Currently, training across Europe in Breast Surgery is very heterogeneous. Most often, surgical training certification is achieved after 4-6 years of residency training, which is usually of mixed content. Consequently, at the time of certification, many surgeons will have spent very little time doing breast surgery but will be able to undertake breast surgery, despite a lack of training in this discipline.

BRESO wishes to enhance breast surgery training across Europe, harmonising training and improving standards from the current very variable level.

BRESO aims to promote accredited specialist breast surgical care for breast cancer patients and women at high risk of breast cancer by offering a dedicated certification programme in breast cancer surgery.

To achieve this goal, BRESO has a widely inclusive approach gathering representatives from leading educational, training, research and accreditation organisations. It thrives to work in a collaborative manner, keeping in mind the best interests of our patients across Europe.

BRESO is keen to collaborate and communicate with patient organisations and policymakers, establish strategic directions for the group and lobby for European recognition of breast cancer surgery as a surgical oncology subspecialty.

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Curriculum

The Breast Surgery theoretical and practical knowledge curriculum comprehensively describes the knowledge and skills expected of a fully trained surgeon practicing in the European Union and European Economic Area (EEA). It forms part of a range of factors that contribute to the delivery of high quality cancer care.

The curriculum has been developed by a panel of experts from across Europe and has been validated by professional breast surgery societies in Europe. It maps closely to the syllabus of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS) Breast Surgery Exam, the UK FRCS (breast specialist interest) curriculum and other professional standards across Europe and globally (USA Society of Surgical Oncology, SSO).

It is envisioned that the curriculum will serve as the basis for breast surgery training, examination and accreditation across Europe to harmonise and raise standards as breast surgery develops as a separate discipline from its parent specialties (general surgery, gynaecology, surgical oncology and plastic surgery).

The curriculum is not static but will be revised and updated by the curriculum development group of the European Breast Surgical Oncology Certification group (BRESO) every 2 years.

Download or read the Breast Surgery theoretical and practical knowledge curriculum online.