Cardiff Medical Society

The Cardiff Medical Society was established in 1870 to encourage the advancement of medical knowledge and to promote the welfare of the medical profession. Today the society continues to promote medical education, but also provide a friendly environment in which doctors can socialise and network. 

The membership consists of more than 300 medical practitioners in Cardiff and surrounding district.  The Society puts on monthly events, an annual dinner and an annual student prize presentation evening.  It also provides assistance to medical students who wish to study the history of medicine as part of their medical degree.  

The President of the Society for 2025-2026 is Professor Malcolm Wheeler

The President of the Society for 2026-2027 is Professor Helen Sweetland

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If you would like to join the society, please contact the secretary: Cardiff.medicalsociety@gmail.com

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 Next Meeting:

 Tuesday 13th October 2026 

 Annual General Meeting

 Handover of Presidency from Professor Malcolm Wheeler to Professor Helen Sweetland

 Keynote Event:

          Professor Helen Sweetland, Emeritus Professor, Cardiff University

         'Surgical Leaders and Wales: Clinicians, Educators and Scientists'

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 Light Refreshments from 19:00

 Event Starts at 19:30

 Location - LT4 UHW

 Open to all staff, students & Guests

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 Since the foundation of Cardiff Medical Society in 1870, surgeons have played significant

 roles in leading and developing clinical services in Wales. They have also been keen educators and   scientists who have pioneered and evaluated new techniques.

 

 William Sheen was the Foundation Professor of Surgery at the Welsh National School of Medicine, and he   was followed by four other professors of surgery who have left their mark on surgical practice and   training. Surgeons from Wales have been responsible for many advances including; operating on King   George VI, developing operations for oesophageal cancer and for corneal transplants.

 

 The talk will give an overview of some of the key people and events that have shaped the progress of   surgical services in Wales, from the early 20th Century to the beginning of the 21st Century.

 Personal reflections on a career in surgery will provide current context and the talk will touch on the   challenges for surgeons in the future.

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 Prof Helen Sweetland

 

 Helen graduated in medicine from Sheffield University Medical School and did her postgraduate general   surgical training in the Sheffield region, apart from a six-month secondment to Cardiff in 1992, to learn   about breast screening.

 

 Helen moved to Cardiff in 1996, as a Senior Lecturer at University of Wales College of Medicine.

 She worked as an Honorary Consultant General Surgeon and Breast Surgeon at Cardiff and Vale UHB,   until retiring  from clinical practice in July 2020. She was awarded a Personal Chair in 2012 and Fellowship   of the Academy of Medical Educators. 

 

 Helen’s academic interests were in undergraduate medical education and clinical research in areas

 such as new surgical techniques, shared decision-making and breast cancer genetics.

 She had several leadership roles within the School of Medicine, including MBBCh Programme Director

 and Vice Dean. Her textbook for medical students: ‘Crash Course in Surgery’, had three editions and was   published in 8 languages around the world.

 

 Other roles included being a member of the National Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Deaths   (NCEPOD), an external examiner at several Medical Schools and a General Medical Council (GMC)   Education Associate. In that capacity she visited other hospitals and medical schools to ensure that   teaching and training met GMC standards. 

 

 Helen had extensive experience in postgraduate medical training and enjoyed encouraging and   mentoring medical students and trainee surgeons, watching them progress in their careers. 

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