ABS Trainees Meeting: A Perspective

The ABS Trainee’s Meeting has been running for over 20 years and is a brilliant opportunity to gain an update on important topics in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, as well as a chance to catch up with colleagues from across the country. I found the course to be both well-run and informative, as well as being excellent value for money.

The meeting is normally held in Central Glasgow, with excellent road and rail links to the rest of the UK. There are several hotels within walking distance to the venue as well a plethora of bars and restaurants, upholding Glasgow’s reputation for excellent nightlife. 

The programme for the two-day course is always very informative and varied, with interesting updates on topics useful for both clinical practice and the FRCS exam. I particularly enjoyed talks on genetics assessment, as well as an update on pregnancy and breast cancer. I have incorporated learning points from these sessions into my daily clinical practice, including management of the axilla – an area that has apparently been discussed at every iteration of the meeting since its inception! 

The department in Glasgow works closely with their Plastic Surgery colleagues, and I found it immensely helpful to gain an insight into this area of practice during the interactive Oncoplastic MDT session. Day 2 of the course included the live mark-up session, led by experienced oncoplastic surgery consultants. This was a rare and valuable opportunity to practice mark-up for mammoplasty and perforator flaps away from the time pressure of a real-world operating list. 

Last year ABS President Miss Leena Chagla was in attendance along with the Mammary Fold Chair, Mr Tom Hubbard. Both provided an informative update on the shape of breast training, and the session enabled a dialogue on the future of training for Resident Doctors interested in Breast Surgery. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this course to any surgical trainee interested in breast surgery, as well as those declared breast surgery trainees and clinical fellows looking to update their knowledge and decision-making in oncoplastic surgery. 

Andrew Kennedy-Dalby, FRCSEd, ST8 Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, North West Deanery