Awards and Medals

Click below to learn more about each of our Awards and Medals and any current closing dates:

The College is excited to launch a new digital platform for Fellows, Members and Affiliates to search, plan and apply for College Awards, Grants, Bursaries and Fellowships in 2023 and beyond. Create an account and find all our opportunities here.


The Dundas Medal

The medal is in commemoration of Dr Charles Robert (Bertie) Dundas FFARCS FRCP Glasgow. Dr Dundas was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery (Anaesthetics) in Aberdeen and honorary consultant anaesthetist from 1975 to 1995. He died in 2014 from biliary carcinoma. He was never offered palliative care whilst he was ill and spent his last months waiting for chemotherapy whilst enduring a poor quality of life. His widow Dr Valerie Dundas made a donation to PATCH (Palliation and The Caring Hospital) to improve the provision of palliative care in hospital.

In recognition of Bertie’s lifelong enthusiasm for teaching, research and innovation, an annual award to recognise efforts to improve the provision of palliative care for patients when they are in hospital is fitting. The award is open to individuals or teams [medical, nursing or paramedical] working in any hospital in the UK. It is not essential that the applicant should be an FRCSEd. 

The application deadline is Wednesday, 12 April 2023 by 11:59 PM GMT.

Submit your application on the Grants and Awards platform here: rcsed.grantplatform.com/


 

Farquharson Award 2023

Nominations are requested for the 2023 Farquharson Award.  This award is in memory of Eric Farquharson, Surgeon and Fellow of the College who was author of Farquharson’s Textbook of Operative Surgery and previous Vice President of the College.  This award is offered on a biannual basis.

In keeping with the original bequest, the Farquharson Award is offered to anyone who has made significant contributions to surgical teaching or surgical anatomy, at either undergraduate or postgraduate level.  Although this award was traditionally reserved for those who taught at the bedside, in theatre, in the dissecting room, or through lectures or textbooks, the award has broadened to incorporate new methods of teaching through simulators, wet laboratories, operative videos and distance learning programmes.

The award is open, not only to surgeons be they junior or senior, but also to those in allied professions who have contributed to surgical and anatomy teaching.  Recipients do not have to be Fellows or Members of the Edinburgh College, nor do they have to be medically qualified.

The closing date for the 2023 Farquharson Award is Friday 26 May 2023.

A proforma for the citation can be obtained from Mrs Irene MacDonald-Kennedy – i.macdonald-kennedy@rcsed.ac.uk


 

Sushruta Professorship in Plastic Surgery

The Sushruta Professorship in Plastic Surgery has been established through the generosity of the Guha family to recognise a distinguished scholar in Plastic Surgery. The scholastic work is to be presented at a meeting of an ICOPLAST member National Society. In Sushruta’s spirit, the awardee’s lifetime contribution should reflect some of the following attributes (scholarship, leadership, stewardship, and humanitarian work) through original research, practice, leadership and publication in Plastic Surgery peer reviewed forums. The award is open globally. A recognised scholar of outstanding merit may apply, supported by two scholars, clinicians, or scientists of great standing in complementary fields.

Deadline is now closed.

The Sushruta Professorship Lecture will be delivered at the ICOPLAST Congress in Dubai, UAE on May 23 May 2023.


Hunter Doig Medal

Applications are invited for the Hunter Doig Medal to be awarded in 2022.

This silver medal is awarded every second year to a female Fellow or Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh who, in the opinion of Council, demonstrates career potential and ambition, as well as:

  • High standards of practice in terms of “good surgical practice”
  • Clinical excellence
  • Ongoing contribution to education and training
  • Clinically based research and audit
  • Laboratory research of direct clinical relevance.

If you wish to apply, you can self-nominate or be proposed by a colleague, Board, Committee or other body recognised by the College.  To apply, you must send a full CV with supported letter, and supported by three referees, two of which will be surgeons and one which will not be a surgeon.  Written references should be submitted at the time of the CV and supported letter.

Applications are now closed.


Lady Margaret MacLellan Award 2022

Through Tenovus Scotland, the 19th Lady Margaret MacLellan Award will be made to the individual, or group of individuals, who are, or have been, actively engaged in medical research or providing medical leadership in Scotland and have contributed most in the field of ‘Acute and Intensive Care Medicine’ within Scotland in recent years. The sum of £3,000 and a suitable memento will be awarded.

A citation of not more than 500 words would be appropriate along with a brief Curriculum Vitae for each nominee, a paragraph stating the nature and significance of their contribution and a list, if appropriate, of relevant publications.

Submissions should be marked ‘LADY MARGARET MACLELLAN AWARD 2022’ and an electronic copy sent to general.secy@tenovus-scotland.org.uk.

Nominations are now closed.

Full guidance notes


The Syme Medal

James Syme (1799-1870) was a leading surgeon of his day and an enthusiastic teacher and surgical innovator. He was also the mentor of Joseph Lister. The Syme Medal is a prestigious mark of excellence awarded by the College to a Fellow or Member of the College in good standing, on the basis of a recently submitted thesis (MD or PhD), or published body of research, or educational development. Research should have been published in high quality peer reviewed journals. Consideration will be given to the impact of the work on future research or clinical practice. The Medal is to be awarded to surgeons in training or recently appointed consultants and is often based on work leading to a doctoral thesis. This award is distinct from the King James IV Professorship.

The applications deadline is Wednesday 14 June 2023.

Submit your application on the Grants and Awards platform here: rcsed.grantplatform.com/

For further information, please contact the Research and Grants Co-Ordinator, Development and Partnerships Office by email at awards@rcsed.ac.uk


King James IV Professorship

King James IV of Scotland, who confirmed this College's Seal of Cause on 13 October 1506, had an interest in all matters scientific, including medicine and surgery, and was particularly proud of his skill as a dental surgeon, adopting the somewhat unusual practise of paying patients on whom he operated.

To mark the Millennium, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, with the Faculty of Dental Surgery, proposed the establishment of lectureships to be awarded annually by the College in open competition to practitioners of surgery or dental surgery who have made a significant contribution to the clinical and/or scientific basis of surgery. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II gave permission for the College to use the title King James IV Professorship.

Up to five Professorships may be awarded annually - two to Dental Fellows and three to Surgical Fellows of the College. The King James Professorships are the most senior academic award made by the College. They are intended to recognise a substantial body of work by an individual not less than 5 years from substantive appointment as a consultant or an equivalent position. The work presented may not be the same work submitted for a Syme Medal. The courtesy title of Professor will be accorded to King James IV Lecturers for the duration of the College year in which their lecture is delivered.

The applications deadline is Wednesday 14 June 2023.

Submit your application on the Grants and Awards platform here: rcsed.grantplatform.com/

For further information, please contact the Research and Grants Co-Ordinator, Development and Partnerships Office by email at awards@rcsed.ac.uk

Past recipients of the King James IV Professorship


Faculty of Surgical Trainers (FST) Medal

Excellent surgical trainers play an instrumental role in teaching, mentoring and inspiring the next generation of trainee surgeons. Although there are differences in approach, personality and technique among trainers, common themes exist for those that truly shine as examples of exceptional education and training.

Fellows, Members or Associates of the Faculty of Surgical Trainers can nominate and propose any surgeon for the FST Medal which recognises exceptional contributions to surgical education and training. This will be awarded at the FST Conference. The nomination must have a seconder who does not necessarily have to be affiliated with the FST. Written permission must be sought from the nominee.

The nominees will be required to submit a current CV and highlight the contribution they have made to surgical education and training.

Guidance Notes

Nominations are now closed.


Lady Margaret MacLellan Award

In April 1985 a sum of money was made available by Sir Robin MacLellan to provide a monetary prize (with a suitably inscribed momento) to be awarded biennially for outstanding contributions to medical science in Scotland. The Medical Schools and Royal Colleges in Scotland would be invited to submit nominations. Members of Tenovus Scotland’s National Committee are ineligible.

We have pleasure in advising that the 17th Lady Margaret MacLellan Award will be made to the individual, or group of individuals, who are actively engaged in medical research in Scotland and have contributed most in the field of Precision medicine’ research within Scotland in recent years. The sum of £3000 and a suitable memento will be awarded.

Submission Process 

The closing date for nominations TBC.


Faculty of Dental Surgery (Home) Medal and the Faculty of Dental Surgery (International) Medal

Nominations are invited for the awards of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (Home) Medal and the Faculty of Dental Surgery (International) Medal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

RCSEd Faculty of Dental Surgery Fellows are invited to submit nominations for either award and should provide clear reasons why the individual should be considered for the award. Each medal may be awarded to dentists or others who have made a distinguished contribution to the Faculty, College and dentistry.

Applications are now closed.

For more information on the criteria or to nominate someone, please contact dental@rcsed.ac.uk.


Sushruta Professorship in Plastic Surgery Medal Awardees

Year Name Title of Lecture
2019 Narayana Murthy Define, Diagnose, Classify to Record Reversibility in Diabetic Foot 

Sushruta-Guha Awardees

Year

Name

Title of Lecture

2012

David Herndon

The Molecular response of white blood cells, muscle and fat to massive burn, insights into the host response to injury and sepsis

2013 

S Milner 

The 90% burn: lessons learned 

2014

G Burget 

Three artistic principles for reconstruction of the nose 

2015

D A McGrouther 

Mechanotransduction 

2016

R Sabapathy 

Pushing the boundaries in limb salvage following trauma 

2017

B Pomohac

Facial restoration by transplantation

2018

Stefan O'Hofer

Transforming lives. Breast Cancer Reconstruction: How we changed a procedure into an academic practice and then changed the world around us. 


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