Trauma training and trauma preparedness are increasingly areas of concern worldwide. Formal military conflicts over the past 2 decades have ensured that most military surgeons have been exposed to a significant volume of trauma. This experience is reflected in the large body of literature that has emerged as a result of these conflicts. Currently, it would appear that even though these formal conflicts are over, some form of asymmetric warfare is likely to continue for the immediate future. This era of asymmetric warfare means that trauma might occur in unexpected areas away from the formal frontlines of conflict, as evidenced by the spread of urban terrorism, which over the past 5 years has blighted many major European cities. Furthermore, ongoing social change such as mass migration and urban poverty means that interpersonal trauma is once again on the rise in major European cities. Therefore, trauma preparedness is a great concern. It is up to surgeons and emergency physicians worldwide to ensure that they have sufficient experience and institutional knowledge to treat such trauma cases. A mixed methods-style questionnaire was compiled, which sought to document the demographics of surgeons undertaking an SA trauma clinical elective, the trauma clinical experience they had prior to the elective, as well as the volume of experience they acquired during the elective. 60 questionnaires were sent out and 21 were completed.

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