A student surgical society – the Cape Town experience

The UCT Surgical Society, Africa’s first student surgical society, is a student-managed academic society that promotes undergraduate interest in the field of surgery at the University of Cape Town. With over 700 members in 2009, it is one of the largest student surgical societies in the world. This article describes the origins, aims and objectives of the Society, and outlines a framework that students anywhere may use to create their own academic interest societies.