Annual Research Conference

In 2025, the Academic Research Committee proudly presents the newly unified RACS Annual Research Conference - a three-day academic showcase.

This year we bring together the Developing a Career and skills in Academic Surgery (DCAS) course, the Academic Surgery meeting and the Surgical Research Society (SRS) meeting, alongside the former November Annual Academic Surgery Conference (NAASC) to become the RACS Annual Research Conference.

The conference will also include the Academic Surgery Delphi – a multi-stage research prioritisation project led by the RACS Academic Surgery Committee.

This exciting new format replaces the separate events previously held at different times of the year. DCAS will no longer be held at the Annual Scientific Congress (ASC) in May, and the SRS meeting will now take place as part of this single, high-impact November event. The result? A concentrated and collaborative platform for aspiring and established academic surgeons across Australasia.

• Day 1 – DCAS: Empowering the next generation of academic surgeons with mentorship, insights, inspiration and exploring a path in academic surgery.
• Days 2–3 – RACS Annual Research Conference: Featuring the SRS Meeting, world-class research presentations, academic keynotes and dynamic discussions on the future of surgical science.

Attendees can register for DCAS, the main conference or both, allowing flexibility while maximising opportunities for engagement and networking.

This is the premier multidisciplinary academic meeting for surgeons across Australasia inclusive of all surgical subspecialties and all stages of academic practice.

Whether you are a medical student, registrar, post-doctoral researcher or established academic the conference offers:

• A broad scope spanning general, subspecialty and cross-disciplinary surgical research
• The chance to present at an international-standard conference
• A platform to showcase research across levels - from student projects to leading national studies
• A supportive research ecosystem to inspire ideas, forge collaborations, and develop your academic voice
• Participation in the final stage of our 
• research Delphi process to identify barriers to an academic career and prioritise future research directions for our region
• A forum to influence policy and practice – with the College as a conduit for research advocacy
• A balance of expert keynotes, research presentations, rapid-fire abstracts, and engaging discussion
• Early collaborative study idea workshop
• Accepted abstracts published in the ANZ Journal of Surgery

Date: Thursday 13 November - Saturday 15 November 2025

Venue: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
250-290 Spring Street, Melbourne
Victoria 3002

Registrations for the RACS Annual Research Conference (incorporating DCAS) are now open.

Register now

Abstract submissions for the workshop are now open, and will close on 1 September 2025.

Submit your abstract

Are you developing a new collaborative study? Do you have an idea that could benefit from expert feedback, cross-institutional input, or trans-Tasman collaboration?

As part of the 2025 RACS Annual Research Conference, we are hosting a Collaborative Research Ideas Workshop: a dedicated session designed to connect early and established investigators with a panel of experienced academic surgeons, trialists, and methodologists. \

We welcome 200-word abstracts from:

1. Established collaborative research groups.
2. Smaller research teams or surgical units.
3. Individuals with a promising idea ready for development.

Submissions should outline the rationale and proposed methodology for a surgical study to be conducted in Australia and/or Aotearoa New Zealand.

Entries from any surgical specialty or cross-disciplinary team are encouraged.

Selected abstracts will be invited to pitch their study concept live at the conference, receive constructive feedback, and explore potential partnerships and mentorship. Take the next step in your collaborative research journey. 

Meet our Jepson lecturer for the RACS Annual Research Conference.

Professor Graeme Clark AC & Mr John Black PRCS, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2010.

We are delighted to announce that Professor Graeme Clark AC, Lister Medalist, Lasker Laureate, will deliver the prestigious Jepson Lecture at the RACS Annual Research Conference on 14 November 2025.

Professor Clark’s surgical legacy has been revolutionising hearing. For more than four decades a groundbreaking innovation developed at the University of Melbourne has transformed the lives of more than 700,000 people across 180 countries.

The multi-channel cochlear implant – pioneered by Professor Graeme Clark – was the first to reliably restore speech understanding to those with severe to profound hearing loss, and to give spoken language to children born deaf.

Acknowledged as the first clinically successful sensory interface between the human brain and the outside world, this technology was a major breakthrough in restoring hearing. It opened new possibilities for people who are deaf and inspired new areas of medical research.

Professor Clark’s ongoing work continues to shape this field. In his upcoming presentation, The role of a surgeon in restoring the senses on November 14, he will explore the evolving challenges and opportunities for surgeons at the intersection of technology and human perception.

The RACS Annual Research Conference 2025 preliminary program is now available. Explore the preliminary program (PDF 1.72MB).

Abstract submissions are now open and will close on Monday 18 August 2025 at 11:45pm (ACST).

Cap it off with a networking-rich delegates dinner – a celebration of surgical science and community.

Venue: Longrain Melbourne
44 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Time: 6.30pm for 7.00pm start

Cost: $89.00 per person

Date: Friday 14 November 2025