Rural Surgery Fellowship for Provincial Surgeons

Open for applications from 3 March to 14 April 2025

Value: AUD $5,000 each (3 grants on offer)

The Fellowship, offered through the Rural Surgery Section, supports regional, remote and rural surgeons to travel and develop existing skills, or acquire new skills, in a field of benefit to the surgeon's rural, regional and remote community. 

 
  • Policy and guideline
    Before applying, please refer to the:
    - Learning and Development grant policy (PDF 288.7KB)
    - Rural Surgery Fellowship for Provincial Surgeons Grant guideline (PDF 123.32KB)
  • Who can apply?

    To be eligible to apply for this grant, you must be:
    - RACS Fellow

    AND

    - whose primary practice postcode is in a non-metropolitan area of Australia or New Zealand (rural, regional and remote is defined by the Monash Modified Model in Australia as MM2 to MM7, or outside the six main urban centres in Aotearoa New Zealand).

  • Activity

    The Fellowship may be used to fund travel, accommodation, living expenses, conference and course fees required to complete CPD activity. Recipients can complete the activity on one occurrence or over a series of smaller occurrences within the 12 week duration.

    Please note, your grant activity must commence after the closing date for applications but before the end of the following year (the grant year).

  • Application requirements

    Your application is to include:
    - your career and employment details
    - your activity proposal including: how your activity will benefit your professional development; and contribute to improving rural surgical standards and knowledge base
    - the expected outcomes of your activity
    - proposed costs.

  • Selection and payment

    Selection
    Written applications will be reviewed by members of the Rural Surgery Section (RSS) Committee. Should applicants be equal in merit, preference will be given to those who are current members of the Rural Surgery Section, have secured structured visits/appointments to established units and have not secured alternative financial support.

    Payment
    Payment is made directly to the recipient in one instalment by 1 March in the grant year (following receipt of a valid invoice which will be requested by the Scholarships and Grants Team).

  • Recipient obligations

    All grant recipients will be required to provide an activity report at the end of the grant year.

    Other recipient obligations include:
    - spending a major part of the occurrence(s) at the agreed venue to complete the CPD activity
    - guaranteeing to continue to practice in their local area on completion of the Fellowship

    The recipient is also encouraged to:
    - submit an abstract for presentation at the annual conference of the Provincial Surgeons of Australia or an appropriate forum in New Zealand
    - submit an abstract, and if successful, to present their research at the annual meeting of the Surgical Research Society of Australasia (or an agreed equivalent) at least once during, or in the 12 months following, the scholarship period
    - complete a reflective practice activity about the experience, tied into the annual CPD learning plan

     
  • To apply
    Applications are submitted via the Scholarships and Grants Program online platform, RACS Unlock, hosted by Survey Monkey Apply.

    You may register as an applicant on RACS Unlock at any time, however you will be unable to apply until the Learning and Development Program application opening date. There is no need to re-register if you already have a RACS Unlock registration.

    Please note: emailed applications are not accepted.
  • Contact
    Scholarship and Grant Team
    Email: [email protected]