dunn Travelling Scholarship
£2,500 annual award for a British Trainee or Consultant within five years of appointment, to make a substantial visit to a leading unit abroad and introduce new laparoscopic or robotic skills to the UK.
B. Braun Aesculap Travelling Scholarship
Co-sponsored award for international surgical training, offered in multiple rounds per year. Supports trainees and consultants accessing international surgical expertise.
Overseas Bursary
Supports international surgical professionals visiting UK centres. Many past recipients have recorded video presentations documenting their experiences.
Colchester Surgical Research Foundation Scholarship 2026
- The successful applicant will be presented with their Certificate stating that they are receiving the award at this year’s ASM but will not present until 2027 following the successful completion of their assignment.
- The successful applicant agrees to submit a full report for inclusion in the ALRSGBI Newsletter.
- The centres may be in the UK or overseas
- In the event the award is unused then it must be returned in full to ALRSGBI
| Year | Recipient | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ms Asma Afzal | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2024 | Ms Jodie Parker | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2023 | Ms Rachael Clifford | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2022 | Mr Matthew Boal | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2022 | Mr Lalin Navaratne | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2021 | Mr Andrew Currie | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2021 | Mr Steve Dixon | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2020 | Ms Lisa Massey | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2020 | B. Braun Aesculap — Cancelled (COVID-19) | |
| 2020 | Overseas Bursary — Cancelled (COVID-19) | |
| 2019 | Mr Richard Stevenson | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2019 | Mr Rickesh Patel | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2019 | Mr Ahmed El-Sharkawy | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2019 | Dr Mykola Paranyak | Overseas Bursary |
| 2019 | Dr Mohammedsuror Alsammani | Overseas Bursary |
| 2018 | Mr Edward Owen Fletcher | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2018 | Ms Christina Lo | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2018 | Mr Fadlo Shaban | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2017 | Mr James Ansell | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2017 | Mr Nima Abbassi-Ghadi | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2017 | Mr Adam Peckham-Cooper | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2016 | Mr Andrew Healey | David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2016 | Ms Nienke Warnaar | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2016 | Mr James Horwood | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2015 | Mr Vincent Wong | Ethicon / David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2015 | Mr Akinfemi Akingboye | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2015 | Mr Khaleel Fareed | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2014 | Mr A. Belgaumkar | Ethicon / David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2014 | Mr S. Hornby | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2014 | Mr B. Singh | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2013 | Mr N. V. Jayanthi | Ethicon / David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2013 | Mr C. Molokwu | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2013 | Mr K. Thiruppathy | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2012 | Mr Adam Farquharson | Ethicon / David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2012 | Mr Alex Boddy | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2012 | Mr Andrew Davies | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2011 | Mr William Hawkins | Ethicon / David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2011 | Mr Siong-Seng Liau | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2011 | Mr Robert Sutcliffe | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2010 | Mr James Anthony Gossage | Ethicon / David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2010 | Mr Michael Powar | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2010 | Miss Cynthia-Michelle Borg | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2009 | Mr Ioannis Virlos | Ethicon / David Dunn Scholarship |
| 2009 | Ms Emma Bromwich | B. Braun Aesculap |
| 2009 | Mr Haris Khwaja | B. Braun Aesculap |
Education & Training
Sponsored Surgical Observerships
The ALRSGBI-sponsored surgical Observerships programme is designed to facilitate short visits for surgeons to attend another hospital and observe a colleague during a day in the operating theatre.
Purpose of the Programme
The observership scheme aims to provide surgeons with the opportunity to:
- Observe experts and colleagues performing surgery
- Learn new surgical techniques
- Refine existing techniques
- Gain insights into the technical aspects of surgery
- Observe examples of successful service development
- Observe non-technical skills, behaviours, and team dynamics
Who Is the Programme For?
- Established consultant surgeons and anaesthetists
- Senior trainees and fellows
Types of Procedures Observed
The focus is on procedures where in-person observation offers significant educational value beyond recorded videos, including:
- Robotic and laparoscopic surgery
- Common bile duct exploration
- Minimal access oesophagectomy and gastrectomy
- Simple and complex hernia and abdominal wall surgery
- Anterior resection without stoma formation
- Emergency surgery services and hot gallbladder service set-up
External Funding
Other Training Bursaries & Fellowships
A range of external bursaries and fellowships are available through partner organisations to support surgical training and professional development.
EAES Fellowships
European Association for Endoscopic Surgery fellowship programme for ALRSGBI members.
RCS Travel Scholarships
Travel awards offered by the Royal College of Surgeons of England for surgical professionals.
ACS NSQIP Scholarship
American College of Surgeons international scholarship focused on surgical quality improvement.
ACS International Educational Scholarship
Educational scholarships supporting international surgical training and education exchange.
Price Thomas Travel Bursary
Available through the Travelling Surgeon organisation, supporting professional international travel.
Mölnlycke Educational Bursary
Industry-supported bursary providing educational support for surgical training and skills development.
Structured Training Programmes
Lapco — National Training Programme in Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery
A nationally structured programme for laparoscopic colorectal surgical training.
Preceptorship Programme
Structured preceptorship supporting surgeons developing new laparoscopic techniques in their own hospital.
Digital Learning
Digital Education & Training Videos
Led by Javed Latif (Specialty Registrar, HPB Surgery), the Digital Education Group advances surgical education through innovative, accessible, and high-quality digital learning resources.
Programme Objectives
- →Complement hands-on training with structured online resources
- →Curriculum-aligned operative videos and robotics modules
- →Trainee-focused, competency-mapped content
- →Integration of simulation & emerging technologies
Current Resources
- →LapPass® training videos
- →Homemade box-trainer setup guides
- →Educational content via @ALSGBIAcademy (X/Twitter)
- →Webinar series with RCSEd, IAGES & ARIS
Audio Content
Podcasts
Welcome to the ALSGBI Podcast: Through the Keyhole. We will be exploring great surgical lives, the difficult clinical cases that we all face everyday as well as looking at how our trainees and young surgeons are coping with the seismic shift in the digital surgical world. We are clearly entering a new learning ecosystem that requires us to be adept at using every single digital resource available.
The podcast will help direct our curiosity, explore themes of leadership and performance as well as help us address some of the best kept secrets in surgery. We do hope you enjoy the series and would like you to give us feedback below or simply through our Twitter handle @ALSGBI_podcast
Through the Keyhole
For the new series of Through the Keyhole, Prof Tan is joined by Dr Lucy Huppler and Dr Lydia Newton to consider the path of a trainee surgeon and the challenge of life balance in the early years as a doctor. They discuss their broader interests and the impact that elective-year travel had on their training and perspective. Lucy and Lydia will be supporting series 2 as guest presenters to bring their perspective of surgery at the start of a career..
Hosts: Lydia Newton & Lucy Huppler | Executive Sponsor: Prof. Tan Arulampalam
Video Library
Videos for Trainees
Curated video resources to support trainee surgeons at every stage, from undergraduate to post-CCT.
MRCS Video Presentations
A curated YouTube playlist of MRCS-focused surgical video presentations supporting trainees preparing for membership examinations.
Expanding Video Library
An expanding library of operative videos covering laparoscopic and robotic techniques, curriculum-aligned and competency-mapped for training use.
Members Only
Webinar Library
The ALRSGBI Webinar Library provides members with access to a growing archive of educational webinars covering laparoscopic, robotic, and digital surgery topics.
Members-Only Access
The Webinar Library is password-protected and available to ALRSGBI members. Log in with your membership number to access the full archive of educational content.
Equity & Inclusion
Support Us Focus Group
Established to advance equity and inclusion within surgical training, the Support Us Focus Group represents the values and core qualities of diverse personal and professional subgroups within the Academy.
Completed Initiatives
- →Presentations at ASiT 2022 EDI Section
- →Oxford IDEAS Forum 2023
- →RCS Widening Participation — "So You Want to Be a Surgeon"
- →National Surgical EDI Network collaboration
- →ALRSGBI Membership Demographic & Inclusion Survey
In Development
- →Educational workshops for diverse community members
- →International Medical Graduate (IMG) resources
- →IMG-focused podcast series on training challenges
- →IMG support network
Leads: Anna Palepa (East of England) & Thomas Mroczek (North West) — developed with Academy Chair Tamsin Morrison and ALRSGBI EDI Representative.
Get in Touch
Contact the Academy
38–43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE
Join the ALRSGBI Academy
Be part of the next generation shaping the future of laparoscopic and robotic surgery across Great Britain & Ireland.
Stay Connected
Social Media Team
Purpose
The Social Media Team is here to connect with and support the community at every stage of the surgical journey. The team is passionate about keeping members up to date with upcoming events and opportunities.
Key Activities
Audience
The team’s content is designed for a broad audience — from medical students and budding surgeons to trainees and consultants. Through social media platforms, they actively share the latest news and developments in laparoscopic and robotic surgery.
Who They Are
The team is made up of enthusiastic surgical trainees from across the UK who are committed to supporting the Academy and its members. Together, they bring energy, fresh ideas, and passion for education and innovation in minimally invasive surgery to everything they do.