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Selection requirements

How does the selection process work?

Selection is a merit-based, national (or bi-national) process, based on the Brennan principles. 

There are two stages in the Selection process.

Stage 1 - The registration stage

Anyone intending to apply for selection must register their intention to apply by the due date. By the closing date of the registration stage, applicants must meet all of the generic eligibility requirements.

All stage 1 registrations are conducted on-line through the College. Fees apply.
The information on each candidate's registration will be used to determine if the generic eligibility criteria have been met. Those who meet these requirements may be allowed to progress to the next stage of submitting a full application.

Stage 2 - The application and selection stage

Please note this information is current for 2008 and will be revised for selection 2009.

This stage starts with submission of application and is completed when offers to successful applicants are sent and accepted.

The following specialties conduct their Stage 2 selection processes through the College using an on-line application form:

• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• General Surgery (Australia and New Zealand)
• Neurosurgery
• Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Australia)
• Paediatric Surgery
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (New Zealand)
• Vascular Surgery

The following specialties conduct their Stage 2 application processes through their specialty societies:

• Orthopaedic Surgery (Australia and New Zealand)
• Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (New Zealand)
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Australia)
• Urology

Fees apply for specialties conducting the selection process through the College on-line application.

How early can I apply?

The SET program allows the earliest applications to be made from PGY2 for commencement in PGY3. It is not however assumed that all applicants will apply from that level of training. Applications can also be made by medical graduates (including BST trainees and Fellows) at any time beyond PGY2.
For further details please consult the SET Information Booklet.

Who is eligible to apply to the SET program?

Any person wishing to apply for selection into the training program of one (or more) of the surgical specialties must fulfil all of the generic eligibility criteria, plus the eligibility criteria for the specific specialty (or specialties). Only applicants who meet the criteria will be considered.

Generic eligibility criteria
There are five eligibility criteria which apply across all nine specialties:

• Have permanent residency or citizenship status of Australia or New Zealand
• Graduate of a medical school recognised by the Australian or New Zealand Medical Councils
• Unconditional registration to practise in Australia or general scope registration to practise in New Zealand.
• Satisfactorily completed internship and in PGY2 or later

applicants must also:

• be willing to consent to a full criminal history check including submission of relevant documentation on request to enable this to be undertaken
• All generic eligibility requirements must be completed by the close of Stage 1 registration.

How is the selection process conducted?

There is one selection process for SET for all applicants and all specialties (Australia and New Zealand). In allocating selected trainees to their training positions the Specialty Boards have the discretion to recognise successful applicants' level of prior learning and to decide the SET level at which to place selected trainees.
Current specialist trainees and Fellows may apply for selection into a different specialty. Provided they met the eligibility requirements for the specialty into which they are applying, and are successful, their prior learning will be considered by the specialty board in making a decision about the level at which they will commence training.

Shortlisting of applicants prior to interview

As all Specialty Training Boards reserve the right to short-list applicants, application to a specialty does not guarantee an invitation for interview. Each specialty has a minimum standard for selection, so interviews will not be offered to those applicants who, even with a maximum score in the interview, would not achieve this minimum standard. All others will be invited for interview and will receive at least two weeks notice of the interview date. Applicants who apply to multiple specialties will need to choose which interview to attend if interview times conflict.

Offers to successful applicants

All specialties will send e-mails to their successful applicants on the same date. Successful applicants must accept their offer (or preferred offer) within 10 days. Failure to respond to an offer within the deadline will automatically be deemed to be non-acceptance.

Contact

For further assistance, contact SETEnquiries@surgeons.org.

Register

Registration for the Surgical Education and Training (SET) program for 2008 is now closed.