The JCST trainee survey: highlights of the first year's results

In July 2010, the Joint Commitee on Surgical Training (JCST) launched a review of its quality assurance functions, which included the development of a new survey specific to surgical trainees. The survey was developed in conjunction with the Confederation of Postgraduate Schools of Surgery and aimed to provide detailed information on the quality of surgical training in the UK and to standardise the information from the different schools of surgery, thereby allowing some comparison between training schemes and units. A 20-question survey was developed for all surgical specialties, while a more detailed survey with questions relating to curriculum delivery was piloted in core surgical training and paediatric surgery.