Belgian Association of Surgical Trainees

What Belgian Association of Surgical Trainees does

BAST (Belgian Association of Surgical Trainees) is a Belgian non-profit association (VZW/ASBL) founded in 1998 and registered under venture number 468.138.628, with its registered office at Winston Churchill-laan 11/30 in Brussels. It is the official independent body representing general surgery trainees across all Belgian universities, claiming membership of almost half of all such trainees nationally. The association is governed by an elected, unpaid Board of Directors (11 members for the 2025-2026 term), with bylaws-mandated representation in the Royal Belgian Society for Surgery (RBSS), the Collegium Chirurgicum, the Erkenningscommissie/Commission d'Agrément, and the Hoge (Gezondheids)Raad/Conseil Supérieur.

BAST operates an educational platform rather than a single product. Core offerings include the Robotic Surgery Training Pathway (RSWG Modules 1A-2D) delivered at ORSI Academy on DaVinci Xi and DaVinci X systems, the monthly RIZIV-INAMI-accredited "Expert in the Field" webinar series hosted on Microsoft Teams, the on-demand BAST Library, hands-on cadaver workshops (e.g., the BSAWS-BAST hernia repair course at CETRAS, UZ Gent), and conference sessions within the annual Belgian Surgical Week. Supporting resources include Medbook/Carnet de Stage, IUPGES, fellowship and vacancy listings, training surveys, and a members-only forum. The technology stack is conventional: a WordPress site with the Events Calendar plugin supporting iCal/ICS subscription feeds, Microsoft Teams for webinar delivery, and no public API or mobile application.

Revenue is generated through annual membership fees set by the Board, sponsorships from medical-device and equipment firms (e.g., Getinge supplies aortic-flow models), government or private subsidies permitted under the bylaws, and small refundable deposits (€50-€75) on selected hands-on workshops. Distribution occurs via self-serve registration on bast.be and co-organized events with partner societies (RBSS, BGES, BeSOMS, BSAWS, BYF, NASCE). BAST does not disclose revenue or ARR and has no external investors, consistent with its non-profit status.

Name

Belgian Association of Surgical Trainees

Legal name

Belgian Association of Surgical Trainees

Website

https://bast.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BAST is the Belgian non-profit association founded in 1998 that represents general surgery trainees across all Belgian universities. It delivers accredited webinars, robotic and cadaver training pathways, and an annual surgical congress, funded by membership fees and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Professional Association / Surgical Education

NAICS

All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54199), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAALAD

Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

SECONDARYEDAOAJAI

Rehabilitation Support (PT/OT Aide)

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Healthcare Allied & Clinical Support Training

Keywords

• Surgical trainee association
• Surgical education programs
• Robotic surgery training
• Hands-on cadaver workshops
• Medical professional membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Uccle

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual membership fees: Members pay an annual fee fixed each year by the Board of Directors; membership runs from 1 January to 31 December and must be renewed yearly. Generates recurring annual revenue.
2. Sponsorships and partnerships: Carries out sponsoring activities with commercial partners (e.g., device and equipment firms like Getinge). A dedicated Sponsors section on the website includes 'Current sponsors' and 'Become a sponsor' pages.
3. Government and private subsidies: Per the bylaws, BAST may obtain subsidies from the government or private institutions to support its educational mission.
4. Course registration deposits: Refundable deposits (e.g., €50 or €75) collected for hands-on workshops (e.g., SFA & PA Aneurysm Treatment, Cadaver workshop in hernia repair) which are fully reimbursed upon attendance; most other courses are free for BAST members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

BAST is the official independent member association for general surgery trainees in Belgium, offering annual membership that unlocks free access to a portfolio of surgical training programs. Its core educational offerings include the multi-module Robotic Surgery Training Pathway (RSWG 1A-2D), hands-on cadaver and dry-lab workshops (e.g., BSAWS-BAST Hernia Repair, BAST-BYF Aortic Repair), the monthly Expert in the Field webinar series, and conference sessions at Belgian Surgical Week. Supporting resources include an on-demand BAST Library of recorded webinars, Medbook/Carnet de Stage logbook, IUPGES, fellowships and vacancies directory, surveys/studies, a members forum, ombuds service, and the Silver Scalpel Award recognizing outstanding trainers.

Product overview

BAST (Belgian Association of Surgical Trainees) is a non-profit association offering a portfolio of educational programs and member services rather than a single unified software product. At its core is BAST Membership, which unlocks access to the Robotic Surgery Training Pathway (RSWG modules 1A-2D, delivered at ORSI Academy with DaVinci Xi/X systems), the BAST Library of on-demand Expert in the Field webinar recordings, and recurring hands-on workshops such as the BSAWS-BAST Cadaver Workshop in Hernia Repair, the BAST-BGES-RBSS hands-on workshops, and the BAST-BYF Hands-On Workshop on Aortic Repair. Trainees also gain access to supporting resources including Medbook/Carnet de Stage, IUPGES, Fellowships & Vacancies listings, Surveys & Studies, the BAST Forum, and the Silver Scalpel Award recognizing excellence in teaching. Conference offerings such as the BAST-RSWG Trainer-Trainee Session and the BAST-BeSOMS Video Session are organized during the Belgian Surgical Week. Together these programs form a multi-module educational platform aimed at promoting the highest standards in surgical training for Belgian general surgery residents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BAST Membership
• Robotic Surgery Training Pathway (RSWG Modules)

Quantifiable outcome

• Almost half of all Belgian surgical trainees are BAST members
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Royal Belgian Society of Surgery (RBSS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRBSS is mandated in BAST's bylaws as a body in which BAST delegates representatives. BAST+RBSS members receive a free subscription to Acta Chirurgica Belgica. RBSS is a co-organiser of Belgian Surgical Week, BAST-BGES-RBSS hands-on workshops, and the Trainer-Trainee session; organizer of BSAWS (Belgian Section of Abdominal Wall Surgery) hernia cadaver workshops; contact [email protected].
• BGES (Belgian Group of Endoscopic Surgeons)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of the Hands-on Workshops BAST-BGES-RBSS @ Belgian Surgical Week 2026 and past robotic surgery modules (e.g., RSWG Module 2D pig lab co-organized with BGES).
• BeSOMS (Belgian Society for Obesity and Metabolic Surgery)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organises the BAST-BeSOMS Video Session at the Belgian Surgical Week (April 24, 2026 at Hilton Antwerp Old Town); call for abstracts on new robotic platforms, revisional robotic cases, novel surgical techniques, endoscopic and emerging technologies in obesity and bariatric surgery.
• BSAWS (Belgian Section of Abdominal Wall Surgery)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organises the annual BSAWS-BAST Cadaver workshop in hernia repair (e.g., 28/11/2025 at CETRAS UZ Gent; 30/01/2026 at UZA Antwerp); targets 3rd–4th year surgical trainees on Lichtenstein, TAPP, TEP, IPOM ventral and Rives Stoppa techniques on real cadavers. Contact: [email protected].
• BYF – Belgium Young FlowmasterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of BAST-BYF Hands-On Workshops on Aortic Repair (and AV Fistula) and BAST-BYF-DMB Endovascular Workshops (e.g., 28/11/2023 at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc); targets 4th–6th year surgical trainees with interest in vascular surgery; uses aortic-flow models supplied by Getinge.
• NASCE (Network of Accredited Clinical Skills Educators of UEMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of the 9th NASCE Scientific Meeting (8-9 October 2025 at ORSI Academy); BAST co-organises scientific sessions with simulation training breakout sessions and abstract submission.
• ORSI AcademycoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary training venue and equipment partner for the Robotic Surgery Working Group (RSWG) training pathway; hosts Modules 1D (Basic Dry Lab) and 2C (Advanced Dry Lab) and 2D (Pig Lab) on DaVinci X and DaVinci Xi systems at Proefhoevestraat 12, 9090 Melle. Faculty includes Dr. E. Reynvoet, Dr. K. Boterbergh, Dr. Jan Colpaert, Dr. Mohamed Abasbassi.
• Collegium Chirurgicum BelgicumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAST resides in the Collegium Chirurgicum Belgicum as representatives for surgical trainees; named in the bylaws as a body in which BAST delegates representatives.
• Taylor & Francis – Acta Chirurgica BelgicacoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFree subscription to Acta Chirurgica Belgica provided to BAST+RBSS members; link to tandfonline.com/loi/tacb20 from the BAST homepage.
• Belgian Surgical Week (BSW)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual flagship congress organised by RBSS (April 23-25, 2026, Hilton Antwerp old town; theme 'Individualized surgery: honoring tradition, embracing innovation'); BAST runs the Trainer-Trainee session and BeSOMS Video Session within BSW.
• CHU Tivoli La LouvièreminorOthersHosted RSWG Module 1D Basic Dry Lab on 8 February 2025 with dr. Vincenzo Simonelli using DaVinci X systems.
• Cliniques Universitaires Saint-LucminorOthersHost venue for BAST-BYF Hands-On Workshop on Aortic Repair (28 November 2023, auditorium Kestens); Prof. Astarci (chief of Cardiovascular UCL) and Dr. Ellens (Vascular Surgeon UCL, BoardMember BYF) provided theoretical sessions.
• CETRAS, UZ GentminorOthersHost venue for the BSAWS-BAST Cadaver workshop in hernia repair (28/11/2025), Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent; Faculty: M. Allaeys, W. Janssens, S. Van Hoef.
• BACTS (Belgian Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAST co-promotes BACTS events such as the 25th Anniversary Congress (25 November 2023, Plaza Theatre, Brussels); bacts.org.
• VVGE (Vlaamse Vereniging voor Gastro-Enterologie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-promotes VVGE Proctologiecursus (16-17 November 2023); vvge.be.
• MLCTO (Multi-Level CTO Endovascular Course)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEndovascular course organisation providing 50% discount for BAST members on the 3-day congress (4-6 May 2023 at The Hotel, Brussels); endovascular-mlcto.com.
• FYA – Find Your Algorithm CongressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational vascular congress (5th edition, 27 February – 1 March 2025, ILEC Conference Centre, London); BAST negotiated free registration for BAST members using code 'BAST' instead of €500.
• Erkenningscommissie / Commission d'Agrément (Specialty Councils)flagshipOthersPer BAST bylaws, BAST delegates representatives in the Specialty Councils (Erkenningscommissie / Commission d'Agrément) to represent trainee interests in specialty recognition criteria.
• Hoge (Gezondheids)Raad / Conseil SupérieurflagshipOthersPer BAST bylaws, BAST delegates representatives in the Hoge (Gezondheids)Raad / Conseil Supérieur (High Health Council of Belgium).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NASCE (Network of Accredited Clinical Skills Educators of UEMS): European-level network focused on clinical skills education and simulation training. Co-organizes the NASCE Scientific Meeting with BAST at ORSI Academy and shares the same mission of standardizing surgical skills education across borders.
• Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT): UK-based independent association representing surgeons in training. Operates a near-identical model to BAST — trainee-run, trainee-led, providing courses, conferences, awards, and advocacy — but at UK scale, making it the closest international analogue.
• Young Surgeons Committee of UEMS: European Union of Medical Specialists section representing young surgeons at the EU policy level. Mirrors BAST's mandate to advocate for trainees within higher-level regulatory bodies, but operates across EU member states rather than just Belgium.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Belgian Society for Surgery (RBSS): The senior counterpart to BAST and its bylaws-mandated parent organization. RBSS represents fully qualified surgeons and co-organizes Belgian Surgical Week and the RSWG robotic pathway with BAST, providing direct overlap in surgical training programming.
• American College of Surgeons (ACS): The largest surgical professional society in the United States, offering surgical education, continuing medical education accreditation, and trainee programming. Represents the global gold standard for surgical society infrastructure against which BAST's programming can be benchmarked.
• European Society of Surgery (ESS): Pan-European surgical society organizing the European Congress of Surgery and continuing education for European surgeons. Represents a broader incumbent at the European level where BAST's IUPGES international initiative may eventually compete or partner.
• German Society of Surgery (DGCH): Germany's principal surgical society with a dedicated Young Surgeons forum (Perspektivforum Junge Chirurgie). Comparable trainee representation structure within a much larger national society, serving as a reference model for scaled trainee advocacy.

Others

• BGES (Belgian Group of Endoscopic Surgeons): Belgian sub-specialty society co-organizing hands-on workshops and robotic training modules with BAST. A key enabling partner that extends BAST's programming reach into minimally invasive and endoscopic sub-specialties.
• Collegium Chirurgicum Belgicum: The Belgian inter-society forum in which BAST resides as the trainee representative. Functions as an enabling ecosystem partner rather than a competitor, providing BAST access to senior surgical leadership and institutional coordination.

Regional players

• Association of Surgeons in Training Ireland (ASIT Ireland): Irish national trainee surgical association with a comparable mission, membership model, and event portfolio. Operates in a separate geography but with substantial overlap in member demographics, GTM motion, and training offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BAST_tweets
• Facebookfacebook.com/www.bast.be
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/belgian-association-of-surgical-trainees
• Instagraminstagram.com/belgiansurgicaltrainees

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Belgian Association of Surgical Trainees