Younger Fellows Forum

 

About the Forum

The 2027 RACS Younger Fellows Forum (YFF) will bring together a select group of early-career surgeons from across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand for three days of leadership development, connection, reflection and conversation about the future of surgery.

The Forum is an immersive experience designed to give Younger Fellows the space to step away from the demands of clinical practice, reflect on the leaders they want to become, build meaningful relationships with their peers and explore how they can contribute to their profession, their communities and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

The Forum has been bringing Younger Fellows together for more than four decades. Its original purpose remains as relevant today as when the concept was introduced in 1980: to acknowledge the contribution of Younger Fellows and encourage their active participation in the life and future of the College. In the College’s Centenary year the 2027, the Forum will continue that tradition while looking firmly towards the future of surgery.

2027 YFF Theme: 100 Years of Leadership. A Future of Possibilities

Across three days, the 2027 program will include:

• A retrospective review of 100 Years – Exploring where we are now, how we got here and the lessons learnt.
• A prospective evaluation of A Future of Possibilities – Learn, question and reflect on the influences that shape leaders today and influence tomorrow’s decisions.
• A synthesis for the next 100 Years – Connect with peers and reimagine the future of surgery and its leadership.

Delegates will be challenged to consider the practice of surgery is in an era of profound transformation and technological acceleration, where uncertainty brings coexisting potential for disruption but also connection and optimisation of human potential.

Why should I apply?

Are you within your first ten years of Fellowship?

Are you interested in becoming a stronger leader within your workplace, specialty, community or profession?

Would you value the opportunity to spend three days with surgeons from different specialties, regions and backgrounds who are navigating many of the same challenges of early consultant life?

Do you want to contribute to conversations about the future of surgery and the direction of RACS?

Then the Younger Fellows Forum is for you.

What to expect

A Forum, not simply a conference

The Forum is deliberately small and highly interactive. Rather than sitting through three days of lectures, delegates participate in facilitated discussions, workshops, small-group activities, debates, leadership exercises and conversations with established and emerging leaders.

There is also something increasingly rare in surgical life: time to think.

Location and venue

The 2027 Younger Fellows Forum will be held at Foothills Conference Centre in the Yarra Valley, Victoria.

Set amongst native bushland and landscaped gardens at the gateway to the Yarra Valley, Foothills provides a residential setting where delegates can step away from the pace of everyday surgical practice and fully engage with the Forum. The venue combines conference spaces, accommodation, dining and outdoor areas in one location, allowing the three days to function as a genuinely immersive experience.

Foothills Conference Centre
48 Edinburgh Road
Mooroolbark VIC 3138

Who can apply?

Applications are invited from RACS Younger Fellows, defined as Fellows within the first ten years of obtaining Fellowship.

The Younger Fellows Forum welcomes applications from all surgical specialties, regions and practice environments across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

We are seeking a diverse group of participants who will bring different experiences, perspectives and ideas to the Forum. You do not need to already hold a formal leadership position.


What we are looking for

Successful applicants will demonstrate the following:

• An interest in leadership and personal development
• Curiosity about issues affecting surgery and healthcare
• Willingness to contribute to discussion and respectfully challenge ideas
• An interest in RACS, their specialty, their workplace or their broader surgical community
• Commitment to improving surgery and patient care
• Willingness to learn from colleagues with different experiences and perspectives
• Potential to contribute to the future leadership of the profession.

Requirements for attendance

Successful applicants will be expected to:

1. Attend the full three-day Younger Fellows Forum.
2. Participate actively in workshops, discussions and Forum activities.
3. Contribute to the Forum's discussions about issues affecting Younger Fellows and the future of surgery.
4. Consider opportunities to remain engaged with the Younger Fellows community and RACS following the Forum.

Selection process

Applications open: October 2026

Applications close: 30 November 2026

Successful applicants will be notified: December 2026

*Places at the Younger Fellows Forum are limited.

*Applications will be reviewed with the aim of creating a cohort representing the breadth of RACS Fellowship, including different surgical specialties, regions, jurisdictions, genders, career pathways and practice environments.

How do I apply?

Applications for the 2027 RACS Younger Fellows Forum are now open and will close on Monday 30 November 2026. 

Applicants will be asked to provide brief information about their career to date, their interest in the Forum and what they hope to contribute and gain from the experience.

Apply Now 

Cost

Successful applicants will have all costs of the Forum covered including:

• Transfers to and from the Forum location from a central Melbourne meeting point
• Single room accommodation
• All meals
• All planned activities that are part of the YFF program.

Applicants will need to cover their own travel expenses to and from the Melbourne pick up point.

Continuing Professional Development

Participation in the Younger Fellows Forum is an approved CPD Program activity, covering domains including leadership, professional development, cultural safety, communication and educational activities.

Further CPD information will be provided once the 2027 program is finalised.

For further information, please contact the RACS Younger Fellows secretariat.

Contact us

For any queries please contact us by email.

Our Sponsors for 2027