Senior Lecturer Research Scholarship

This scholarship is not available for 2023 activity.

To be eligible for this scholarship, you need to be a RACS Fellow or a Year 4 or 5 SET Trainee who:

- is establishing an academic career in surgical research and education
- is affiliated with a university academic department of Surgery or hospital department of Surgery in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand
- can provide a statement of support from your nominated institution describing the senior lecturer post for which you are, or will be, employed.

Trainees: you need to give evidence of a strong research background and be in your final two years of traineeship. You will be required to upload the written support of your respective Training Board within your application.

FRACS applicants: you may apply providing, if successful, you can submit evidence of completing all RACS Fellowship requirements when accepting your scholarship offer.

SET applicants are ineligible for this scholarship.

$132,000 per annum (50 per cent of which is co-funded by the recipient's academic department)

Your focus as a senior lecturer needs to be on surgical research and/or educational activities.

The senior lecturer position is defined as working up to 50 per cent clinical load and the remainder in research and teaching.

Preference will be given to candidates enrolled (or intending to enrol) in a higher degree such as a Masters or PhD.

SET Trainees must give evidence of a strong research background for their application to be considered.

Selection is assessed via written application with shortlisted applicants invited to interview. The selection panel is comprised of representatives of Research and Academic Surgery, the ANZ Scholarship and Grant Committee and the Academic Surgery Committee.

Recipients are required to present their research at the annual meeting of the Surgical Research Society of Australasia, or at the Education Section of the RACS Annual Scientific Congress, at least once during the scholarship period or within 12 months following the scholarship period.

In addition to the usual midyear and end of year scholarship reports, RACS requires a midyear report from the Supervisor each year.

Your institution is required to co-fund this Fellowship to the same amount as the Foundation for Surgery.

This Fellowship will be paid to the administering institution upon receipt of a valid tax invoice as requested by the Scholarships and Grants department. Payment will be made in one instalment prior to 1 March in the scholarship year.

You are encouraged to read the inspiring letter (PDF 497.74KB) from Dr Sarah Aitken, 2015/2016 Foundation for Surgery Senior Lecturer Fellowship recipient, in which she encourages all aspiring clinical academics to consider applying for this Fellowship.

The following articles feature previous recipients of this scholarship, as reproduced from Surgical News:

Sarah Aitken (JPG 136.81KB), 2015-17 recipient, September 2016 edition
Sebastian King (PDF 191.61KB), 2016-17 recipient, March 2016 edition
Sarah Aitken (PDF 314.09KB), 2015-17 recipient, March 2016 edition SRS Award

This scholarship is not available in 2023.

 Before applying, please read:

- general information on the Scholarships and Grants Program 
- program conditions and recipient obligations 
- conditions specific to this opportunity as stated on this page.

Scholarships and grants department
Telephone: +61 8 8219 0924
Email: scholarships@surgeons.org