A/Prof. Michael Hii
Co-Supervisor of Pre-SET Training
Thanks for joining the Pre SET team at St Vincent’s for 2024. As always, we’re planning for a great training year and look forward to working with you all.
It looks like 2024 is going to be a big year of change. For instance there are some really big changes in the selection criteria and processes for many of the specialties. The SET programs have also been developed in various ways. On first glance, these can be frustrating for trainees and organizations. I’ve had quite a few conversations with residents and registrars recently about how it seems narrow minded by the colleges to change things so frequently - but at the end of the day, all we can do is adapt and address the rules as best we can. Developing how we deliver education, training and selection coaching is the main thing we focus on each year and even though colleges change how they take trainees into their system they are still looking to pick well trained doctors who care about their patients and are great to work with. This is the kind of trainee we want our system to develop. This is therefore the direction we need to keep in focus as we evolve our system.
Focus items for the Pre SET group this year will include more directed and varied weekly teaching, strengthening our ties and collaboration with the surgical medical students and surgical consultants via the Academy and for the society members to get greater value out of the Pre SET society. Personally, I really hope we can have a big push on improving our ability to educate clinicians about - and therefore deliver environmentally sustainable surgery. All of these priorities are reflected in Pre SET society committee positions and with a starting lineup of 17 committee members we’re excited about the largest team ever. We want this to be a collaborative effort so any ideas - from anywhere - are very welcome.
As always, huge thanks to Adrienne Lui, the 2023 chief resident, and her committee for their fabulous work last year. Welcome to Aidan and the new team for 2024!
Dr. Nicole Winter
Co-Supervisor of Pre-SET Training
Welcome to the St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Pre-SET Surgical Training Program 2024. I would firstly like to congratulate Adrienne Lui, the PreSET committee and our PreSET doctors for their outstanding work and achievements during 2023. We are now seeing more and more face to face educational and social programs, while using our online resources in a balanced manner.
The Pre-SET Society alongside St Vincent’s Academy of Surgeons have a jam packed calendar year. Starting with our Welcome night in February, ending with the ultimate TopGun Interunit Championships. Our programs are dynamic and evolving, with an aim to engage you - the young, passionate, motivated surgeon of the future. I can not stress enough how important it is for you to introduce yourself and get involved.
RACS successful SET applications for our PreSET’s is a permanent goal for our society. Each college has its specific selection criteria which also constantly changes. General Surgery will see one of its biggest selection process changes over the next 2 years, impacting the scoring system and the number of successful applicants. This brings new hurdles and challenges for you. Having the resources and the expertise of the members of our societies, Michael and I will continue to help you push through these together.
Finally We are very excited to have Aidan Jackson as our Chief Surgical Resident for 2024. Aidan has been involved with St Vincent's Hospital since his time as a medical student. He has also been part of the Surgical Students’ Society of Melbourne (SSSM), and most recently a committee member on the PreSET Society 2023 before stepping into his new role. We are looking forward to his innovative ideas and leadership into 2024 and beyond.
I would like to wish you all the best for 2024, seek out your like minded colleagues, use your strength and grow together as we improve your training experience and alternatively the outcome for our patients.
