The Cambridge University Surgical Society received a number of nominations for their incredible efforts to support their peers during the incredible disruption of the 2020-21 academic year.

Representing the Surgical Society for this award are Kiran Joshi (President), Daphne Chia (Vice-President) and Alex Fung (a key organiser of the Skills Club alongside Daphne).

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen large disruption to medical education as hospitals reconfigured and staff were redeployed to cope with vast numbers of critically ill patients. Several groups of students have mobilised to support their fellow peers’ learning during this hugely disrupted year and Cambridge Surgical Society have been exemplary.

They have put on a series of free events throughout the year, designed to support peers with their learning and professional development. These events include a webinar series on high-yield surgical topics for exams, a Careers & Innovation conference and a Women in Surgery conference. The society organised a 4-week Surgical Skills Club programme in which clinical medical students were taught surgical skills by senior surgeons. They also developed a series of online resources including infographics on common surgical procedures, a skills video course and a surgical placement guidebook. These resources, although designed with the pandemic in mind, will last many years and provide long-term benefit to the student community.

In 2020-21, Kiran, Daphne and Alex were all reading Clinical Medicine at St John's College. Kiran and Daphne were sixth-year Undergraduates, while Alex was in his fifth year.