Aim: To further ascertain the factors influencing UK medical students' career choices, particularly a career in surgery given the indication from the Core Surgery National Recruitment Office that there is a down-going trend in competition. Method: Web-based survey distributed by email to UK medical schools via surgical societies and medical school administration. Result: 137 students responded to the survey. 100 (73%) stated that they were interested in a career in surgery; of these 62 students

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... were considering this as their first choice speciality. The main reasons for choice of career were longstanding interest, exposure to the job and working environment. Factors reported by students not considering a surgical career included surgeons' attitudes, competition and the inability to learn in theatre. Anatomy teaching, basic surgical skills teaching and attendance at surgical society events encouraged those surveyed to pursue a career in surgery. Conclusion: It is beneficial for surgeons to be aware of how attitudes and student experiences of theatre can have a tangible role in influencing career choice and uptake in surgery. More career information, better experience and medical school events were cited to promote a career in surgery. http://dx. Aim: Cadaveric dissection has been the mainstay of anatomical teaching for centuries. Digital dissection offers a form of dissection without the need for cadaveric specimens, which can be hard to source and time consuming to dissect. Our institution aimed to integrate the use of digital dissection into undergraduate teaching and evaluate its use. Method: A digital dissection laboratory was built comprising of two dissection tables. Each table consists of an 84-inch touch screen computer that allows for digital dissection of life sized cadavers. Anatomy demonstrators used this facility to deliver small group anatomy teaching to undergraduate medical students. Quantitative and qualitative feedback was collected from students following these sessions. Result: Feedback from year one medical students (n¼301) showed that; 97% agreed that the digital dissection sessions had improved their understanding of regional anatomy, 92% believed that the sessions had made learning regional anatomy more accessible and 95% enjoyed the digital dissection sessions. Conclusion: We have shown that digital dissection can be successfully integrated into anatomy teaching with positive results on the students learning experience. Digital dissection is not a replacement for the classical teaching methods but can act as a useful adjunct to help overcome the disadvantages of cadaveric dissection.