We’re delighted to share the results of our 2024 Membership Survey. This research gave us the opportunity to hear directly from you, our Affiliates, Members and Fellows, about your experiences and expectations, and what matters most to you.
Your feedback has shown us where we’re performing well and where we can do more to support you. We’re grateful to everyone who contributed their time and insights. Your feedback helps us reflect on what we offer and how we can continue to improve and support our Membership going forward.
Below, you will find a summary of the key outcomes from the 2024 Survey.
We recognise that whilst many see the work the College does in raising the standards of the wider profession, for some it is harder to see how the College benefits their own career. There’s an opportunity for us to provide clear pathways particularly for trainees and signposting to resources and courses that we already offer to develop technical and non-technical skills. We are dedicated to meeting the needs of our Members and Fellows and we will be working hard to learn from these results and make the College stronger still.
Mark Egan, RCSEd CEO
What Matters to You
We asked for your views on the key roles of Royal Colleges. Here are the five roles you identified as most important.
Educating and training the next generation of surgeons
Setting and upholding standards in the surgical profession
Helping Members to advance their career
Providing guidance to Members
Providing a platform to influence the future for both surgeons/dental surgeons
We absolutely agree with survey respondents that the role of Royal Colleges in standard setting, education and training are intrinsically linked, and believe that we are uniquely positioned to set and uphold professional standards.
Iain Forster-Smith, Director of Exams, Education and Faculties
What We Are Doing Well
Our goal is to always ensure we are providing the best for our Membership, and it was great to see this reflected in your perceptions and feelings of belonging to the College. We do however recognise there is still work to be done in this area and will continue to work hard on making improvements.
When we asked about perceptions of the College
High-quality source of training
80% said they trust the College as a high-quality source of training.
Serving the profession
77% said the College is serving the profession well.
Training catered to all career stages
62% felt that the College provides training that cater to all stages.
When we then asked about the perceptions of the College and the wider profession
Sense of belonging
70% said that felt a sense of belonging.
Sense of belonging to the wider surgical profession
69% said they felt a sense of belonging to the wider surgical profession.
I’m delighted that there is such a positive response from our Members particularly as this shows a big shift in recommendations from our Affiliate Members. We’ve worked hard to listen and understand the challenges being faced, especially by students and trainees post-Covid, and hope the tools and resources such as our College app, are enabling all of our Members to feel part of our College community wherever they are.
Janice Cutting, Director of Membership, Marketing and Communications
Your Membership
We wanted to gauge what aspects you value highly from your Membership and areas where there is still room for improvement.
Feedback from those who recently joined the college
Good value for money
64% of Members feel that the College provides good or very good value for money.
Promote the college to colleague or peers
44% of Members are likely to promote the College Membership to colleague and peers.
Renew Membership
90% are likely to renew their Membership or Fellowship when it comes time for renewal.
Top 3 reasons why Members and Fellows chose to continue their Membership at the College
Professional recognition
52% for professional recognition amongst peers.
Oldest surgical college
50% to be part of the oldest surgical college in the world.
Post-nominals
67% to use the designatory letter offered by the College (post-nominals).
It is encouraging that so many Members, especially internationally, see the extraordinary history of the RCSEd as a reason for joining. This heritage is not just the past but a living part of who we are today, connecting us globally, inspiring future generations, and helping us learn from the experiences and stories of our people across the centuries. We are committed to making this legacy accessible and developing it in the present, so that every Member is part of a continuing story that stretches back over 500 years and continues to shape the profession.
Chante St Clair Inglis, Director of Heritage and Estates
Make the Most of Your Membership
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Explore Your Benefits: View your full Member benefits via the Membership benefits page or the RCSEd App.
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Access Policy & Guidelines: Explore resources on patient safety, wellbeing, and sustainability.
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Volunteer: Get involved and contribute to the future of surgery, find the latest volunteering opportunities.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the 2024 Membership Survey. Every insight you share helps us improve and deliver more value to our Membership. We’ve already started making changes based on your feedback.
Your feedback truly makes a difference, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
If you would like to learn more about our membership, please visit our Members Area here. Or if you would like to talk to one of our team about our membership, contact membership@rcsed.ac.uk.
Member Benefits
RCSEd membership gives you access to exclusive resources such as Acland Anatomy, exam preparation support for MRCS and beyond, tailored courses and CPD, career guidance from trainee to Fellowship and global networking. Our benefits evolve to meet the needs of Fellows, Members and Affiliates worldwide.
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