Outstanding early-career surgeons recognised at RSM Surgery Section event
Two promising early-career surgeons have been recognised at a recent Royal Society of 51短视频 (RSM) Surgery Section event, The Future of Surgical Careers: Opportunities, Challenges and Innovation.
The Glaxo Travelling Fellowship and the Norman Tanner Prize were awarded by Mr Josef Watfah, President of the RSM Surgery Section, and Mr Diwakar Ryali Sarma, President-Elect, following a showcase of high-quality presentations from shortlisted entrants.
Glaxo Travelling Fellowship
2025 Glaxo Travelling Fellowship winner Nikita Chander presenting at the RSM
This year鈥檚 Glaxo Travelling Fellowship was awarded to Nikita Chander, a general surgery registrar in North West London with a subspecialty interest in endocrine surgery. Currently undertaking a PhD at Imperial College London under the supervision of Professor Ara Darzi, Nikita is exploring the use of technology to improve thyroid cancer diagnosis and outcomes.
Speaking about the award, Nikita said:
"I am honoured to have been awarded the Glaxo Travelling Fellowship Prize, and I am sincerely grateful to the Royal Society of 51短视频 for recognising our work. I first attended the RSM Surgery Section annual meeting as a foundation doctor in 2016, and to now receive such a prestigious award is a testament to the inspirational impact of the society."
She plans to use the Fellowship to gain hands-on experience in advanced minimally invasive techniques for thyroid surgery, including the transoral approach and thermal ablation methods.
Norman Tanner Prize
Norman Tanner Prize winner Dr Namithaa Sunil is presented her award by Dr Diwakar Sarma, President-Elect of the RSM Surgery Section
The Norman Tanner Prize was awarded to Dr Namithaa Sunil, Academic Foundation Doctor at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, for her audit work on improving documentation of digital 鈥榚Outcomes鈥� for general surgical patients.
Namithaa鈥檚 project demonstrated significant improvement in compliance and highlighted the potential for nationwide impact, estimating a financial gain of up to 拢25,875 for her department through improved documentation processes.
Reflecting on her win, Namithaa said:
鈥淭he Norman Tanner Prize is a highly esteemed award, for which I am very honoured to have been considered... Winning this award has instilled me with great excitement and motivation to continue participating in research and contributing to the medical community.鈥�
Congratulations to both recipients for their outstanding work and contributions to the field of surgery.
Could you be our next prizewinner?
The RSM offers a number of career-enhancing prizes, awards and bursaries for medical students and resident doctors as well as other healthcare professionals. Find out what prizes or awards you could enter for a chance to present your work in front of leading consultants and senior healthcare professionals here.