Current workshops
Course for Trainers
Lucerne, Switzerland (German): 29 October 2026, 09:30 – 16:15,
Luzerner Kantonsspital (LUKS)
Course for residents (Train the Trainees)
SCS Annual Meeting 2026 Lucerne, Switzerland (German & French): 10 June, 2026, 09:30 – 13:00 (DE) / 14:00 – 17:30 (FR)
Background & Rationale
The Swiss Institute for Postgraduate and Continuing Medical Education (SIWF) has launched a nationwide transition toward Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME), emphasizing that competence—not simply procedure counts or time served—must define surgical training outcomes.
The Swiss College of Surgeons (SCS) supports this reform with its Core Surgical Curriculum (CSC), where Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are established as key benchmarks. These workshops are designed to prepare surgical educators to effectively implement EPAs in daily clinical training.
Following the successful workshops in 2025, where demand exceeded capacity and a waiting list had to be created, the SCS decided to establish a series of EPA Train-the-Trainers workshops as a recurring offer in German- and French-speaking Switzerland.
Workshop Overview
The one-day workshop equips specialist surgeons engaged in training and mentoring young surgeons with practical tools and strategies needed to integrate EPAs into training and assessment within a CBME framework.
A central element of the workshop is the use of the PrEPAred App, which supports EPA-based documentation and assessment. Through hands-on demonstrations and clinical scenarios, participants will gain confidence in applying the app as part of a structured, practice-oriented approach to supervision and training.
In addition to the technical and structural aspects of EPA-based education, the workshop highlights essential educational skills, including clinical teaching techniques, constructive feedback, and formative assessment methods. Interactive sessions will allow participants to reflect on their teaching practice and identify strategies for strengthening training quality in their own departments. By the end of the workshop, participants will be well equipped to lead EPA-based training initiatives and to foster a clinical learning environment aligned with the principles of CBME.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the CBME framework and the role of EPAs
- Develop and practice feedback and assessment strategies
- Apply EPA-based methods in daily clinical supervision
- Implement EPAs and CBME in participants’ own institutions (incl. programmatic assessment, training culture, resources)
- Exchange best practices and lessons learned across Switzerland
Format & Practical Information
- Format: One-day interactive workshop (lectures, group work, role play, case-based learning)
- Time: 09:00 – 15:00
- Language: Separate workshops in German and French (slides in English)
- Fee: CHF 400.00
- Seats: Limited – early registration strongly recommended
- CME Credits: Requested; SIWF (ISFM) accreditation in preparation
Target Audience
Surgical specialists, attending surgeons, program directors and faculty members engaged in residency training.
Faculty
Prof. Dr. Stefan Holland-Cunz – President, Swiss Society of Surgery (SCS)
Prof. Dr. Dieter Hahnloser – Past President, Swiss Society of Surgery (SCS)
Dr. med. Steffen Geuss – Senior Consultant Emergency Centre, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital; SIWF-certified trainer; member of EPA working group
Dr. med. Stefan Eisoldt – Head Physician of Visceral Surgery, Männedorf Hospital
KD Dr. Henning Fischer – Co-Chief Physician Emergency Center, LUKS; EPA lead implementation
Dr. Olivier Pittet – Head of Surgery, Hôpital Riviera-Chablais; FMH Surgery, EBSQ Coloproctology
Dr. Olivier Martinet – Chief Physician, Department of Visceral Surgery, Hôpital Riviera-Chablais; FMH Specialist in Visceral Surgery; Co-referent for ISFM training
Dr. Riadh Ksontini – Hôpital Riviera-Chablais
MMed Michael Winiker – Specialist in General Surgery, candidate visceral surgery; Board member Forum Junge Chirurgie; former Board member SCS; member of the EPA core development group
Current workshops
Course for Trainers
Lucerne, Switzerland (German): 29 October 2026, 09:30 – 16:15,
Luzerner Kantonsspital (LUKS)
Course for residents (Train the Trainees)
SCS Annual Meeting 2026 Lucerne, Switzerland (German & French): 10 June, 2026, 09:30 – 13:00 (DE) / 14:00 – 17:30 (FR)
