• Home
  • About
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Library
  • Sign In

  • Become a surgeon
  • Trainees
  • Fellows
  • SIMGs
  • Research & audit

Key Information

  • About specialist surgeons
  • How do I become a surgeon?
  • Selection process and requirements
  • Admission to Fellowship
  • International surgical training
  • View all

Resources

  • eLearning courses & resources
  • College events
  • Interest groups and sections

Key Information

  • Trainee Association (RACSTA)
  • The surgical training program
  • Surgical specialties
  • Examinations
  • Training post accreditation
  • View all

Education for Trainees

  • Skills training courses
  • eLearning courses & resources
  • Professional development courses
  • Specialist training program
  • Library
  • View all

Resources

  • Training standards for surgeons
  • Surgeons wellbeing
  • College events
  • Interest groups and sections
  • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
  • View all

Key Information and resources

  • 'Find a Surgeon' & 'practice card'
  • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
  • Reports, guidelines & publications
  • Fellowship
  • Interest groups and sections
  • View all

Fellowship Education and Training

  • eLearning courses & resources
  • Skills training courses
  • Surgeons wellbeing
  • Professional development courses
  • Library
  • View all

For supervisors, educators and trainers

  • Academy of Surgical Educators
  • Supervisor Support Hub
  • RACS skills & education centre
  • Become a mentor
  • Post-fellowship training
  • View all

Key Information

  • Pathways
  • SET as a SIMG
  • SIMG overview
  • Application process
  • SIMG assessments
  • View all

Education for SIMGs

  • eLearning courses & resources
  • Skills training courses
  • Professional development courses
  • Library

Resources

  • Surgeons wellbeing
  • Maintenance of Professional Standards
  • Contacts, guidelines and forms
  • Member benefits & services
  • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)

Key Information

  • Surgical mortality audits
  • Morbidity audits
  • Research & Evaluation, inc. ASERNIP-S
  • Laparoscopic skills training
  • Trauma Verification program
  • View all

Resources

  • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
  • My audits
  • College events
  • Interest groups and sections
  • Books & merchandise
  • View all
  • RACS login
    Sign In
  • Become a surgeon
    • Key Information

      Key Information

      • About specialist surgeons
      • How do I become a surgeon?
      • Selection process and requirements
      • Admission to Fellowship
      • International surgical training
      • View all
    • Resources

      Resources

      • eLearning courses & resources
      • College events
      • Interest groups and sections
  • Trainees
    • Key Information

      Key Information

      • Trainee Association (RACSTA)
      • The surgical training program
      • Surgical specialties
      • Examinations
      • Training post accreditation
      • View all
    • Education for Trainees

      Education for Trainees

      • Skills training courses
      • eLearning courses & resources
      • Professional development courses
      • Specialist training program
      • Library
      • View all
    • Resources

      Resources

      • Training standards for surgeons
      • Surgeons wellbeing
      • College events
      • Interest groups and sections
      • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
      • View all
  • Fellows
    • Key Information

      Key Information and resources

      • 'Find a Surgeon' & 'practice card'
      • Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
      • Reports, guidelines & publications
      • Fellowship
      • Interest groups and sections
      • View all
    • Fellowship Education and Training

      Fellowship Education and Training

      • eLearning courses & resources
      • Skills training courses
      • Surgeons wellbeing
      • Professional development courses
      • Library
      • View all
    • For Educators and Trainers

      For supervisors, educators and trainers

      • Academy of Surgical Educators
      • Supervisor Support Hub
      • RACS skills & education centre
      • Become a mentor
      • Post-fellowship training
      • View all
  • SIMGs
    • Key Information

      Key Information

      • Pathways
      • SET as a SIMG
      • SIMG overview
      • Application process
      • SIMG assessments
      • View all
    • Education for IMGs

    • Resources

      Resources

      • Surgeons wellbeing
      • Maintenance of Professional Standards
      • Contacts, guidelines and forms
      • Member benefits & services
      • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
  • Research & audit
    • Key Information

      Key Information

      • Surgical mortality audits
      • Morbidity audits
      • Research & Evaluation, inc. ASERNIP-S
      • Laparoscopic skills training
      • Trauma Verification program
      • View all
    • Resources

      Resources

      • Access Morbidity Audit and Logbook Tool (MALT)
      • My audits
      • College events
      • Interest groups and sections
      • Books & merchandise
      • View all
  • Home
  • About
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Library
In This Section
  • Eligibility
  • Examination structure
  • Syllabus and recommended reading
  • Standard setting and feedback
  • Policies
  1. HOME
  2. Examinations
  3. Specialty specific examinations
  4. Orthopaedic Principles and Basic Sciences OPBS2
  5. Syllabus and recommended reading

Syllabus and recommended reading

Syllabus and recommended reading information for Orthopaedic Principles and Basic Sciences (OPBS) Examination candidates.

On this page

  • Syllabus
  • Recommended reading

Syllabus

Syllabus areas covered in the examination include anatomy, bacteriology, biomaterials, biomechanics, embryology, imaging, kinesiology, pathology, pharmacology and statistics.

Candidates are advised to read the  OPBS Examination Syllabus document, for further information on the examination syllabus.

Recommended reading

It is recommended that candidates read widely in all aspects of orthopaedic basic science beyond the course material listed below:

  • Sinnatamby, Chummy S. Last's anatomy: regional and applied (11th Edition) New York: Churchill Livingstone, 2006
  • O'Keefe, Jacobs, Chu and Einhorn: Orthopaedic Basic Science Foundations of Clinical Practice 4th Edition (Reference for October 2014 and future examinations)
  • Westbrook, Catherine et al MRI in Practice Malden (3rd edition), MA: Blackwell, 2005
  • Vigorita, Vincent J. Orthopaedic pathology/Vincent J. Vigorita; with Bernard Ghelman and Douglas Mintz. 2nd Edition. Philadelphia:Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, c2008.
  • George, Stame, Peter Dewey, Helen C. Beh and Angus Gray: Radiation Safety for Orthopaedic Surgeons (2nd Edition) (Sydney: AOA Publications, 2005)
  • Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American and British volumes). Review articles and current concept reviews in basic sciences for the preceding five years.
  • Surgical Exposures in Orthopaedics - The Anatomical Approach; Stanley Hoppenfeld, Piet deBoer, J.B. Lippincott. 4th Edition.

The RACS Library has many of the recommended books and journals online on the Trainee resources page.

Back to Orthopaedic Principles and Basic Sciences OPBS
  • Eligibility
  • Examination structure
  • Syllabus and recommended reading
  • Standard setting and feedback
  • Policies
Back To Top

  • For Patients
  • Find a surgeon

  • Home
  • About
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Library
  • Sign in

  • About RACS
  • About the College of Surgeons
  • About RACS offices
  • Global Health
  • Specialty societies & affiliated organisations
  • Surgeons wellbeing
  • About Respect
  • College fees
  • Position papers
  • Policies
  • College events

  • Education
  • Skills training courses
  • Professional Development
  • eLearning courses & resources
  • Specialist Training Program

  • Become a Surgeon
  • About specialist surgeons
  • How do I become a surgeon?
  • Selection requirements
  • International surgical training
  • Admission to Fellowship
  • Fellowship
See all News

  • College of Surgeons announces incoming President and Vice-President
  • Transforming the ways you engage with the College
  • States, Territories and New Zealand (STANZ) Elections – Get involved!

  • Disclaimer and privacy