Advice for trainees on how to integrate Genomics, Clinical Informatics and Sustainability into routine practice
08 October 2026
Generic Statements added to all surgical curricula
Background
Paragraphs relating to emerging areas in healthcare have been added to the latest versions of all eleven surgical curricula. These emergent areas are:
- Genomics
- Digital informatics
- Sustainability
Their addition emphasises the importance of these developing themes within all aspects of medical and surgical care. As such, trainees are expected to capture and develop their experiences in these areas.
Due to variability in exposure and the rapidly changing and overlapping nature of these fields, formal evidence collection and summative assessment utilising Workplace-Based Assessments (WBAs) is not expected at present.
Although the use of WBAs is encouraged (see examples below), trainees are encouraged to utilise all aspects of their portfolios to present evidence of progress:
Options for capturing experiences in these fields include:
- Reflections after clinical or other experiences related to genomics.
- Reflection and uploading proof of attendance at appropriately themed educational events, including
- hospital ground rounds
- online learning
- regional specialty training
- specialty conferences
- Reflections on your own reduced usage of resources or changes in prescribing.
- Reflections on your own usage of online patient consultation software, digital transcribing, electronic healthcare records, and other healthcare digital tools.
- Where desired or appropriate, further formal qualifications such as certificates, diplomas, and other degrees in Genomic Medicine, Bioinformatics or similar.
Example WBAs include:
Genomics
- Vascular Surgery / Core : Case based discussion (CBD) of a patient with genetic connective tissue disorder (e.g. Marfan's, Ehlers-Danlos, Loeys-Dietz) and aortopathy
- OMFS / Plastics / ENT / Neurosurgery / Core: CBD or Clinical evaluation exercise (CEX) of a patient with genetic craniomaxillofacial deformity (e.g. cleft lip palate, Treacher-Collins, Apert, Crouzon etc…. )
- Vascular Surgery: Assessment of audit of referrals for genetic counselling/testing for patients <60 year with acute type B aortic dissection
- OMFS / Plastic Surgery: CBD or CEX regarding a patient with a history of familial malignant melanoma
- Core / General: CBD / CEX / Audit relating to multidisciplinary patient management, referral and / or testing of a patient with familial breast cancer or colorectal cancer
Clinical informatics
- Vascular Surgery: CEX or CBD for utilisation of planning software for planning endovascular aneurysm repair.
- OMFS: CEX or CBD for utilisation of planning software and implant design for maxillofacial trauma, orthognathic surgery or head and neck reconstruction.
- Core / any: CEX of a remote patient consultation, including use of remote translator services
- Consideration of advantages / disadvantages, limitations, confidentiality, etc…
- Core / any: CBD and CEX utilising image transfer and remote utilisation of clinical information or health records to expedite patient care.
- Any: Observation of Teaching (OoT) on presentation at local journal club or departmental teaching on the roles of AI within a surgical specialty, or a recent research paper involving AI or another digital informatic related modality in modern patient care.
Sustainability
- OMFS / Plastics / Core: Assessment of audit (AoT) /quality improvement project of waste reduction in minor surgical cases
- OoT at a journal club of a paper on sustainability in surgery:
- E.g reusable vs single use items in surgery, carbon footprints of surgical care, water usage, staff and patient attitudes.
Further ideas and suggestions can be identified in the following example open access papers:
McDermott F. Precision surgery: harnessing the power of genomics. Bull R Coll Surg Engl. 2026;108(1). doi:10.1308/rcsbull.2026.1.
Alkhatib O, Miles T, Jones RP, Mair R, Palmer R, Winter H, McDermott FD. Current and future genomic applications for surgeons. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2024;106:321-328. doi:10.1308/rcsann.2024.0031.
Rafaih AB, Ari K. Sustainability in surgery: problems, solutions, and recommendations. Cureus. 2025;17(10):e94010. doi:10.7759/cureus.94010.
Royal College of Surgeons of England. Sustainability resources [Internet]. London: RCS England; [cited 2026 Oct 5]. Available from: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/about-the-rcs/about-our-mission/sustainability-in-surgery/sustainability-resources/
Please also view the Evidencing Against Generic Statements Q&A session below hosted by ISCP Surgical Director, Mr Christopher Fowell with contributions from ASiT trainee doctors Nathan Walker and Raiyyan Aftab.