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  1. HOME
  2. Become a Surgeon
  3. How do I become a surgeon?
  4. SET selection requirements, process and application
  5. Specialty specific eligibility criteria and selection processes
  6. Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiothoracic Surgery

On this page

  • Selection information and tools
  • Application Closing Date
  • Semi-structured interviews
  • Future eligibility requirement
  • Announcement of offers
  • Past offers

Selection information and tools

Cardiothoracic Surgery 2023 Selection regulations for the 2024 Intake (PDF 409.34KB)

These Regulations are applicable for the 2024 intake conducted during 2023 only.

Last updated: 20 October 2022
Current version: 1.1

NOTE: Previous versions of these regulations should be disregarded

Any regulations for the SET Program from any previous years are not applicable and cannot be relied on for meeting the SET Program requirements for the 2024 intake unless specifically stated in the current regulations.

The Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery and its staff will not enter into any form of advice, pre-scoring or interpretation of the Regulations outside of the formal application and scoring process.  

Evidence of procedures

Applicants must submit the three Cardiothoracic Eligibility DOPS forms provided below with their online application. Refer to the Selection Regulations for further information.

  1. Competently insert a Chest Drain (DOCX 32.82KB)
  2. Competently harvest a Long Saphenous Vein (DOC 71.5KB)
  3. Competently harvest a Radial Artery (DOC 80.5KB)

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Selection Initiative

The Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery implemented the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Selection Initiative policy in the 2018 Selection Process. Please refer to the Selection Regulations for further details.

Application Closing Date

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 29 March 2023 (12:00 noon AEDT). Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted.

Semi-structured interviews

Date of interview: TBA

Future eligibility requirement

Changes to the RACS Clinical Examination (CE)

  • 2024 SET Selection (for the 2025 intake) - successful completion of the CE will be a mandatory eligibility requirement
  • 2023 SET Selection (for the 2024 intake) - successful completion of the CE is preferred but not compulsory. 
    If selected without the CE, Trainees commencing in 2024 will be required to complete the examination as per the RACS Clinical Examination (CE) policy. Further information about the RACS CE can be found here.
  • 2022 SET Selection (for the 2023 intake) - was not compulsory
    Trainees commencing in 2023 will be required to complete the examination as per the RACS Clinical Examination (CE) policy. Further information about the RACS CE can be found here.

Announcement of offers

Announcement of offers to successful applicants will be made by the end of July 2023. Any final offers will be made by Friday 10 November 2023.

Past offers

In 2016 five (5)* Trainees were appointed into the SET Program to commence in 2017
In 2017 eight (8)* Trainees were appointed into the SET Program to commence in 2018
In 2018 three (3)* Trainees were appointed into the SET Program to commence in 2019
In 2019 thirteen (13)* Trainees were appointed into the SET Program to commence in 2020
In 2020 there was no selection process
In 2021 six (6)* Trainees were appointed into the SET Program to commence in 2022
In 2022 seven (7)* Trainees were appointed into the SET Program to commence in 2023

*Includes deferred offers

Back to Specialty specific eligibility criteria and selection processes
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • General Surgery Australia
  • General Surgery - New Zealand
  • Neurosurgery
  • Orthopaedic Surgery - Australia
  • Orthopaedic Surgery - New Zealand
  • Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery - Australia
  • Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery - New Zealand
  • Paediatric Surgery
  • Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery - Australia
  • Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery - New Zealand
  • Urology
  • Vascular Surgery

Related pages

  • Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Selection Initiative

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