NEW ADVANCED DIPLOMA – OVERVIEW
Shoulder & Elbow Surgery
Starts November 17th, 2026
25 SESSIONS | LIVE & ON-DEMAND
Master the principles of modern shoulder and elbow surgery with world-leading faculty.
An advanced online course for orthopaedic surgeons, the JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma in Shoulder & Elbow Surgery delivers a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum covering the full spectrum of upper limb practice — from rotator cuff and instability to arthroplasty, trauma and the elbow — helping surgeons develop the knowledge, judgement, and confidence required for contemporary shoulder and elbow care.
Surgeons enrolled in this online course begin with Shoulder Surgery in November, with live weekly sessions ranging from rotator cuff tears and shoulder instability through arthritis, anatomic and reverse arthroplasty and stiffness, to the full spectrum of shoulder girdle trauma.
The Elbow Surgery follows, covering anatomy, biomechanics and arthroscopy through epicondylopathy, distal biceps and the throwing elbow, to instability, fracture-dislocation, arthritis and arthroplasty.
Teaching is delivered by internationally recognised orthopaedic surgeons through live online seminars, interactive case discussions and examination-focused learning.
Download and share the syllabus
Clinical learning is retained and applied better when it’s discussed with peers. Download and share the syllabus with your colleagues and social networks, and consider enrolling as a group.
DOWNLOAD THE SYLLABUSCourse Director:
Professor Tom Cosker
MB BCh, MSc (Tr Surg), FRCS (Tr & Orth), FAS
Professor Tom Cosker is a Consultant Orthopaedic Oncology Surgeon at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, and Associate Professor and Director of Surgical Anatomy at the University of Oxford. He is also a College Assessor for the Royal College of Surgeons and Anatomy tutor at Balliol College.
Clinically, Professor Cosker works in the Tumour Oncology Unit at the NOC as Clinical Lead for Sarcoma Surgery, with a specialist interest in upper limb surgery and reconstruction. He opened the first dedicated 3D printing lab at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, a collaboration between the NHS, University of Oxford, and industry, using state of the art technology to create anatomical models from patient CT and MRI data for teaching and for surgical planning in tumour resection.
His approach to surgical education is what he calls cradle to grave – the belief that teaching should not be a snapshot in time but an experience that accompanies surgeons from medical school through to senior practice.
Online Learning: Live and On-Demand
Each week you’ll receive a link to join a live online session with your fellow delegates, the course director and an invited expert with world-class experience in that week’s area of shoulder and elbow surgery. Sessions run for around an hour and are fully interactive, with the chance to put your questions directly to surgeons at the top of the field.
If you can’t attend live, the recording is available afterwards, so you never miss a session.
After each class, five formative MCQs are released into the online learning space alongside the recording, helping you consolidate the material whenever suits you. Once all sessions are complete, you’ll be assigned three topics and sit a summative single-best-answer paper, graded with individual feedback. On successful completion you’ll receive a digital certificate — and your access to every recording continues for a full year.
Who is the Diploma in Shoulder & Elbow Surgery course for?
The JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma in Shoulder & Elbow Surgery curriculum is designed for:
– Senior Orthopaedic Residents and Registrars
– Fellows in Shoulder & Elbow, Upper Limb or Trauma Surgery
– Newly Appointed Consultants and Associate Specialists
– Surgeons preparing for FRCS (Tr & Orth), EBOT or Board Certification examinations
Our delegates and faculty are from all around the world. Because the course is taught live on Zoom and in a deliberately small cohort, delegates don’t simply listen to lectures — they discuss real cases and clinical application drawn from a wide range of healthcare settings and countries. That breadth of perspective is part of the learning – those differences make for richer, more practical discussion.
We welcome surgeons at every stage of their career. Shoulder and elbow practice moves quickly, and the diploma is as much an opportunity to refresh and challenge established practice as it is to build knowledge from the ground up.
Whether you’re consolidating ahead of an examination or a consultant keeping pace with the latest evidence, the live format gives you the chance to test your thinking against current data and the experience of peers around the world.
Exclusive Bonus for JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma Delegates
Register for this JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma course and receive a complimentary 30-day online subscription to JBJS Journals—including JBJS, JBJS Reviews, Essential Surgical Techniques, over 4,500 surgical videos, and more.
Everything you need to complement your learning experience—from the latest evidence and expert reviews to surgical videos and practical clinical resources—all in one place.
Course Overview
Preview, download and share the syllabus, or scroll down for more details.
Shoulder & Elbow Surgery Course Curriculum
The Diploma in Shoulder & Elbow Surgery covers both joints across five in-depth modules, taught live online by leading orthopaedic surgeons.
Over four modules (20 sessions), the Shoulder Surgery curriculum runs from rotator cuff tears and shoulder instability through arthritis, anatomic and reverse arthroplasty and stiffness, to the full spectrum of shoulder girdle trauma. The final module (5 sessions) focuses on Elbow Surgery, covering anatomy, biomechanics and arthroscopy through epicondylopathy, distal biceps and the throwing elbow, to instability, fracture-dislocation, arthritis and arthroplasty.
MODULE 1
SOFT TISSUE & ROTATOR CUFF (5 sessions)
Shoulder Anatomy, Biomechanics, Examination and Imaging
Rotator Cuff Disease: Natural History, Partial and Full-Thickness Tears
Massive and Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears
Calcific Tendinitis, Subacromial Pain Syndrome and AC Joint Pathology
Long Head of Biceps: Tenotomy versus Tenodesis
MODULE 2
INSTABILITY & THE THROWING SHOULDER (5 sessions)
Anterior Shoulder Instability and Bone Loss Assessment
Latarjet, Bone Block and Glenoid Reconstruction
Posterior and Multidirectional Instability
SLAP, Proximal Biceps and the Throwing Shoulder
Scapular Dyskinesis, SICK Scapula and Return to Play
MODULE 3
ARTHRITIS, ARTHROPLASTY AND STIFFNESS
(5 sessions)
Glenohumeral OA, Cuff Tear Arthropathy and the Inflammatory Shoulder
Anatomic Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: Planning, Technique and Outcomes
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: Biomechanics, Technique, Expanding Indications
Periprosthetic Fracture, Infection and Revision Shoulder Arthroplasty
Adhesive Capsulitis and Post-Surgical Stiffness
MODULE 4
SHOULDER TRAUMA
(5 sessions)
Proximal Humerus Fractures: Nonoperative to ORIF
Reverse and Hemiarthroplasty for Trauma and Fracture Sequelae
Clavicle and Scapula Fractures
Acromioclavicular and Sternoclavicular Joint Injuries
Brachial Plexus Injury and Failed Trauma Reconstruction
MODULE 5
ELBOW SURGERY
(5 sessions)
Elbow Anatomy, Biomechanics, Examination, Imaging and Arthroscopy
Lateral and Medial Epicondylopathy, Distal Biceps and Distal Triceps
Throwing Elbow, UCL Injury and Tommy John
Elbow Instability: Simple, Complex, Terrible Triad and Fracture-Dislocations
Distal Humerus, Radial Head, Olecranon, Elbow Stiffness, Arthritis and Arthroplasty
SHOULDER & ELBOW ASSESSMENT
FINAL ASSESSMENT & CERTIFICATE
Delegates will complete a summative Single Best Answer paper, and submit three 1,500-word essays on topics relating to the content taught in the Shoulder & Elbow curriculum. Topics will be assigned in May 2027, with essays due in June 2027 (date tbc).
Shoulder & Elbow Surgery Certification
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
WEEKLY MCQs & FINAL
SINGLE-BEST-ANSWER PAPERS
Weekly formative MCQs allow delegates to track their progress and consolidate learning online in their own time. Each diploma concludes with a summative Single Best Answer paper assessing knowledge across the full curriculum.
FINAL WRITTEN ASSESSMENTS
(1,500 WORD ESSAYS)
Delegates will submit three 1,500-word essays on topics relating to the content taught in the relevant curriculum. Topics for Shoulder & Elbow Surgery will be assigned in May 2027, with essays due in June 2027.
DIPLOMA
& ACCREDITATION
On successful completion of this JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma, delegates receive a digital certificate of completion: the Diploma in Shoulder & Elbow Surgery. Successful delegates and may be able to claim AMA PRA Category 1™ Credit.
Diploma Courses Starting Autumn 2026
In the 2026/27 autumn term, we are pleased to offer three distinct courses — Adult Trauma, the Complete Diploma in Trauma Surgery, and Shoulder & Elbow Surgery — so you can enrol where you most want to focus.
For trauma, we recommend the Complete Diploma in Trauma Surgery — available at a saving of over 25% compared with enrolling in Adult and Paediatric courses individually.
diploma in SHOULDER & ELBOW surgery
£840
Starts 15 November 2026
- 25 live, expert-led sessions
- 125 formative MCQs
- All content available online, on demand for registered delegates
- Certificate: JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma in Shoulder & Elbow Surgery
- 10% alumni discount for future JBJS MRC Oxford courses
complete diploma in trauma surgery
£1,195
Last Chance: September 2026 – May 2027
- All 18 Adult Trauma Surgery sessions
- All 15 Paediatric Trauma Surgery sessions
- All 165 online formative MCQs from both diploma courses
- All content available online on demand for one year following completion
- 2 Certificates: JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma in Adult Trauma Surgery and JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma in Paediatric Trauma Surgery
- 10% alumni discount for future JBJS MRC Oxford courses
diploma in ADULT TRAUMA surgery
£840
Last Chance: Starts 14 September 2026
- 18 live, expert-led sessions
- 90 formative MCQs
- All content available online, on demand for registered delegates
- Certificate: JBJS MRC Oxford Diploma in Adult Trauma Surgery
- 10% alumni discount for future JBJS MRC Oxford courses
Flexible Payment Options
If you are unable to pay for the course in full at the checkout, we offer three alternative ways to secure your place on the diploma course.
PayPal in 3
Split the course fee into 3 interest-free monthly payments. Quick application process at checkout.
Available to eligible applicants and subject to PayPal approval.
PayPal Credit
Spread the cost over a longer period with 0% interest for up to 4 months. Quick application process at checkout. Available to eligible applicants and subject to PayPal approval.
Small Deposit & Instalments
If you are not eligible for PayPal flexible payment options, please contact our team to arrange to secure your place with a small deposit and to pay by instalments.
Register Now
Join the first Shoulder & Elbow Surgery cohort — places are limited and we encourage early registration to secure your spot on the course.
SECURE YOUR PLACE NOW