UPCOMING MEETING: Friday 30th October 2026

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About WoSSA

The West of Scotland Surgical Association (WoSSA) is a regional surgical society promoting surgical education and collaboration across Scotland.

Our meetings are held biannually, in Spring and Autumn, bringing together consultants, resident doctors, locally employed doctors, medical students and multidisciplinary teams to present to discuss surgical research and innovation.

Our academic meetings showcasing clinical research, quality improvement projects, audits, and innovation from across the West of Scotland.

Our meetings provide opportunities for:

Oral presentations
Poster presentations
Networking and collaboration
Research dissemination
Trainee development

History of WoSSA

In June 1960 a letter was written from a group of surgeons in Glasgow, lead by Mr Henry Wapshaw, to colleagues across the West of Scotland. This read:

"It has been felt for some time that opportunities for friendship and fellowship amongst surgeons of the Glasgow region have been less than adequate. After discussion it has been suggested that a meeting should be held to explore the possibilites of forming an assoication to conisder the common interests of the surgeons of the area by holding professional meetings, social occassions, or both. It is envisaged that there be no more than three meetings per year and that the topics discussed have a clinical basis"

Following this, a meeting was held in the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons (now the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow), on Monday 20th June, 1960, at 5 p.m. This was attended by 32 consultant surgeons. At this meeting WoSSA was formed and Mr Arthur Jacobs was made the Chair. It was decided the association would meet twice a year; a spring meeting would be held in a peripheral hospital, and an autumn meeting would be held in Glasgow.

The inguaral meeting of WoSSA was held at 3.45 p.m. on Friday 11th November, 1960, in the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons

Our objective

Approved and documented at WoSSA's AGM in October 1961, our objective is to "encourage the study of Surgery and to promote friendship and fellowship between Surgeons practising in the West of Scotland".

The WoSSA emblem and motto

The white saltire on a blue field was chosen to represent Scotland and the arms of Glasgow in the chief position give a clue to the region.

The descending dove and the rampant lion are derived from the Arms of the Counties of Argyll in the west, and Stirling in the East; they perhaps symbolise a spiritual gentleness and a physical strength not innappriate to the surgeon.

The fourth feature of a scalpel entwined by a serpent suggests the surgical struggle against disease and confirms the the seal belongs to a surgical association.

The cross is splayed out at the ends, giving a wheel-like effect; the shape (moline) is derived from the metal reinforcements of a mill-stone.

At the hub is a red Maltese cross - the sign of a hospital and the Glasgow Arms stemming from this central feature suggests the Alma Mater.

The red and white are the liveries of the ancient Barber-Surgeon's Guild ad the colours are repeated as a wreath at the periphery in twelve alternate segments - one for each county within the provience of the Western Regional Hospital Board. These segments are on the twist giving a sensation of the rotation of clinical meetings.

In addition to the title of the Association there is the motto 'Singulus Edit Summam' which could be translated as "Each contributing to the whole"

Past WoSSA Presidents

Our first three Presidents of WoSSA were highly notable figures within the West of Scotland and worldwide. WoSSA is forever grateful for the energy and inspiration that they brought to our association in it's early years. Below are statements about each of them, written by Professor W. Arthur Mackey, in the WoSSA minutes book from 10th September, 1964.

The comitte and I have been reflecting on the happy circumstances that gave us these three great Presidents [...] renowned as doctors, teachers, research workers and humanists, but especially as men of splendid integrity and character.

Mr Arthur Jacobs

Our first president [...]. A considerable scientist, he was one of the earliest full-time urologist and is now one of the outstanding urologists of today, known and admired the world over. He is gentle in manner but imaginitve and resolute in the efforts he expands in the service of our profession and for humanity in general. His motto might very properly be: "Sauviter in modo sed fortiter in re."

Sir Charles Illingworth

[...] a Yorkshireman trained in Edinburgh, came to Glasgow in 1939 as Regius Professor of Surgery. There followed six years of immensley hard work during the war [...]. When peace returned, he was able to bring into action the full power of his unusual capacity for research, previously demonstrated in relation to the biliary tract. [...] He has made his unit, his hospital and the medical school in the city of his adoption famous for research. He has earned the esteem of his colleagues and the devotion of his junior staff [...], his energy is unabated.

Mr Robert Mailer

A graduate of Edinburgh University, trained largely in the Mayo Clinic where he was a surgical fellow, came to Glasgow to the Victoria Infirmary, and later for a time to the Southern General Hospital, as a general surgeon interested partictularly in gastro-enterolgoy and specially equipped with an intimate knowledge of the radiological examination of the alimentary tract. He is a scientist, a humanitarian and an outstanding teacher.