• Home
  • About
  • Advocacy
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Library
  • Sign In
RACS logo

  • 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
  • Scholarships and grants

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
  • Specialist training program
  • Library
  • View all

Resources

  • Training standards for surgeons
  • Surgeon 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
  • Surgeon 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

  • Surgeon 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 logo
  • 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
      • Scholarships and grants
  • 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
      • Specialist training program
      • Library
      • View all
    • Resources

      Resources

      • Training standards for surgeons
      • Surgeon 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
      • Surgeon 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

      • Surgeon 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
  • Committee of Surgical Education & Training
  • Education Committee
  • Court of Examiners
  • Prevocational & Skills Education Committee
  • Professional Development Committee
  • RACSTA representatives
  • Surgical Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Committee
  1. HOME
  2. About RACS
  3. About the College of Surgeons
  4. Governance & committees
  5. Training, Education & Examinations committees
  6. Court of Examiners

Court of Examiners

Information about the Court of Examiners. The Court of Examiners is appointed by the Council of the College. Its purpose is to conduct the Fellowship Examination and to assess the knowledge, clinical skills, judgement, decision making and professional competencies of candidates, in order to ensure that they are safe and competent to practise as surgeons.

On this page

  • Background
  • Membership
  • Appointment to the Court of Examiners
  • Eligibility
  • Process/timeline
  • Contact

Background

The Court of Examiners is appointed by the Council of the College. Its purpose is to conduct the Fellowship Examination and to assess the knowledge, clinical skills, judgement, decision making and professional competencies of candidates, in order to ensure that they are safe and competent to practice as surgeons.

The Court is composed of surgeons representing the nine different specialties in which the College conducts the examination. The number of Examiners varies in each specialty in line with the number of trainees and examination candidates.

The clinical/viva examinations are generally conducted during May and September each year in venues across Australia and New Zealand and alternate between the following locations:

  • Australia - Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney
  • New Zealand - Auckland and Wellington

The written exams are normally conducted in April and August each year in the following locations:

  • Australia - Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney
  • New Zealand - Auckland and Wellington

Membership

2021 Court of Examiners Members (PDF 93.87KB)

Appointment to the Court of Examiners

Applications for appointment to the Court of Examiners in 2022 are now closed.

Applications for 2023 will open from September - November 2022.

  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • General Surgery
  • Neurosurgery
  • Orthopaedic Surgery 
  • Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
  • Paediatric Surgery
  • Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
  • Urology
  • Vascular

Note:  the number of vacancies for each of the Specialty Courts will be confirmed at the February 2022 meetings.

Eligibility

Please read the following policies paying particular attention to the selection guidelines:

  • Court of Examiners Terms of Reference (PDF 39.17KB) 
  • Appointments to the Court of Examiners (PDF 57.58KB)
  • Fellowship Examination (PDF 102.3KB) (Regulation)

Process/timeline

  • 26 September 2022: Application open
  • 30 November 2022: Application with CV submitted by this date
  • December 2022/January 2023: Eligibility/Governance verification and referee checks 
  • February 2023: Applications considered by Specialty Courts
  • By the end of February 2023: Applicants notified, appointment confirmed
  • March - May 2023 Examiner induction and training, including observation of the May* examination
  • June 2023:  Appointment to the Court (tenure) commences

Application Form for Appointment to Court of Examiners (PDF 142.7KB)

*Note:  Timelines may be subject to change during COVID.

Contact

Please contact the Examinations Department for further information.

Examinations Department
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
250-290 Spring Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia

Telephone: +61 3 9249 1222
Email: Court.Examiners@surgeons.org

  • Surgical Science Examination & Clinical Examination Committee
Back to Training, Education & Examinations Committees
  • Committee of Surgical Education & Training
  • Education Committee
  • Court of Examiners
  • Prevocational & Skills Education Committee
  • Professional Development Committee
  • RACSTA representatives
  • Surgical Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Committee
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
  • Surgeon wellbeing
  • Building 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

  • Surgical training in crisis: "We're at the tipping point"
  • NSW road users put at risk in pre-election promises
  • Precision health
Indigenous motifs
Logo

  • Disclaimer and privacy