SAS Week 2024
SAS Week celebrates specialty, associate specialist and specialist (SAS) doctors and runs from 14-18 October.
More than 1 in 5 of the non-trainee anaesthetic workforce are SAS doctors who play an essential role in the provision of anaesthetic services to patients. And SAS and locally employed doctors are the fastest growing groups of doctors in the UK.
SAS doctors are also an integral part of the College. We benefit from the representation of SAS doctors on Council – our elected SAS members are Dr Sunil Kumar and Dr Ashwini Keshkamat. We also have a dedicated SAS Committee that works across the College and with Council to promote all matters relating to doctors working in SAS roles, including education, training, professional development and wellbeing.
“SAS week gives us the opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the vital contribution made by SAS doctors to the success of our specialty. The diversity of the SAS workforce brings a vast range of skills and experience which we are keen to celebrate.”
Dr Claire Shannon, President
Share your SAS experience
At the College, we want to raise the profile of SAS doctors and this rewarding career path chosen by many for a variety of reasons. Two years ago, Dr Sunil Kumar initiated a campaign to enable our #SASdoctorheroes to share their stories with us, shining a spotlight on this career path. We now have a range of profiles on our Spotlight on SAS roles page and we’d love to have more.
If you would like to write about your career, interests and achievements so that we can share them with a wider audience, please contact Susan Soper on ssoper@rcoa.ac.uk.
We would be pleased to hear about any aspect of your life and work. For example, what roles do you undertake either at work or in your personal life that contribute to your wellbeing and job satisfaction? What achievements are you most proud of? Have you become a specialist and what was your experience of that pathway?
SAS Week activities and resources
During this week, we will be signposting to relevant articles, blogs and podcasts, including a blog highlighting our work to advocate for SAS doctors (and support for the #SASsix principles)
We are particularly pleased to be hosting a special joint event with the Association aimed at celebrating and improving the working lives of SAS anaesthetists. Strive, Achieve, Sustain - Improving the working lives of SAS anaesthetists is being held on Wednesday of SAS week offering engaging sessions and opportunities for professional growth and personal wellbeing.
