Purpose

The purpose of SASSIT is to improve the training of future surgeons by providing a platform where:

• Opportunities will be created for the transfer of both knowledge and technical skills from seniors to trainees;
• A voice will be given for the opinions and concerns of surgical trainees through representation on the College of Surgeons’ council and other relevant surgical society meetings
• To be proactive about the changes affecting surgical training and the practice of surgery in South Africa;
• To create a community forum amongst surgeons in training.

Objectives

• To promote opportunities to improve surgical training and skill
• To create additional academic programmes, and make them available to all surgeons in training
• To help facilitate audit and research in all training facilities
• To help facilitate surgical education through the promotion of revision courses, training in teachingmethods and the instruction of others
• To promote high quality surgical professionals through outreach programmes to medical students andothers encouraging surgical training
• To pursue interaction with other similar international societies, promote good relations with these societies, allowing for an exchange of ideas, knowledge and research
• To represent trainees at all training centers with a view to standardize surgical programmes
• To engage with industry, community and government to improve patient care

Membership

• Members
  All HPCSA registered doctors with an interest in surgery are eligible. Pendingpayment of the full membership fee and submission of their HPCSA number they will be entitled to allthe benefits of the Society. The benefits for full members include a subscription to the South AfricanJournal of Surgery (SAJS), discounted registration fees to affiliated surgical meetings/ congresses, aswell as discounted rates to meetings/ courses arranged by SASSIT. On completion of their training SASSITmembers will be encouraged to become members of the governing body of their respectivespecialties.
• Student Members
  Any registered medical student can become a member. They will be entitled to all the benefits of a fullmember, except that they will not receive copies of the SAJS.There is no membership fee to student members.
• Members of existing student surgical societies are encouraged to be student members.

Fees

These will be determined on an annual basis at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) by the ExecutiveCommittee. Fees will be due during the first month of the year, for each year of membership. Membershipfees must be up to date when booking for courses or activities arranged by the Society, otherwise the bookingcannot proceed.

The Executive Committee

The Executive committee will consist of the following full members, elected by electronic vote:

• President
• Vice President
• Portfolios
  • Treasurer, Sponsorship & Lobbying
  • PR/Marketing and Social Media
  • Student Society Liaison and Outreach/Advocacy
  • Research
  • General surgery registrar representative
  • Orthopedic surgery registrar representative

Terms of Office and the Executive committee

• Office bearers will occupy a one year term of office, unless their surgery training time is completedduring their term.
• Any full member may apply for an Office Bearer post. Any member who is not already on the Executivecommittee needs to make their application in the form of an essay of 100 words or less why they feel thatthey should occupy the office. This will be distributed to all members for their information before theballot. Members of the Executive committee can be nominated for Office Bearer posts, and will beentered into the ballot.
• In the event there are no applications for an office post, the new Executive committee has right to namea replacement.
• Any office bearer can be voted out before their one year term of office is completed by a majority vote ofthe Executive. The Executive will then vote in a replacement.

The Executive Committee maintains the right to add or remove points to or from the Constitution afterdeliberation and ballot. The Society can only be dissolved through a two-thirds majority vote by the ExecutiveCommittee. On dissolution of the Society, any monies in the Society’s bank account will be transferred to thedesignated charity.

Byelaws

Terms of office and the Executive committee

• Office bearers will be voted into office by anonymous ballot, where a majority vote is required. In theevent of a split ballot, the executive will hold their own ballot.
• Should an office bearer vacate their post before the end of their term, the Executive committee will votein a temporary replacement until the next open ballot.
• Voting will be through an annual anonymous vote in electronic format. The results will be announced on our website and in our annual report
• The Executive holds the right to add or remove any Office as they see necessary.
• The Executive will meet twice a year. Under exceptional circumstances the Executive will meet on moreoccasions.
• The Chairperson of SASSIT will attend the Executive meetings of ASSA, to raise any concerns of SASSITand be a part of any relevant matters discussed at this meeting.

Annual reports

The Executive Committee must compile an annual report including a financial statement. This will be published in our newsletter (The Needle holder) in the second quarter of every year and it will be distributed to all our members and members of our associate bodies.