Court of Examiners - FEX
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.
Overview
The number of Examiners varies in each specialty in line with the number of trainees and examination candidates.
Clinical/viva examinations
The clinical/viva examinations are generally conducted during May and September each year in venues across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand and alternate between the following locations:
- Australia- Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney
- Aotearoa New Zealand- Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington
Written examinations
The written exams are normally conducted in April and August each year in the following locations:
- Australia- Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney
- Aotearoa New Zealand- Auckland and Wellington
Court of Examiners Membership List
You can download the document below to find a list of current examiners.
List of Examiners (PDF 127.82KB)
Court of Examiners Executives
Chair:
Dr Gregory Keogh
Deputy Chairs:
Professor Susan Stott
Dr Glen Wood
Dr Siraj Rajaratnam
Vacant Role
Members:
Dr Siven Seevanayagam<, Senior Examiner for Cardiothoracic Surgery
Dr Stephen Jancewicz, Senior Examiner for General Surgery (Australia)
Dr Adrian Secker, Senior Examiner for General Surgery (Aotearoa New Zealand)
Dr James King, Senior Examiner for Neurosurgery
Dr Stephen Rodrigues, Senior Examiner for Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery
Dr Leo Zeller, Senior Examiner for Orthopaedic Surgery (Australia)
Dr John Mckie, Senior Examiner for Orthopaedic Surgery (Aotearoa New Zealand)
Dr Naeem Samnakay, Senior Examiner for Paediatric Surgery
Dr Susan O'Mahony, Senior Examiner for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Dr Andrew Williams, Senior Examiner for Urology
Dr Raffi Qasabian, Senior Examiner for Vascular Surgery
Notification of vacancies
Deputy Chair, Court of Examiners
The Court of Examiners invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced Senior Examiners for appointment as Deputy Chair, Court of Examiners.
This is a significant leadership opportunity for examiners who are passionate about maintaining the quality, integrity, and ongoing development of the Fellowship Examination. Deputy Chairs support the Chair of the Court of Examiners in providing strategic leadership, ensuring effective governance, and driving continuous improvement across examination activities.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Have recent experience as a Senior Examiner of the Court of Examiners.
- Demonstrate a commitment to excellence in surgical assessment and examiner development.
- Possess strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Hold a current clinical appointment.
Application Process
Expressions of Interest Open: 30 September 2026
Expressions of Interest Close: 8 October 2026
Eligibility and Governance Review: 12-15 October 2026
Notifications and Confirmations: 16 October 2026
Appointment Commences:1 November 2026
EOIs close on 8 October 2026. Please submit a letter outlining your interest in the role and relevant experience to [email protected].
Appointment Details
- Deputy Chairs are nominated by the Chair of the Court of Examiners.
- Four Deputy Chairs are appointed at any one time, including:
- At least one Deputy Chair residing in Australia; and
- At least one Deputy Chair residing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Appointments are staggered to ensure continuity and the retention of corporate knowledge within the Court.
- The term of appointment is two years, with the option of reappointment for a further two-year term.
- Consideration will be given to achieving diversity across gender, geography, and surgical specialties.
The Court of Examiners encourages applications from eligible senior examiners who can contribute diverse perspectives, strong leadership, and a commitment to maintaining excellence in surgical assessment.
Eligibility
Court of Examiners Terms of Reference (PDF 39.17KB) (PDF 121.05KB)
Appointments to the Court of Examiners (PDF 57.58KB) (PDF 142.7KB)
Fellowship Examination (PDF 92.07KB) (Regulation)
Interested in becoming an examiner?
Contributing to the RACS examinations is a valuable accomplishment for Fellows.
Examiners receive CPD hours for accredited examiner activities while also experiencing a high level of collegiality and professional pride.
Applications period for the 2027 examiner intake is from 1 October to 30 November 2026.
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- General Surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery
- Paediatric Surgery
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Urology
- Vascular Surgery
New examiner intake 2027
Applications open: 1 October to 30 November 2026
Eligibility/Governance verification and referee checks completed:
December 2026 - January 2027
Applications considered by Specialty Courts:
February 2027
Applicants notified; appointments confirmed:
Mid-March 2027
Examiner induction and training, including observation of the Fellowship examination:
March - May 2027
All new examiners must attend training to be eligible to become an examiner.
Appointment to the Court (tenure) commences:
1 June 2027
Note: The number of vacancies for each of the Specialty Courts will be confirmed at the February Examiners' Workshops. Applicants will be notified of the outcome via email in March. Please note that applications will only be accepted during the designated application period; submissions outside this timeframe will not be processed.
Application process
All applications undergo a structured assessment process to ensure candidates meet the requirements for appointment to the Court of Examiners.
The process includes:
-
Application Submission
Applicants submit a completed application form and supporting documentation during the application period. -
Eligibility and Governance Review
Applications are assessed against eligibility requirements, including governance, professional standing, financial and policy compliance requirements. -
Referee Checks
Nominated referees may be contacted to support the assessment of applicants' suitability for appointment. -
Specialty Court Consideration
Eligible applications are reviewed by the relevant Specialty Court, which considers the applicant's experience, expertise and capacity to contribute to the Fellowship Examination process. -
Recommendation and Appointment
Recommendations are submitted for approval to RACS Education Committee and successful applicants are notified of their appointment outcome.
Examiner Training Requirements
New examiners must:
- Attend mandatory examiner induction and training sessions.
- Observe a Fellowship Examination as part of their orientation and development.
Only applicants who successfully complete the required training program will be eligible to commence as examiners.
Policies and Terms of Reference
Application Form for Appointment to Court of Examiners (PDF 142.7KB) (PDF 142.7KB)
Appointments to the Court of Examiners (PDF 57.58KB) (Policy) (PDF 57.58KB)
Court of Examiners Terms of Reference (PDF 39.17KB) (PDF 121.05KB)
Fellowship Examination (PDF 92.07KB) (Regulation) (PDF 202.5KB)
(PDF 202.5KB)Conduct of the Fellowship Examinations -EDA-EXA-010 (PDF 149.53KB)
Position Description: Senior Examiners and Deputies -EDA-EXA-019 (PDF 76.94KB)
Position Description (PDF 87.37KB): Deputy Chair of the Court of Examiners (PDF 87.37KB)
Position Description: Chair of the Court of Examiners - EDA-EXA-022
Contact
Examinations Department
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
250-290 Spring Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia
Telephone: +61 3 9249 1280
Email: [email protected]