History
The Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) is an independent professional body that works to promote the highest standards in surgical training.
The Association was originally established in 1976 as a forum for senior registrars to meet socially and discuss training matters. ASiT now counts numerous professional leaders and Royal College Presidents amongst its alumni. The Association is one of the largest surgical speciality associations in the UK with around 3,500 members.
ASiT’s members come from all ten surgical specialities. ASiT is the only body in the UK to represent trainees at both core and higher surgical training levels, with orthopaedic registrars also represented by BOTA (the British Orthopaedic Trainees' Association).
ASiT functions through the input of its elected speciality and regional representatives and serves the needs of trainees beyond its formal membership through training courses, and trainee grants, prizes and fellowships. Membership costs just £40 as a medical student or £60 otherwise. This fee has remained as low as possible whilst aiming to maximise return to trainees. The highlight of this is the ASiT Annual Conference, with around 1,500 delegates attending a weekend of educational courses, scientific presentations (with over 1000 abstract submissions received), lectures and topical debate on all aspects of surgery and surgical training.
The Association represents the views of surgical trainees through representation on the councils of the four Royal Colleges of Surgeons, Speciality Advisory Committees and the Joint Committee on Surgical Training as well as numerous other working parties. Unlike many other junior doctor trainee groups, ASiT remains independent of other professional medical organisations and is run by trainees, for trainees, to promote excellence in training.