Welcome letter

Dear Participants

We are very excited to invite you to our 2024 Surgical Update Conference taking place on the 15th and 16th of March this year, which promises to build on the impressive standards set at our previous conferences. Each year the Division of General Surgery, University of Cape Town Surgical Update Conference attracts general surgeons from both the State and Private Sector across South Africa and this year will be no different. We have no less than 4 international speakers ranging in experts from Colorectal Surgery to Breast and Endocrine Surgery and we are pleased to welcome our 2024 Penman Memorial Lecturer, Professor Michael Jenkins who is a leading expert in Vascular Surgery.

We will also host our popular “FCS in a day” Workshop on the 14th of March which is aimed at trainees preparing to write their final exams this year.

We have Early Bird sessions planned on the 16th of March which will take place before the programme for day 1 starts and you will find more information on these under the programme tab on this website. These Early Bird sessions are always very popular and only accommodate a limited number of delegates, so make sure you book your place now.

Without the invaluable support of our local corporate partners, a congress like this would be impossible so a big thanks to them, who continue to support us despite the difficult economic climate.  You can find more information on our sponsors below by clicking on their logos below and on the sponsors tab.  We have significantly reduced the prices for trainees and students to make it possible for them to attend. We anticipate a full and interactive meeting with delegates from across South Africa and many from our neighbouring countries, a truly international and multi-cultural meeting.

The congress will have a lot of exciting opportunities for clinicians to engage with new clinical methods as well as an update and overview of surgical techniques. It will also be a great opportunity for senior registrars preparing for exams to get a great overview of important topics in the field. 

It is our wish that all our delegates will have a great time in Cape Town and look forward to hosting you at our 2024 Surgical Update Conference.

Professor L Cairncross
Head and Chair: Division of General Surgery
Head: Department of Surgery, University of Cape Town