The Royal College of Surgeon

About Us

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh was founded in 1505 by Royal Charter granted from King James IV. From the discoveries of Simpson and Lister to modern day pioneers of medicine and dentistry who are developing simulation, VR, and robotics, the College has been a seat of learning and advancement for over 515 years.

It is the oldest Surgical College in the world with just under 32,000 members in 100 countries, almost half of whom are overseas, touching every stage of the career path from medical student to consultant.

We are a family of Surgeons, Dental Surgeons and members of the Surgical and Dental teams who put Patient Safety at the heart of everything they do. Our high quality education and examinations ensure that standards are upheld across all specialities and in all countries.

With our interest in professional standards, the College’s primary role – and the main concern of our Fellows and Members – is to ensure the safety of our patients and provide them with the best possible care.

We do this by championing the highest standards of surgical and dental practice; through our provision of courses and educational programmes, training, examinations, and Continuous Professional Development; our liaison with external medical bodies; and by influencing healthcare policy across the UK.

We also support our professional family with a host of resources from our membership App, Library Services, Podcasts, Webinars, and our magazine, Surgeons News, to keep them up to date on the latest techniques, news, data, and insights in their field.

College headquarters are in Edinburgh in our home at Surgeons Hall, the world famous category A listed building designed by William Henry Playfair in 1832. Our main Campus hosts a dedicated skills laboratory, the Surgeons' Hall Museums, College Library, function and meeting facilities, a 129 bedroom hotel, Ten Hill Place, and office space for over 210 staff.

We also maintain a second site in Birmingham’s prestigious Colmore Row and a third International Office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to meet the needs of our growing international membership.

We are proud of our 6 Faculties; The Faculty of Dental Surgery, The Faculty of Surgical Trainers, The Faculty of Dental Trainers, The Faculty of Perioperative Care, The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care and The Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare.

This allows us to drive for development and advancement in key areas across the healthcare spectrum, with aid from key experts within each specialty.