The T&O Curriculum​	The 2011 Curriculum​
The E-Log Book​	Intercollegiate Exam​
BOA Instructional Course​	Fellowships Awards & Prizes​
Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery​	BOA Training & Education Committee Structure​
​Education Board Terms of Reference	Education & Revalidation Committee​
Training Standards Committee​	Related Content​ Moderators' Guidelines

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Before 2001 the T&O curriculum took the form of a BOA Blue Book entitled the syllabus of Clinical Knowledge.  In 2001 the then Joint Committee for Higher Surgical Training (JCHST) formed a Competence Assessment Working Party which recommended in 2002 that a modern curriculum for training and education in surgical competencies should include the following:

Generic or transferrable: 

• Communication skills

• Teaching/learning skills

• Personal effectiveness

• Management skills

Clinical:  

• Knowledge of basic sciences.

• Knowledge of theoretical clinical sciences

• Knowledge of clinical skills

• Decision-making

• Surgical skills

• Post-operative management

• Research

The Working Party also recommended that all trainees should be assessed by means of a portfolio containing the following elements:

• Learning agreements, which should be drawn up by trainers and trainees, and which acknowledge the experience of trainees/facilities available for training.
• A research portfolio which should follow established JCHST guidelines dealing with personal research, assessment of the research of others and evidence of audit.
• An operative log book which should demonstrate learning through reflection on complications experienced.
• An accumulation of performance-based objective assessments derived from ward, clinic and operative exposure concentrating on the most common operations performed.
• A reflective diary of meetings attended and locally delivered educational events.
• A competence map linking the methods of delivery, assessment and curriculum content, to ensure no serious gaps.

Using these principles, the first T&O competence based curriculum was delivered in hard copy and online in 2007 via the Orthopaedic Competence Assessment project (OCAP).  In parallel other surgical specialties developed their online curricula using the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP).  The enormity of the T&O curriculum drove the requirement initially for a separate OCAP, which was subsequently integrated into ISCP in the course of 2011.

The current curriculum can be found online here. 

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The Pan-Surgical Logbook has been developed to support surgeons of all grades and all Specialties in the United Kingdom and Ireland and can be found here.  

The ePortfolio has been developed in close co-operation with the Specialty Associations to provide a whole of life service to surgeons of whatever specialty. It will build up a complete record of your work, it will inform appraisals, it can contain a record of your CPD and shortly it will be able to provide reports in support of re-validation and re-certification.

You should start your logbook as soon as possible - as soon as you start training in whatever capacity (the logbook has been approved by JCST to provide reports direct into ISCP). At present, over 11,000 surgeons use the elogbook and the logbook developers are committed to provide seamless integration to any future vehicle adopted by the official training body that requires training data for the purposes of assessing surgical training. In this respect the ePortfolio is in open dialogue with the JCST and the ISCP and users can rest assured that duplicate data entry or the use of more than one logbook will not be required.

The ePortfolio is already recommended as the first choice of logbook by The British Orthopaedic Association, Society of British Neurosurgeons, the British Association of Otorhinolaryngologists, The British Association of Urological Surgeons, the Plastic Surgery Trainees Association and The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.

Users should also be reassured that data will not be released to any 3rd party without the user's prior expressed consent.

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The Intercollegiate Specialty Board in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery is responsible for the development, administration and organisation of the Intercollegiate Specialty Examination. For further information about this examination click here. 

The Joint Committee on Intercollegiate Examinations is the parent body of the nine Intercollegiate Specialty Boards, and is responsible to the Presidents, and through them, the Councils of the four Surgical Royal Colleges of Great Britain and Ireland. It governs the standards, policies, Regulations and professional conduct of the Intercollegiate Specialty Board Examinations. You can find some background information about the JCIE examination here.

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FRCS Instructional Course

The BOA Education Committee organizes an annual FRCS instructional course for ST3 and above over the second weekend in January at the Manchester University Conference Centre.  Course content is geared to four year cycle of FRCS syllabus coverage.  Senior BOA surgeons provide the faculty and the programme includes the Alan Apley Memorial and Synthes Lectures, as well as a closing lecture by the BOA President.

MRCS Instructional Course

The BOA Education Committee organizes a one day MRCS instructional course intended for Core Trainees seeking to pursue surgical careers in trauma and orthopaedics.  This takes place within the Annual Congress Programme, usually on the Tuesday.  For details go to the Events Section.

CESR Instructional Course

The BOA Education Committee organizes periodic one day weekend instructional courses for SAS Grades wishing to apply for a CESR.  For details go to the Events Section.

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Honorary Fellowships

The highest honour that the BOA can confer, Honorary Fellowships are awarded to those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to trauma and orthopaedics, both nationally and internationally.  Candidates for Honorary Fellowships are considered annually in camera by a Board comprising the last five BOA Presidents, and chaired by the most senior.  The Board nominates potential recipients to the BOA Council for a final decision.  Up to four Honorary Fellowships may be awarded annually.  The award takes the form of a parchment certificate that is presented to recipients by the President at the annual Congress.

Presidential Merit Awards

These awards are intended for those individuals whose exceptional contributions to trauma and orthopaedics have not achieved recognition through the UK honours system.  The criteria are intentionally broad and include work in the developing world, national research programmes, professional leadership roles in the NHS and BOA, and dedication to patients.  The entire BOA membership is invited to nominate individuals.  The BOA Executive Group will consider nominations and recommend up to four candidates for endorsement by the BOA Council.  Recipients will be presented with a certificate by the President at the annual Congress.

ABC Fellowships 

ABC Fellows are ambassadors for their countries and frequently rise to senior levels in the profession and within their National Associations. 

Applicants must be BOA members and under 45 on the first of January of the year of the tour.  All applications are considered by the BOA Executive Group, who will draw up a shortlist of candidates for interview. Interviews are conducted in early autumn of the year preceding the tour, to allow Fellows sufficient time to plan for their lengthy absence from family and work commitments. 

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ASG Fellowship

This Fellowship was introduced in 1978 by the orthopaedic Associations of Austria, Germany and Switzerland to provide an opportunity for orthopaedic surgeons from those three countries to visit North America in order to forge closer international relations.  In 1981, the American Orthopaedic Association founded a reciprocal tour enabling US surgeons to visit those three countries.  In time, Canadian and British Fellows have been included in this tour in biennial years.  The tour takes place in spring and ends with attendance at the annual meeting of the Southern German Orthopaedic Association in Baden Baden.   Applicants must be BOA members and under 45 on the first of January of the year of the tour.  Applications are considered by the BOA Executive Group and there is one place available for the UK.

Other Fellowships 

The BOA awards the following Fellowships:

1.   B Braun Travelling Fellowship -  An award of £2,000 to enable an orthopaedic surgeon to study a subject in-depth abroad.

2.   BOA European Travelling Fellowships -  Two awards of £1,500 to enable orthopaedic surgeons to visit European centres.

3.  BOA Travelling Fellowships -  Two awards of £5,000 to enable orthopaedic surgeons to visit centres of excellence abroad for research purposes.

4.  Ram Kumar Chatterjee Travelling Fellowships - A Fellowship derived from the estate of the late Margaret Slack in memory of her husband.  This comprises up to two annual awards of up to £5,000 to enable trainee orthopaedic surgeons to obtain additional skills, expertise or experience at centres of excellence.

5.   Singhal Travelling Fellowship -  A travelling fellowship of £1,500, based on generous donation from Cardiff Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Keshav Singhal, to enable a young orthopaedic surgeon to visit centres of excellence abroad in order to gain experience in a specialist area of their choice.

6.   Soli Lam Spinal Fellowship -  Applications are invited from Associates of the British Orthopaedic Association who have secured a placement on a GMC/SAC - approved spinal fellowship in the UK or abroad. The fellowship will provide substantial financial assistance for the placement.

7.   EFORT Travelling Fellowship  -  A week in a European country in the spring, joining colleagues from a number of EFORT member countries. The BOA will cover travel expenses for the tour; accommodation will be provided by the hosts.

All applications for these Fellowships are considered by the Education Committee, who also conduct interviews when appropriate.

8.   Zimmer Fellowship – Eight awards of €3000 are available annually to enable orthopaedic surgeons to visit centres of excellence abroad. . Funding covers opportunities to support visiting fellowships programs as follows: one award in Trauma; six awards in Adult Reconstructive Orthopaedics in Hips and Knees; and one further award in Adult Reconstructive Extremities.

All applications for the above Travelling Fellowships are considered by the Education Committee, who also conduct interviews when appropriate. Preference will be given to applicants who have specific plans for the use of the award i.e. to visit a centre of excellence to develop their knowledge or to further a research project. Awards will not be made to ‘top up’ funding already obtained from other sources.

The 2013 round of applications will open in September. For more information contact Rosanna Raison, r.raison@boa.ac.uk

Robert Jones Medal and Association Prize

The BOA offers a prize of £500 and a gold medal in memory of Sir Robert Jones through an annual essay competition amongst members of all categories on a subject of orthopaedic interest.

The essay is to be submitted typewritten in English and, together with any illustrations and specimens, must reach the Honorary Secretary via the BOA offices on or before 31 December.  It must not bear the name of the author, but should be identified by a nom de plume and accompanied by a sealed envelope bearing the nom de plume on the outside and containing the name and address of the writer inside.  Only the envelope of the successful candidate will be opened before the award is announced.

No award will be made unless a sufficient standard is achieved.  The award is made by the President, with advice from such assessors as he may select.  Exceptionally, in outstanding cases, more than one prize may be awarded and a formal award of proxime accessit may be made.  All awards will be formally reported to Council and recorded in the Annual Report.

For a list of previous prize winners click here.

 

All BOA members receive the print version of The Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume) plus full online access at www.bjj.boneandjoint.org.uk to every issue published since its inception in 1948. For more information about the The Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume) as a BOA Membership Benefit, click here.

Background

The British volume of The Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume) was established in 1948 following agreement between the BOA and the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA).  The AOA had published the American volume under the JBJS name since 1922.

The Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume) is owned and published by the British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery, a charity and company limited by guarantee established in 1953. Today JBJS (Br) is one of the world’s foremost general orthopaedic journals, with an international circulation of some 18,000 copies. Edited by James Scott, it receives over 2000 submissions per year, of which approximately 18% are accepted. Its 2010 impact factor was 2.351. 

From 2012, the British and American volumes of The Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume) will operate independently. Always separate editorially, they have collaborated at a business level for many years over subscriptions and advertising arrangements. Each volume can now offer a wider variety of subscription arrangements and business models, and is free to launch new products.

The Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume) will have a new name from January 2013 and this will be announced in February 2012. Meanwhile there are many new developments planned for The Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume) in 2012, all in response to feedback from orthopaedic surgeons and researchers: an increase in instructional review papers, enhanced online CME/CPD, more video content via a link-up with VuMedi (www.vumedi.com) , and a free surgical techniques supplement based on Seth Greenwald’s CCJR meetings (www.ccjr.com) . The link with VuMedi also extends to jointly run and branded webinars. 

Bone & Joint Research

Bone & Joint Research is an open-access, online-only journal, edited by Professor Andy Carr in Oxford,  see www.bjr.boneandjoint.org.uk  It aims to publish basic musculoskeletal science and translational research studies, as well as some clinical papers such as systematic reviews which we would not normally have room for in JBJS (Br).  

Bone & Joint 360 is a new bi-monthly paper and online journal, providing a 360 degree world view of orthopaedics – see www.bj360.boneandjoint.org.uk . Edited by Ricky Villar, it will select and review the most important recent articles in each sub-specialty of orthopaedics, gathered from some 50 orthopaedic journals, and succinctly presents and summarises the bottom-line clinical message for busy surgeons and researchers.

To submit to The Bone & Joint Journal (BJJ), formerly known as Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (British volume) or Bone & Joint Research, please go to: http://orthodox.boneandjoint.org.uk/

For subscription enquiries please contact:

Subscriptions Department

British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery

22 Buckingham Street

London WC2N 6ET

 

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Our committee structure reflects the importance we attach to surgical training and education for all trainees, Consultants and SAS Grades alike.  We focus on developing training standards (for approval by the GMC) on the one hand, working in collaboration with the JCST’s Specialty Advisory Committee for T&O, and delivery of education on the other – via instructional courses, our annual Congress and other media.  This is best viewed diagrammatically:

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Terms of Reference are as follows: 

1.1.1.     Create and sustain a comprehensive rolling five year Trauma & Orthopaedic surgery education strategy that:

1.1.2.     Focuses on developing standards of surgical/clinical education and delivery of training of the highest professional quality for all in the T&O multidisciplinary team, including students, training doctors and trained allied health professionals.

1.1.3.     Meets the education needs of the BOA membership - including Trainees, Consultants and SAS Grade doctors.

1.1.4.     Takes full account of revalidation CPD requirements.

1.1.5.     Develops the entire clinical team

1.1.6.      Is submitted for BOA Executive Group agreement and Council endorsement of the associated resources and funding.

 1.2.  Guide & shape development of the BOA’s e-learning environment to complement 1.

 1.3.  Drawing on 1 and 2, identify business opportunities for BOA training and education services with the objective of maximizing our education funds.

 1.4.  Focus on industry’s ability to deliver code compliant contributions in support of 2 and 3.

 1.5.  Direct the allocation of manpower, financial and other resources to support the planning and implementation of business cases developed for specific agreed projects to enable and support the implementation of 1, 2, 3 and 4.

 

2.      Membership to be reviewed annually

2.1.  The Board Chairman (the “Chairman”) shall be a member of the Executive of the BOA. The Chair is appointed by the President of the BOA in agreement with the BOA Executive Group.

2.2.  Standing members: one representative each for training standards, education delivery and resources.

2.3.  Supporting Members:  invited as appropriate.

2.4.  Only members of the Board have the right to attend Board meetings.  If a standing member is unable to attend He/she will invite their nominated deputy to attend in his/her place, notifying the Chairman. 

2.5.  It is expected that members or their nominated alternatives attend a minimum of 3 meetings per year.

2.6.  Other individuals may be invited to attend for all or part of any meeting, as and when appropriate. 

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3.      Office support staff 

3.1.  Office support staff will be provided by the BOA when necessary.

 

4.      Quorum

4.1.  The quorum for the transaction of business shall be three members.  A duly convened meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present shall be competent to exercise all or any of the authorities, powers and discretions vested in or exercisable by the Board.

 

5.      Frequency of Meetings

The Board shall meet at least quarterly on dates to be determined by the Chair

 

6.      Notice of Meetings & Modus operandi

6.1.  Unless otherwise agreed, notice of each meeting confirming the venue (see below) time and date together with an agenda of items to be discussed, shall be forwarded to each member of the Board, and any other person required to attend, at least five days prior to the meeting. 

6.2.  Supporting papers shall be sent to Board members and to other attendees as appropriate, at the same time. 

6.3.  Teleconference will be the norm, with some face-to-face meetings.

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 7.      Minutes of Meetings

7.1.  The office staff shall minute the proceedings and resolutions of all meetings of the Board, including recording the names of those present and in attendance.

7.2.  Minutes of Board meetings shall be circulated promptly to all members of the Board with a list of Action Points and who is responsible for these actions.

 

8.      Accountability & Reporting Responsibilities

8.1.  The Board shall report quarterly on its activities to the BOA Council through the submission of its minutes and a formal report by the Chair.

8.2.  The Board will liaise with the Education Committee through its Chair, who is a member and the Training Standards Committee, whose Chair is a supporting member, to which it will submit a record of the quarterly Minutes

 

9.      Other

9.1.  The Board shall:

9.1.1.     Have access to sufficient resources in order to carry out its duties;

9.1.2.     Give due consideration to laws and regulations including new guidance from the ‘Regulator’

9.1.3.     At least once a year review its own performance and terms of reference to ensure it is operating at maximum effectiveness and discuss any changes it considers necessary

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10.1.  The Board is authorised by the Council and Executive of the BOA to oversee all matters pertaining to education and training and its’  governance for the BOA

 

11. Supported Strategic Goals

11.1.  The Board aims to support the BOA in fulfilling the following strategic objectives:

11.1.1.  To strive towards excellence in the delivery and quality management of education & training

11.1.2.  To listen to and respond to the comments of BOA Council and the Executive

 11.2.  Supported GMC Standards

11.2.1. The Board aims to support fulfilling the following requirements of the GMC standards on Education & Training by maintaining high quality standards and robust channels of communication between the BOA and SAC(T&O) and other relevant bodies

11.2.2.  This will include arrangements for the following:

11.2.2.1.  Governance

11.2.2.2.  Quality Assurance

11.2.2.3.   Responding to change

11.2.2.4.   Keeping up to date

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Moderators' Guidelines

Moderators' Checklist

BOA Faculty Preparation brief

 

BOA Training & Education Strategy Away Day 2012

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A list of current and future projects can be found in the document below. Please note the document is currently a draft.

Strategy Away Day Projects

For information about the Education & Revalidation Committee and the Training Standards Committee, see the following links:

Training Standards Committee

Education & Revalidation Committee

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